2012_United_States_gubernatorial_elections

2012 United States gubernatorial elections

2012 United States gubernatorial elections

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United States gubernatorial elections were held in 12 states (including a recall election in Wisconsin on June 5) and two territories. Of the eight Democratic and four Republican seats contested, only that of North Carolina changed party hands, giving the Republicans a net gain of one governorship. These elections (except for Wisconsin) coincided with the presidential election on November 6, 2012. As of 2024, this marked the last time in which a Democrat won the governorship in Missouri and the last time in which a Republican won the governorship in North Carolina.

Quick Facts 14 governorships 12 states; 2 territories, Majority party ...

Election predictions

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Race summary

States

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Territories

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Closest races

States where the margin of victory was under 1%:

  1. Puerto Rico, 0.60%

States where the margin of victory was under 5%:

  1. Montana, 1.56%
  2. Indiana, 2.93%
  3. Washington, 3.07%
  4. West Virginia, 4.84%

States where the margin of victory was under 10%:

  1. American Samoa, 5.88%
  2. Wisconsin, 6.80%

Red denotes states won by Republicans. Blue denotes states won by Democrats. Grey denotes states won by Independents.

Delaware

Quick Facts Nominee, Party ...

Governor Jack Markell successfully ran for re-election. His Republican challenger was Jeff Cragg.[6]

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Indiana

Quick Facts Nominee, Party ...

Governor Mitch Daniels was term-limited in 2012.

Mike Pence, a six-term Republican in the U.S. House of Representatives, announced his candidacy for his party's nomination. Pence, whose announcement was anticipated by his resignation of a leading position in the GOP caucus in the House, was regarded as the favorite for election.[8] Indianapolis businessman and former Hamilton County Councilman Jim Wallace had announced his candidacy for the Republican nomination prior to Pence's entrance but failed to collect enough signatures to become an official candidate by the deadline in February 2012.[9][10][11]

Former state House Speaker John R. Gregg was unopposed for the Democratic Party's nomination.[12]

Former Survivor contestant and founder of the Rupert's Kids charity Rupert Boneham ran as the Libertarian Party candidate.[13]

Pence narrowly defeated Gregg with 49.9% of the vote to Gregg's 46.56%. Boneham received 3.95% of the vote.[14]

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Missouri

Quick Facts Nominee, Party ...

Governor Jay Nixon sought re-election.[16]

Dave Spence, a businessman from St. Louis, won the Republican nomination over attorney Bill Randles in the August 7, 2012 primary.[17]

Jim Higgins was the Libertarian candidate.

Nixon won the general election over Spence and Higgins.

The Lieutenant Governor is elected separately.

As of 2024, this is the last time a Democrat won the governorship of Missouri to date. This is also the last time that a gubernatorial nominee and a lieutenant gubernatorial nominee of different opposite political parties were elected governor and lieutenant governor in Missouri to date as well.

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Montana

Quick Facts Nominee, Party ...

Governor Brian Schweitzer was term-limited in 2012.

The declared Democratic primary candidates were state Senator Larry Jent[19] and state Attorney General Steve Bullock.[20]

The declared Republican primary candidates included Chouteau County commissioner Jim O'Hara,[21] former state Senators Corey Stapleton and Ken Miller, terrorism and national security analyst Neil Livingstone,[22] former Congressman Rick Hill,[23] and Truck driver Keith Winkler.[24]

Steve Bullock and Rick Hill won their respective primaries. Bullock defeated Hill and Libertarian Ron Vandevender in the general election.[25]

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New Hampshire

Quick Facts Nominee, Party ...

Governor John Lynch retired rather than running for re-election.[27]

Maggie Hassan, former Majority Leader of the New Hampshire State Senate, defeated former state senator Jackie Cilley and firefighter Bill Kennedy to become the Democratic nominee. Former Chairman of the New Hampshire Board of Education Ovide Lamontagne, who narrowly lost the Republican primary for Senate in 2010, defeated conservative activist and former state representative Kevin Smith and Bill Tarr to win the Republican nomination.[28][29] Hassan won the general election.

New Hampshire does not have a position of Lieutenant Governor.

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North Carolina

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Governor Beverly Perdue retired rather than run for re-election.[31]

Walter Dalton and Pat McCrory won their respective primaries, and McCrory won the general election.

The Lieutenant Governor of North Carolina was elected separately.[citation needed]

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North Dakota

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Governor Jack Dalrymple succeeded John Hoeven after the latter was elected Senator and ran for a full term in 2012.[33] Drew Wrigley was his running mate. Dalrymple defeated architect Paul Sorum for the nomination.

State Senate Minority leader Ryan Taylor was the Democratic nominee. Ellen Chaffee was his running mate.[34] Dalrymple won the general election.

