2012 United States House of Representatives elections in West Virginia

Last updated

2012 United States House of Representatives elections in West Virginia
Flag of West Virginia.svg
←  2010 November 6, 2012 (2012-11-06) 2014  →
All 3 West Virginia seats to the United States House of Representatives
 Majority partyMinority party
 
Party Republican Democratic
Last election21
Seats won21
Seat changeSteady2.svgSteady2.svg
Popular vote384,253257,101
Percentage59.91%40.09%
SwingIncrease2.svg 4.88%Decrease2.svg 4.21%
2012 U.S. House elections in West Virginia.svg
2012 United States House of Representatives Elections in West Virginia by county.svg

The 2012 United States House of Representatives elections in West Virginia were held on Tuesday, November 6, 2012, to elect the three U.S. representatives from West Virginia, one from each of the state's three congressional districts. Representatives are elected for two-year terms; those elected will serve in the 113th Congress from January 2013 until January 2015. The elections coincided with the elections of other federal and state offices, including a quadrennial presidential election. A Senate election was also held on that date, during which incumbent Joe Manchin won re-election. As of 2025, this is the last time that a Democrat won a U.S. House seat in West Virginia.

Contents

Overview

District Republican Democratic TotalResult
Votes%Votes%Votes%
District 1 133,80962.48%80,34237.52%214,151100.0%Republican hold
District 2 158,20669.77%68,56030.23%226,766100.0%Republican hold
District 3 92,23846.02%108,19953.98%200,437100.0%Democratic hold
Total384,25359.91%257,10140.09%641,354100.0%
Popular vote
Republican
 
59.91%
Democratic
 
40.09%
House seats
Republican
 
66.67%
Democratic
 
33.33%

Redistricting

In August 2011, the West Virginia Legislature passed a redistricting plan which would make only minor changes to the state's congressional districts. Under the new map, Mason County is moved from the 2nd district to the 3rd district, while the 1st district is unchanged. [1] Governor Earl Ray Tomblin signed the map into law on August 18. [2]

District 1

Republican David McKinley, who has represented West Virginia's 1st congressional district since January 2011, ran for re-election. [3]

Republican primary

Candidates

Nominee

Primary results

Republican primary results
PartyCandidateVotes%
Republican David McKinley (incumbent) 36,107 100.0
Total votes36,107 100.0

Democratic primary

Candidates

Nominee
  • Sue Thorn, former community organizer [4] [5]

Declined

Primary results

Democratic primary results
PartyCandidateVotes%
Democratic Sue Thorn 49,203 100.0
Total votes49,203 100.0

General election

Predictions

SourceRankingAs of
The Cook Political Report [9] Safe RNovember 5, 2012
Rothenberg [10] Safe RNovember 2, 2012
Roll Call [11] Safe RNovember 4, 2012
Sabato's Crystal Ball [12] Safe RNovember 5, 2012
NY Times [13] Safe RNovember 4, 2012
RCP [14] Safe RNovember 4, 2012
The Hill [15] Safe RNovember 4, 2012

Results

West Virginia's 1st congressional district, 2012
PartyCandidateVotes%
Republican David McKinley (incumbent) 133,809 62.5
Democratic Sue Thorn80,34237.5
Total votes214,151 100.0
Republican hold

District 2

Republican Shelley Moore Capito, who has represented West Virginia's 2nd congressional district since 2001, ran for reelection. [16] [3]

Republican primary

Candidates

Nominee
Eliminated in primary

Primary results

Republican primary results
PartyCandidateVotes%
Republican Shelley Moore Capito (incumbent) 35,088 83.0
Republican Jonathan Miller4,71111.1
Republican Michael Davis2,4955.9
Total votes42,294 100.0

Democratic primary

Candidates

Nominee
  • Howard Swint, commercial property leasing manager and opinion writer
Eliminated in primary
  • Dugald Brown, IT specialist
  • William McCann, slot machine technician [3]

Declined

  • Thornton Cooper, lawyer [18]

Primary results

Democratic primary results [19]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Democratic Howard Swint 22,563 48.3
Democratic William McCann13,66829.2
Democratic Dugald Brown10,51422.5
Total votes46,745 100.0

General election

Predictions

SourceRankingAs of
The Cook Political Report [9] Safe RNovember 5, 2012
Rothenberg [10] Safe RNovember 2, 2012
Roll Call [11] Safe RNovember 4, 2012
Sabato's Crystal Ball [12] Safe RNovember 5, 2012
NY Times [13] Safe RNovember 4, 2012
RCP [14] Safe RNovember 4, 2012
The Hill [15] Safe RNovember 4, 2012

Results

West Virginia's 2nd congressional district, 2012 [20]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Republican Shelley Moore Capito (incumbent) 158,206 69.8
Democratic Howard Swint68,56030.2
Total votes226,766 100.0
Republican hold

District 3

2012 West Virginia's 3rd congressional district election
Flag of West Virginia.svg
←  2010
2014  →
  Nick Rahall.jpg 3x4.svg
Nominee Nick Rahall Rick Snuffer
Party Democratic Republican
Popular vote108,22392,214
Percentage53.9%46.0%
2012 West Virginias 3rd congressional district election results by county.svg
County results
Rahall:     50–60%     60–70%
Snuffer:     50–60%
U.S. Representative before election

