2012 Washington elections

Last updated

2012 Washington Statewide Executive Offices elections
Flag of Washington.svg
  2008 November 6, 2012 (2012-11-06) 2016  

All 9 Statewide Executive Offices
 Majority partyMinority party
 
Party Democratic Republican
Last election72
Seats won81
Seat changeIncrease2.svg 1Decrease2.svg 1

Elections held in the state of Washington on November 6, 2012. A nonpartisan blanket primary was held on August 7, 2012.

Contents

Federal

U.S. President

In this election, Washington had 12 electors to the Electoral College. Incumbent Democratic president Barack Obama safely carried the state, gaining all 12 electoral votes against Republican nominee Mitt Romney.

2012 United States presidential election in Washington [1]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Democratic Barack Obama (incumbent) 1,755,396 56.16
Republican Mitt Romney 1,290,67041.29
Libertarian Gary Johnson 42,2021.35
Green Jill Stein 20,9280.67
Constitution Virgil Goode 8,8510.28
Justice Rocky Anderson 4,9460.16
Socialism and Liberation Peta Lindsay 1,3180.04
Socialist Workers James Harris 1,2050.04
Total votes3,125,516 100.00

U.S. Senate

Incumbent Democratic senator Maria Cantwell won re-election to a third term against Republican state senator Michael Baumgartner.

2012 United States Senate election in Washington [2] [3]
Primary election
PartyCandidateVotes%
Democratic Maria Cantwell (incumbent)626,36055.42
Republican Michael Baumgartner 344,72930.50
Republican Art Coday59,2555.24
Democratic Timothy Wilson26,8502.38
Republican Chuck Jackson21,8701.94
Republican Glenn R. Stockwell21,7311.92
Republican Mike the Mover 16,4591.46
Reform Will Baker12,8651.14
Total votes1,130,119 100.00
General election
Democratic Maria Cantwell (incumbent) 1,855,493 60.36
Republican Michael Baumgartner 1,213,92439.49
Write-in 4,6440.15
Total votes3,074,061 100.00
Democratic hold

U.S. House

Due to the results of the 2010 United States Census, Washington elected U.S. Representatives from ten congressional districts, a gain of one seat.

Incumbents Rick Larsen (D- 2nd ), Jaime Herrera Beutler (R- 3rd ), Doc Hastings (R- 4th ), Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R- 5th ), Jim McDermott (D- 7th ), Dave Reichert (R- 8th ), and Adam Smith (R- 9th ) ran for re-election and won. Incumbents Jay Inslee (D- 1st ) and Norman D. Dicks (D- 6th ) retired and were respectively succeeded by Suzan DelBene (D) and Derek Kilmer (D). Denny Heck (D) was elected to the newly created 10th district .

The resulting composition was six Democrats and four Republicans.

State

Governor

Incumbent Democratic governor Christine Gregoire declined to run for a third term. Democratic congressman Jay Inslee ran to succeed her, earning Gregoire's endorsement. [4] He faced Republican attorney general Rob McKenna in the general election, defeating him by a small margin. [5]

2012 Washington gubernatorial election [6]
Primary election
PartyCandidateVotes%
Democratic Jay Inslee 664,53447.13
Republican Rob McKenna 604,87242.90
Republican Shahram Hadian46,1693.27
Democratic Rob Hill45,4533.22
Independent James White13,7640.98
Independent Christian Joubert10,4570.74
Independent L. Dale Sorgen9,7340.69
Republican Max Sampson8,7530.62
Republican Javier O. Lopez6,1310.43
Total votes1,409,867 100.00
General election
Democratic Jay Inslee 1,582,802 51.40
Republican Rob McKenna 1,488,24548.33
Write-in 8,5920.28%
Total votes3,079,639 100.00
Democratic hold

Lieutenant governor

Incumbent Democratic lieutenant governor Brad Owen ran for re-election to a fifth term.

