The 2008 Presidential elections in America came in with little fanfare. Jim Gilmore was relatively popular and the Democratic-Republicans had a majority of support and an obscene advantage money wise. But the appearance of the racist Constitution Party created a splash in America's water. David Duke, a senator from New Orleans was its nominee and it promised to "purify America". Although Jim Gilmore won the election it was the first time since 1984 that the Democratic-Republicans did so with under 60 percent of the vote. Bernie Sanders, a Senator from Vermont, had managed to hold on to old Socialist holdings in the west and bring them Vermont but failed to compete with his main competitors vast monetary advantage.