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[[Image:Gp_ppl_obama_mccain_flag-capitol.jpg|right|thumb|300px|Barack Obama and John McCain]] {{move|United States presidential election, 2008}}

[[Image:Gp_ppl_obama_mccain_flag-capitol.jpg|right|thumb|300px|Barack Obama and John McCain]] {{move|United States presidential election, 2008}}

The '''2008 United States Presidential Election''' is scheduled for Tuesday, November 4, 2008.<ref>http://www.boston.com/news/politics/2008/calendar/</ref>  The primary season for both the [[Republican Party]] and the [[Democratic Party]] officially began on January 3, 2008 with the [[Iowa Caucus]]es and ended on June 3, 2008.<ref>http://www.boston.com/news/politics/2008/calendar/</ref>  The 2008 election cycle has seen a major shift to the primary election calendar, frontloading many primaries into early February.<ref>http://www.miamiherald.com/515/story/43160.html</ref> [[Barack Obama|Senator Barack Obama]] of [[Illinois]] is the [[Democratic Party]] nominee, with Senator [[Joe Biden]] of [[Delaware]] being his Vice Presidential running mate. Senator [[John McCain]] of [[Arizona]]is the Republican candidate. His Vice Presidential nominee is [[Alaska]] Governor [[Sarah Palin]].

The '''2008 United States Presidential Election''' is scheduled for Tuesday, November 4, 2008.<ref>http://www.boston.com/news/politics/2008/calendar/</ref>  The primary season for both the [[Republican Party]] and the [[Democratic Party]] officially began on January 3, 2008 with the [[Iowa Caucus]]es and ended on June 3, 2008.<ref>http://www.boston.com/news/politics/2008/calendar/</ref>  The 2008 election cycle has seen a major shift to the primary election calendar, frontloading many primaries into early February.<ref>http://www.miamiherald.com/515/story/43160.html</ref> [[Barack Obama|Senator Barack Obama]] of [[Illinois]] is the [[Democratic Party]] nominee, with Senator [[Joe Biden]] of [[Delaware]] being his Vice Presidential running mate. Senator [[John McCain]] of [[Arizona]]is the Republican candidate. His Vice Presidential nominee is [[Alaska]] [[Governor]] [[Sarah Palin]].

Obama held a 5 to 7 point lead most of the summer, but faded steadily in August. After the selection of Palin, the first woman on a GOP ticket, McCain leapfrogged Obama in the national polls and holds a slim 2.5 point lead in mid September. Nationwide polls all year showed a massive defeat for GOP candidates for Congress. With the GOP running 10 points behind, the Democrats stood a good chance of gaining 5-9 Senate seats and 15-20 House seats. However the McCain surge has pulled up the GOP numbers; by Sept. 12 the GOP deficit was only 3.6 points. indicating small losses.<ref>Poll results from [http://www.realclearpolitics.com/polls/ RealClearPolitics]</ref>

Obama held a 5 to 7 point lead most of the summer, but faded steadily in August. After the selection of Palin, the first woman on a GOP ticket, McCain leapfrogged Obama in the national polls and holds a slim 2.5 point lead in mid September. Nationwide polls all year showed a massive defeat for GOP candidates for Congress. With the GOP running 10 points behind, the Democrats stood a good chance of gaining 5-9 Senate seats and 15-20 House seats. However the McCain surge has pulled up the GOP numbers; by Sept. 12 the GOP deficit was only 3.6 points. indicating small losses.<ref>Poll results from [http://www.realclearpolitics.com/polls/ RealClearPolitics]</ref>