Polling

General election
Poll sourceDate(s)
administered
Sample
size
Margin
of error
Brad
Owen (D)
Bill
Finkbeiner (R)
Undecided
Elway Research October 18–21, 2012451 (RV)± 4.5%42%32%26%
Elway Research September 9–12, 2012405 (RV)± 5.0%43%27%29%
2012 Washington lieutenant gubernatorial election
Primary election
PartyCandidateVotes%
Democratic Brad Owen (incumbent)648,11048.52
Republican Bill Finkbeiner 352,19526.36
Independent Republican Glenn Anderson 229,31817.17
Independent Jimmy Deal53,6944.02
Independent Clifford Mark Greene46,5343.48
Independent Dave T. Sumner IV6,0570.45
Total votes1,335,908 100.00
General election
Democratic Brad Owen (incumbent) 1,575,133 53.68
Republican Bill Finkbeiner 1,359,21246.32
Total votes2,934,345 100.00
Democratic hold

Secretary of State

Incumbent Republican Secretary of State Sam Reed declined to run for re-election to a fourth term. The general election was won by Republican Thurston County auditor Kim Wyman, who defeated Democratic state senator Kathleen Drew by under one percentage point, resulting in the smallest statewide margin in 2012.

2012 Washington Secretary of State election
Primary election
PartyCandidateVotes%
Republican Kim Wyman 528,75439.76
Democratic Kathleen Drew 289,05221.73
Democratic Gregory J. Nickels 210,83215.85
Democratic Jim Kastama 185,42513.94
Constitution Karen Murray50,8883.83
Independent David J. Anderson44,2763.33
Human RightsSam Wright20,8091.57
Total votes1,330,036 100.00
General election
Republican Kim Wyman 1,464,741 50.38
Democratic Kathleen Drew 1,442,86849.62
Total votes2,907,609 100.00
Republican hold

Attorney general

Incumbent Republican attorney general Rob McKenna retired to run for governor and did not seek a third term. Two King County Councilmembers, Republican Reagan Dunn and Democrat Bob Ferguson, faced off in the general election. Ferguson ultimately won the election.

2012 Washington Attorney General election
Primary election
PartyCandidateVotes%
Democratic Bob Ferguson 685,34651.68
Republican Reagan Dunn 506,52438.20
Republican Stephen Pidgeon134,18510.12
Total votes1,326,055 100.00
General election
Democratic Bob Ferguson 1,564,443 53.48
Republican Reagan Dunn 1,361,01046.52
Total votes2,925,453 100.00
Democratic gain from Republican

State Treasurer

Incumbent Democratic Treasurer James McIntire ran for re-election to a second term.

2012 Washington State Treasurer election
Primary election
PartyCandidateVotes%
Democratic James McIntire (incumbent)925,85096.63
Republican Sharon Hanek (write-in)32,3393.38
Total votes958,189 100.00
General election
Democratic James McIntire (incumbent) 1,695,401 58.71
Republican Sharon Hanek1,192,15041.29
Total votes2,887,551 100.00
Democratic hold

State Auditor

Incumbent Democratic Auditor Brian Sonntag declined to run for re-election to a sixth term. Democratic state representative Troy Kelley won the election, defeating Republican James Watkins.

Polling

General election
Poll sourceDate(s)
administered
Sample
size
Margin
of error
Troy
Kelley (D)
James
Watkins (R)
Undecided
Elway Research October 18–21, 2012451 (RV)± 4.5%34%29%37%
Elway Research September 9–12, 2012405 (RV)± 5.0%36%27%38%
2012 Washington State Auditor election
Primary election
PartyCandidateVotes%
Republican James Watkins584,44446.09
Democratic Troy Kelley 291,33522.98
Democratic Craig Pridemore 268,22021.15
Democratic Mark Miloscia 123,9369.78
Total votes1,267,935 100.00
General election
Democratic Troy Kelley 1,512,620 52.95
Republican James Watkins1,344,13747.05
Total votes2,856,757 100.00
Democratic hold

Insurance Commissioner

Incumbent Democratic Insurance Commissioner Mike Kreidler ran for re-election to a fourth term.