Nick Rahall
Democratic

Elected U.S. Representative

Nick Rahall
Democratic

Democrat Nick Rahall, who had represented West Virginia's 3rd congressional district since 1993, ran for reelection. [5]

Democratic primary

Candidates

Nominee

Primary results

Democratic primary results
PartyCandidateVotes%
Democratic Nick Rahall (incumbent) 66,745 100.0
Total votes66,745 100.0

Republican primary

Candidates

Nominee
Eliminated in primary
  • Lee Bias
  • Bill Lester [3]

Primary results

Republican primary results [19]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Republican Rick Snuffer 12,359 53.4
Republican Lee Bias6,67128.8
Republican Bill Lester4,10417.8
Total votes23,134 100.0

General election

Endorsements

Rick Snuffer (R)

Organizations

Predictions

SourceRankingAs of
The Cook Political Report [23] Likely DNovember 5, 2012
Rothenberg [10] Safe DNovember 2, 2012
Roll Call [11] Likely DNovember 4, 2012
Sabato's Crystal Ball [12] Likely DNovember 5, 2012
NY Times [13] Lean DNovember 4, 2012
RCP [14] Likely DNovember 4, 2012
The Hill [15] Likely DNovember 4, 2012

Results

West Virginia's 3rd congressional district, 2012 [20]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Democratic Nick Rahall (incumbent) 108,199 54.0
Republican Rick Snuffer 92,23846.0
Total votes200,437 100.0
Democratic hold

References

  1. ↑ Miller, Joshua (August 8, 2011). "Only Minor Tweaks Made to New West Virginia Map". Roll Call . Retrieved August 10, 2011.
  2. ↑ Miller, Joshua (August 18, 2011). "Governor Signs New West Virginia Map". Roll Call . Retrieved August 18, 2011.
  3. 1 2 3 4 "Filing For Congress". West Virginia MetroNews . January 27, 2012. Retrieved January 27, 2012.[ permanent dead link ]
  4. ↑ "Thorn announces bid to unseat McKinley". The Parkersburg News and Sentinel . December 2, 2011. Retrieved December 15, 2011.
  5. 1 2 3 Messina, Lawrence (January 28, 2012). "W.Va. candidates file for Congress, state offices". The Washington Examiner . Associated Press . Retrieved January 29, 2012.[ permanent dead link ]
  6. ↑ Wilson, Katie (January 10, 2012). "Candidates begin filing for 2012 ballot". Times West Virginian . Retrieved January 10, 2012.
  7. ↑ Isenstadt, Alex (December 7, 2010). "Alan Mollohan weighs 2012 comeback". Politico . Retrieved July 19, 2011.
  8. ↑ Knezevich, Alison (September 6, 2011). "Oliverio to try again". The Charleston Gazette . Archived from the original on September 24, 2011. Retrieved September 6, 2011.
  9. 1 2 "The Cook Political Report — Charts – 2012 House Competitive Races". Cookpolitical.com. November 5, 2012. Retrieved November 6, 2012.
  10. 1 2 3 "House Ratings". Rothenbergpoliticalreport.com. November 2, 2012. Retrieved November 4, 2012.
  11. 1 2 3 , as of November 4,2012[update]
  12. 1 2 3 Crystal Ball, as of November 5,2012
  13. 1 2 3 House Race Ratings, The New York Times, as of November 4,2012
  14. 1 2 3 , as of November 4,2012[update]
  15. 1 2 3 "House Ratings". The Hill. November 3, 2012. Retrieved November 4, 2012.
  16. ↑ "WVa US Rep Shelley Moore Capito overcomes rare GOP primary challenge in bid for 7th term". Associated Press. 8 May 2012. Archived from the original on 16 May 2012. Retrieved 14 May 2012.
  17. ↑ Vincent, Jenni (May 11, 2011). "Miller announces congressional bid". The Journal . Archived from the original on August 25, 2011. Retrieved July 19, 2011.
  18. ↑ Kabler, Phil (January 14, 2012). "Phil Kabler: Perfect plan revisited". The Charleston Gazette . Retrieved January 17, 2012.
  19. 1 2 "Statewide Results". Secretary of State of West Virginia . Retrieved May 27, 2012.
  20. 1 2 "WV SOS - Election Results Center - State And County Election Results". West Virginia Secretary of State Elections Results Center.
  21. ↑ Miller, Joshua; Livingston, Abby (January 30, 2012). "West Virginia: Nick Rahall's 2004 GOP Foe Is Running Again". Roll Call . Archived from the original on February 2, 2012. Retrieved January 31, 2012.
  22. ↑ "CANDIDATES". gopyoungguns.com. Archived from the original on January 1, 2013. Retrieved January 16, 2023.
  23. ↑ "The Cook Political Report — Charts – 2012 House Competitive Races". Cookpolitical.com. November 5, 2012. Retrieved November 6, 2012.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.