the 2008 united states presidential election in nebraska occurred on november 4, 2008. it was part of the united states´ general election that year. the republican candidates were arizona senator john mccain and his running mate, governor sarah palin of alaska. the democratic candidates were illinois senator barack obama, and his running mate, delaware senator joe biden. although mccain won the statewide vote by a margin of 14.93%, obama was given 1 electoral vote (mccain got 4). that made obama the first democrat to win an electoral vote in nebraska since 1964.