2012 United States House of Representatives elections in California
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All 53 California seats to the United States House of Representatives | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Elections in California |
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The 2012 United States House of Representatives elections in California were held on November 6, 2012, with a primary election on June 5, 2012. Voters elected the 53 U.S. representatives from the state, one from each of the state's 53 congressional districts. The elections coincided with the elections of other federal and state offices, including a quadrennial presidential election and a U.S. Senate election.
According to The Cook Political Report and Roll Call, the most competitive districts were the 7th, 10th, 26th, 36th, and 52nd; additionally, the 3rd, 9th, 24th, 41st, and 47th were rated as less than safe.[1][2] Roll Call additionally listed the 21st district as competitive. Voters in 14 districts elected new representatives: the 1st, 2nd, 7th, 8th, 15th, 21st, 26th, 29th, 35th, 36th, 41st, 47th, 51st, and 52nd. Two districts, the 30th and the 44th, had two incumbents running against each other.
This was the first election using congressional districts drawn by the California Citizens Redistricting Commission. The districts, based on the 2010 United States census, were approved on August 15, 2011.[3] It was also the first non-special election to use the nonpartisan blanket primary system established by Proposition 14. As a result, eight districts featured general elections with two candidates of the same party: the 15th, 30th, 35th, 40th, 43rd, and 44th with two Democrats; and the 8th and 31st with two Republicans.
Overview
[edit]Statewide
[edit]United States House of Representatives elections in California, 2012 Primary election — June 5, 2012 | ||||||
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Party | Votes | Percentage | Candidates | Advancing to general | Seats contesting | |
Democratic | 2,643,313 | 53.41% | 107 | 56 | 50 | |
Republican | 2,072,433 | 41.87% | 98 | 46 | 44 | |
No party preference | 189,783 | 3.83% | 25 | 4 | 4 | |
Green | 26,674 | 0.54% | 6 | 0 | 0 | |
Libertarian | 14,787 | 0.30% | 4 | 0 | 0 | |
Peace and Freedom | 2,415 | 0.05% | 2 | 0 | 0 | |
Valid votes | 4,949,405 | 92.89% | — | — | — | |
Invalid votes | 378,891 | 7.11% | — | — | — | |
Totals | 5,328,296 | 100.00% | 242 | 106 | — | |
Voter turnout | 31.06% |
United States House of Representatives elections in California, 2012 General election — November 6, 2012 | |||||
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Party | Votes | Percentage | Seats | +/– | |
Democratic | 7,392,703 | 60.57% | 38 | 4 | |
Republican | 4,530,012 | 37.12% | 15 | 4 | |
No party preference | 281,642 | 2.31% | 0 | ||
Valid votes | 12,204,357 | 92.44% | — | — | |
Invalid or blank votes | 997,801 | 7.56% | — | — | |
Totals | 13,202,158 | 100.00% | 53 | — | |
Voter turnout | 72.36% |
Map key
[edit]This map displays the location of California's congressional districts during this election cycle, allowing the reader to cross-reference the location of each district.
District 1
[edit]
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Results by county LaMalfa: 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% | ||||||||||||||||
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The 1st district is based in inland Northern California and includes Chico and Redding. Incumbent Republican Wally Herger, who represented the 2nd district from 1987 to 2013, retired.[4] The district had a PVI of R+10.
Primary election
[edit]Republican candidates
[edit]Advanced to general
[edit]Eliminated in primary
[edit]- Sam Aanestad, former state senator[6]
- Gregory Cheadle, real estate broker[7]
- Michael Dacquisto, attorney
- Pete Stiglich, retired Air Force Colonel and candidate for this seat in 2010[8]
Declined
[edit]- Wally Herger, incumbent U.S. Representative
Democratic candidates
[edit]Advanced to general
[edit]Eliminated in primary
[edit]- Nathan Arrowsmith
Campaign
[edit]Reed was endorsed by the California Democratic Party in February 2012.[10] In March 2012, the California Republican Party declined to make an endorsement in the 1st district.[11]
Endorsements
[edit]Results
[edit]Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
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Republican | Doug LaMalfa | 66,527 | 37.9 | |
Democratic | Jim Reed | 43,409 | 24.8 | |
Republican | Sam Aanestad | 25,224 | 14.4 | |
Republican | Michael Dacquisto | 10,530 | 6.0 | |
Republican | Pete Stiglich | 10,258 | 5.8 | |
Democratic | Nathan Arrowsmith | 8,598 | 4.9 | |
No party preference | Gary Allen Oxley | 5,901 | 3.4 | |
Republican | Gregory Cheadle | 4,939 | 2.8 | |
Total votes | 175,386 | 100.0 |
General election
[edit]Endorsements
[edit]- Labor unions
Results
[edit]Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
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Republican | Doug LaMalfa | 168,827 | 57.4 | |
Democratic | Jim Reed | 125,386 | 42.6 | |
Majority | 43,441 | 14.8 | ||
Total votes | 294,213 | 100.0 | ||
Republican hold |
District 2
[edit]
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Results by county Huffman: 60–70% 70–80% Roberts: 50–60% | ||||||||||||||||
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The 2nd district is based in California's North Coast and includes Marin County and Eureka. Democrat Lynn Woolsey, who represented the 6th district from 1993 to 2013, retired.[19] The district had a PVI of D+19.
Primary election
[edit]Democratic candidates
[edit]Advanced to general
[edit]- Jared Huffman, state assembly member[20]
Eliminated in primary
[edit]- Susan Adams, nurse practitioner and Marin County Board of Supervisors member[20]
- Andy Caffrey[21]
- William Courtney, physician and researcher[21]
- Larry Fritzlan, therapist[22]
- Stacey Lawson, businesswoman and chemical engineer[20]
- Tiffany Renée, former Petaluma City Council member[20]
- Norman Solomon, journalist and activist[20]
Declined
[edit]- Noreen Evans, state senator[23]
- Gavin Newsom, incumbent Lieutenant Governor of California[24][25]
- Pam Torliatt, Mayor of Petaluma[26][27]
- Shirlee Zane, Sonoma County supervisor[28]