▁▁ 2 0 0 6 ▁ ▁Wal berg ▁faced ▁a ▁rem atch ▁with ▁inc umb ent ▁Joe ▁Schwar z ▁in ▁the ▁ 2 0 0 6 ▁Republican ▁primary . ▁Wal berg ▁defeated ▁Schwar z ▁in ▁the ▁primary . ▁ ▁In ▁the ▁general ▁election , ▁Wal berg ▁defeated ▁Dem ocrat ▁Sh aron ▁Ren ier ▁ 5 0 % – 4 6 %. ▁ ▁In ▁ 2 0 0 7 , ▁there ▁was ▁a ▁failed ▁recall ▁effort ▁against ▁Wal berg . ▁▁ 2 0 0 8 ▁ ▁Enter ing ▁the ▁ 2 0 0 8 ▁race , ▁Wal berg ▁was ▁identified ▁by ▁Democratic ▁Cong r essional ▁Camp aign ▁Committee ▁chairman ▁Chris ▁Van ▁Hol len ▁as ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁most ▁vulner able ▁Republican ▁inc umb ents ▁in ▁Congress . ▁On ▁August ▁ 2 3 , ▁ 2 0 0 7 , ▁State ▁Senate ▁Minor ity ▁Le ader ▁Mark ▁Sch auer ▁announced ▁he ▁would ▁challenge ▁Wal berg ▁in ▁the ▁ 2 0 0 8 ▁election . ▁The ▁prior ▁occup ant ▁of ▁the ▁seat , ▁Joe ▁Schwar z , ▁who ▁was ▁defeated ▁by ▁Wal berg ▁in ▁the ▁ 2 0 0 6 ▁Republican ▁primary , ▁decl ined ▁to ▁run ▁himself ▁but ▁on ▁September ▁ 3 0 ▁end ors ed ▁Sch auer . ▁ ▁Sch auer ▁narrow ly ▁defeated ▁Wal berg ▁in ▁the ▁November ▁ 2 0 0 8 ▁election , ▁winning ▁by ▁a ▁margin ▁of ▁ 4 9 % ▁to ▁ 4 7 %. ▁Between ▁the ▁two ▁candidates , ▁around ▁$ 3 . 5 ▁million ▁was ▁spent ▁on