▁elections . ▁ ▁On ▁May ▁ 2 0 , ▁ 2 0 0 8 , ▁L uns ford ▁won ▁the ▁Democratic ▁nom ination ▁for ▁US ▁Senate . ▁ ▁He ▁received ▁ 3 1 6 , 7 6 3 ▁votes ▁( 5 1 % ), ▁followed ▁by ▁Greg ▁Fischer ' s ▁ 2 0 9 , 6 6 2 ▁votes ▁( 3 4 %). ▁ ▁General ▁election ▁The ▁general ▁election ▁campaign ▁saw ▁L uns ford ▁start ▁the ▁race ▁as ▁a ▁heavy ▁under dog ▁to ▁Mitch ▁Mc Con nell , ▁only ▁to ▁turn ▁it ▁into ▁the ▁race ▁of ▁Mc Con nell ' s ▁career ▁as ▁the ▁economic ▁crisis ▁deep ened ▁and ▁played ▁to ▁the ▁business man ' s ▁expert ise ▁and ▁popul ist ▁policy ▁st ance . ▁ ▁It ▁was ▁this ▁sur ge ▁that ▁led ▁Democratic ▁President ▁Bill ▁Cl inton , ▁Senator ▁Hill ary ▁Cl inton , ▁and ▁former ▁Sen ators ▁Max ▁Cle land ▁and ▁Bob ▁Ker rey ▁to ▁campaign ▁for ▁L uns ford , ▁attempting ▁to ▁counter ▁the ▁ 2 - to - 1 ▁sp ending ▁advantage ▁and ▁$ 2 0 + ▁million ▁war ▁ch est ▁of ▁inc umb ent ▁Sen . ▁Mitch ▁Mc Con nell . ▁ ▁On ▁E lection ▁Day , ▁L uns ford ▁was ▁defeated ▁but ▁out per formed ▁Bar ack ▁Ob ama ▁at ▁the ▁top ▁of ▁the ▁ticket ▁by ▁ 1 0 %. ▁ ▁Elect oral ▁history ▁▁ 2 0 0 8 ▁United ▁States ▁Senate ▁General ▁E lection ▁▁ 2 0 0 8 ▁United ▁States ▁Senate ▁E lection , ▁Democratic