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Utah

Quick Facts Nominee, Party ...

Governor Gary Herbert, who won the 2010 gubernatorial special election to finish his predecessor's unfinished term, ran for a full four-year term in 2012.[36]

Democrat Peter Cooke, a businessman and retired major general, opposed him. The Libertarian candidate was medical researcher Ken Larson, and the Constitution party candidate was Kirk D. Pearson. Herbert won the general election.

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Vermont

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Governor Peter Shumlin, the victor of the Vermont gubernatorial election of 2010, ran for re-election in 2012.[38] His Republican challenger was state Senator Randy Brock.[39] Shumlin won the general election.

The Lieutenant Governor was elected separately.

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Washington

Quick Facts Nominee, Party ...

Governor Christine Gregoire retired rather than run for re-election.[41]

U.S. Representative Jay Inslee was the Democratic nominee.[42]

State Attorney General Rob McKenna was the Republican nominee.[43][44] U.S. Representative Dave Reichert decided against a bid, and threw his support to McKenna.[45] Inslee won the general election.

The Lieutenant Governor will be elected separately.

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West Virginia

Quick Facts Nominee, Party ...

The Supreme Court of Appeals of West Virginia ruled on January 18, 2011 that the state must hold a special gubernatorial election in 2011[47] to fill the vacancy resulting from Joe Manchin's election to the United States Senate. The special election occurred October 4, 2011 with state Senate President and acting Governor Earl Ray Tomblin won the election. Tomblin was eligible to run for a full term in 2012.

Tomblin's 2011 Republican opponent, businessman Bill Maloney, was the Republican nominee.[48] Tomblin won the election.

David Moran was the Libertarian candidate.

The Lieutenant Governor is elected by the State Senate.

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Wisconsin (recall)

Quick Facts Nominee, Party ...

Governor Scott Walker (R) survived a recall election on June 5. Walker's disapproval ratings varied between 50–51% while his approval ratings varied between 47–49% in 2011.[50] Walker led against challenger Tom Barrett (D) in polls since March, including two post-primary polls which showed Walker with a five to twelve point lead.[51][52] Walker defeated Barrett by seven percentage points,[53] becoming the first governor in U.S. history to survive a recall election.

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Territories

American Samoa

Quick Facts Nominee, Party ...

Governor Togiola Tulafono, who had served as Governor since 2003, was ineligible to run for re-election due to term limits.

Six candidates vied to succeed outgoing Governor Tulafono – former President of American Samoa Community College, Salu Hunkin-Finau; businessman Timothy Jones; former Attorney General Afoa Moega Lutu; former President of the Development Bank of American Samoa, Lolo Letalu Matalasi Moliga; Lieutenant Governor Faoa Aitofele Sunia; and former High Court of American Samoa justice Save Liuato Tuitele.[55][56][57] Moliga won the general election.

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Puerto Rico

Quick Facts Nominee, Party ...

Governor Luis Fortuño (PNP/R) ran for re-election.

Fortuño had been mentioned as a long-shot potential Republican nominee for President or Vice President in 2012.[58] However, he announced on June 26, 2011 that he would run for re-election instead of seeking the Presidency.

Senator Alejandro García Padilla (PPD) was the net biggest challenger out of six challengers, and won the general election.

Puerto Rico does not have a position of Lieutenant Governor.

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See also

Notes

  1. Including a recall election in Wisconsin
  2. Dalrymple took office after his predecessor (John Hoeven) resigned.
  3. Herbert took office after his predecessor (Jon Huntsman Jr.) resigned. He was subsequently elected in the 2010 Utah gubernatorial special election.
  4. Tomblin took office after his predecessor (Joe Manchin) resigned. He was subsequently elected in the 2011 West Virginia gubernatorial special election.
  5. Tulafono took office after his predecessor (Tauese Pita Fiti Sunia) died. He was subsequently elected in the 2004 American Samoa gubernatorial election.