2012 Washington Insurance Commissioner election
Primary election
PartyCandidateVotes%
Democratic Mike Kreidler (incumbent)712,09554.91
Republican John Adams279,05221.52
Republican Scott Reilly241,37718.61
Independent Brian C. Berend64,3034.96
Total votes1,296,827 100.00
General election
Democratic Mike Kreidler (incumbent) 1,662,555 58.31
Republican John Adams1,188,92641.70
Total votes2,851,481 100.00
Democratic hold

Commissioner of Public Lands

Incumbent Democratic Commissioner of Public Lands Peter J. Goldmark ran for re-election to a second term.

2012 Washington Commissioner of Public Lands election
Primary election
PartyCandidateVotes%
Democratic Peter J. Goldmark (incumbent)683,44851.88
Republican Clint Didier 540,90741.06
Independent Stephen A. Sharon92,9937.06
Total votes1,317,348 100.00
General election
Democratic Peter J. Goldmark (incumbent) 1,692,083 58.74
Republican Clint Didier 1,188,41141.26
Total votes2,880,494 100.00
Democratic hold

Superintendent of Public Instruction

Incumbent Democratic Superintendent of Public Instruction Randy Dorn ran for re-election to a second term. He was unopposed in the general election. The superintendent is the only nonpartisan statewide election.

2012 Washington Superintendent of Public Instruction election
Primary election
PartyCandidateVotes%
Nonpartisan Randy Dorn (incumbent)634,31456.22
Nonpartisan Ron Higgins172,33115.27
Nonpartisan James Bauckman149,37013.24
Nonpartisan Donald Hansler104,3609.25
Nonpartisan John P. Blair67,8986.02
Total votes1,128,273 100.00
General election
Nonpartisan Randy Dorn (incumbent) 2,164,163 100.00
Total votes2,164,163 100.00
Democratic hold

State Senate

The Democrats won on election night, but in early December two Democrats formed a conservative coalition with the Republican Caucus.

State House of Representatives

Judicial positions

Ballot measures

Initiative 502
ChoiceVotes %
Check-71-128-204-brightblue.svg Yes1,724,20955.70
No1,371,23544.30
Total votes3,095,444100.00
Initiative 1185
ChoiceVotes %
Check-71-128-204-brightblue.svg Yes1,892,96963.91
No1,069,08336.09
Total votes2,962,052100.00
Initiative 1240
ChoiceVotes %
Check-71-128-204-brightblue.svg Yes1,525,80750.69
No1,484,12549.31
Total votes3,009,932100.00
Referendum 74
ChoiceVotes %
Check-71-128-204-brightblue.svg Yes1,659,91553.70
No1,431,28546.30
Total votes3,091,200100.00

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References

  1. "November 06, 2012 General Election Results: President/Vice President". www.wa.gov. Washington Secretary of State . Retrieved December 5, 2020.
  2. "August 07, 2012 Primary Results - U.S. Senator". Washington Secretary of State. 2012-08-28. Retrieved 2022-06-24.
  3. "November 06, 2012 General Election Results - U.S. Senator". Washington Secretary of State. 2012-11-27. Retrieved 2022-06-24.
  4. "Inslee Announcement Prompts More Democratic Interest", Roll Call Politics
  5. Brunner, Jim (November 9, 2012). "McKenna concedes; Inslee to be governor". The Seattle Times. Archived from the original on October 6, 2016. Retrieved August 25, 2016.
  6. "Governor". Archived from the original on November 12, 2012. Retrieved November 13, 2012.
  7. 1 2 3 4 "Voters' Guide - 2012 General Election". Washington Secretary of State. Retrieved 2022-06-24.