References

  1. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections - 2012".
  2. "2012 Governor Race Ratings for November 1, 2012". The Cook Political Report. Retrieved November 30, 2018.
  3. "2012 Gubernatorial Ratings". Gubernatorial Ratings. The Rothenberg Political Report. Retrieved November 30, 2018.
  4. "PROJECTION: OBAMA WILL LIKELY WIN SECOND TERM". Sabato's Crystal Ball. Archived from the original on December 1, 2018. Retrieved November 30, 2018.
  5. "2012 Elections Map – 2012 Governor Races". Real Clear Politics. Retrieved November 30, 2018.
  6. Goble, Keith (August 22, 2012). "Election 2012: Know your Delaware governor". Land Line. Archived from the original on October 15, 2012. Retrieved September 8, 2012.
  7. "State of Delaware General Election Official Results". State of Delaware. Retrieved November 7, 2012.
  8. Muskal, Michael (May 5, 2011). "Mike Pence to run for Indiana governor". The Los Angeles Times. Retrieved May 5, 2011.
  9. Geraghty, Jim (February 2, 2011). "The Campaign Spot". National Review.
  10. Schneider, Mary Beth (February 2, 2011). "Businessman Exploring Run For GOP Gubernatorial Nomination". The Indianapolis Star.
  11. "Election Results". in.gov/apps/sos. November 28, 2012. Retrieved January 19, 2014.
  12. "Election Results". in.gov/apps/sos. November 28, 2012. Retrieved December 17, 2012.
  13. "Gov. Nixon confirms he will seek re-election – Columbia Missourian". Archived from the original on July 24, 2012. Retrieved November 25, 2021.
  14. Johnson, Charles S. (June 12, 2011). "Bohlinger, Essmann eye governor's race". Billings Gazette. Retrieved June 15, 2011.
  15. Catanese, David (September 7, 2011). "Bullock joins Montana governor's race". Politico. Retrieved September 7, 2011.
  16. Keegan, Charlie (January 14, 2011). "Jim O'Hara Announces Candidacy for Governor". KFBB-TV. Archived from the original on July 13, 2011. Retrieved January 17, 2011.
  17. "Candidates for governor already begin to surface". www.billingsnews.com. November 5, 2009. Retrieved March 20, 2010.
  18. Sullivan, Sean (November 7, 2012). "Democrat Steve Bullock wins Montana governor's race". The Washington Post.
  19. "2012 Statewide General Election Canvass" (PDF). Montana Secretary of State. Retrieved January 13, 2019.
  20. Love, Norma. "New Hampshire Gov. Lynch won't seek 5th term". Houston Chronicle. Retrieved September 15, 2011.
  21. "2012 Election Information". New Hampshire Secretary of State. Retrieved May 20, 2012.
  22. "Lamontagne, Hassan will face off in governor's race". Archived from the original on November 29, 2014. Retrieved September 11, 2012.
  23. "Governor - 2012 General Election - NHSOS". Archived from the original on August 4, 2020. Retrieved May 13, 2021.
  24. Catanese, David. "Gov. Perdue won't seek reelection". POLITICO.
  25. "Dalrymple to Seek Re-election in 2012 on KFYR-TV North Dakota's NBC News Leader". Archived from the original on January 27, 2013. Retrieved November 25, 2021.
  26. "2012 Gubernatorial General Election Results". Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Elections.
  27. "OFFICIAL 2012 GENERAL ELECTION RESULTS". results.sos.nd.gov. Retrieved January 13, 2019.
  28. "Shumlin Announces His Re-election Bid". Vermont Public Radio. June 12, 2012. Retrieved June 12, 2012.
  29. Gram, Dave (September 6, 2012). "Vt. election panel certifies new vote tally". The Boston Globe. Associated Press. Retrieved September 8, 2012.
  30. Garber, Andrew (June 13, 2011). "2 terms and out for Gov. Chris Gregoire". The Seattle Times. Retrieved June 13, 2011.
  31. Brunner, Jim (June 23, 2011). "Inslee to jump into governor's race next week". The Seattle Times. Retrieved August 30, 2011.
  32. D.C.'s Political Report: Washington Congressional and Statewide Races. Dcpoliticalreport.com (2010-11-15). Retrieved on November 20, 2010.
  33. Connelly, Joel (June 8, 2011). "Reichert: I'll support McKenna for governor". Seattle Post-Intelligencer.
  34. "November 06, 2012 General Election Results: Governor". Washington State Secretary of State. November 27, 2012. Retrieved August 25, 2016.
  35. Catanese, David. "Maloney files for Round 2". POLITICO.
  36. "WV SOS – Elections – Election Results – Online Data Services". Archived from the original on January 13, 2019. Retrieved May 13, 2021.
  37. Marley, Patrick (September 20, 2011). "New poll reflects divide on bargaining limits". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Retrieved January 21, 2012.
  38. [email protected], BILL NOVAK | The Capital Times. "Post-primary poll: Walker leads Barrett by 5 points". The Cap Times.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  39. "G.A.B. Canvass Reporting System Canvass Results for 2012 June 5 Recall Election - 6/5/2012" (PDF). Wisconsin Elections Commission. Archived from the original (PDF) on November 2, 2016.
  40. "Territorial elections will be the main event of 2012". Talanei. January 3, 2012. Retrieved February 28, 2012.[permanent dead link]
  41. Romano, Andrew (November 26, 2009). "The Governor of Puerto Rico ... for President?". Newsweek. Archived from the original on November 27, 2009. Retrieved November 26, 2009.

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