2012 United States House of Representatives elections in Wisconsin
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The 2012 United States House of Representatives elections in Wisconsin were held on Tuesday, November 6, 2012, to elect the eight U.S. representatives from Wisconsin, one from each of the state's eight congressional districts. Representatives are elected for two-year terms; those elected served 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 and an election to the U.S. Senate. Primary elections were held on August 14, 2012.[1]
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November 6, 2012
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All 8 Wisconsin seats to the United States House of Representatives | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Wisconsin was one of five states in which the party that won the state's popular vote did not win a majority of seats in 2012, the other states being Arizona, Michigan, North Carolina, and Pennsylvania.
Overview
| United States House of Representatives elections in Wisconsin, 2012[2][3] | ||||||
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| Party | Votes | Percentage | Seats Before | Seats After | +/– | |
| Republican | 1,401,995 | 48.92% | 5 | 5 | - | |
| Democratic | 1,445,015 | 50.42% | 3 | 3 | - | |
| Libertarian | 6,054 | 0.20% | 0 | 0 | - | |
| Independent | 9,277 | 0.32% | 0 | 0 | - | |
| Write-In | 26 | 0.00% | 0 | 0 | - | |
| Scattering | 3,683 | 0.13% | 0 | 0 | - | |
| Totals | 2,956,050 | 100.00% | 8 | 8 | - | |
District 1
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 Precinct results Ryan: 40–50% 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% >90% Zerban: 40–50% 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% 80–90% >90% Tie: 40–50% 50% No votes | |||||||||||||||||
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Republican Paul Ryan, who has represented Wisconsin's 1st congressional district since 1999, ran for reelection after deciding not to run for the U.S. Senate[4] or seek the Republican presidential nomination[5] in 2012.
Republican primary
Candidates
Nominee
- Paul Ryan, incumbent U.S. Representative
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Paul Ryan (Incumbent) | 65,700 | 99.6 | |
| none | Scattering | 278 | 0.4 | |
| Total votes | 65,978 | 100.0 | ||
Democratic primary
Candidates
Nominee
- Rob Zerban, member of the Kenosha County Board and former small business owner[7]
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Rob Zerban | 16,265 | 99.8 | |
| none | Scattering | 27 | 0.2 | |
| Total votes | 16,292 | 100.0 | ||
Libertarian primary
Candidates
Nominee
- Keith Deschler, factory worker[8]
General election
Campaign
Though Ryan was selected to be the Republican nominee for Vice President of the United States on August 11, 2012, he was allowed, and continued to, run for re-election to his House seat.[9][10]
Endorsements
Rob Zerban (D)
Labor unions
- AFL-CIO[11]
- International Brotherhood of Boilermakers[12]
- National Association of Letter Carriers[13]
Organizations
- Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee "Emerging Races" Program[14]
- Progressive Change Campaign Committee[15]
Polling
| Poll source |
Date(s) administered |
Sample size |
Margin of error |
Paul Ryan (R) |
Rob Zerban (D) |
Keith Deschler (L) |
Undecided |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Public Opinion Strategies (R-Ryan)[16] | September 9–10, 2012 | 400 | ±4.9% | 58% | 33% | 3% | 6% |
| Fairbank, Maslin, Maullin, Metz & Associates (D-Zerban)[17] | August 21–23, 2012 | 404 | ±4.9% | 47% | 39% | 4% | 11% |
Predictions
| Source | Ranking | As of |
|---|---|---|
| The Cook Political Report[18] | Safe R | November 5, 2012 |
| Rothenberg[19] | Safe R | November 2, 2012 |
| Roll Call[20] | Safe R | November 4, 2012 |
| Sabato's Crystal Ball[21] | Safe R | November 5, 2012 |
| NY Times[22] | Safe R | November 4, 2012 |
| RCP[23] | Safe R | November 4, 2012 |
| The Hill[24] | Safe R | November 4, 2012 |
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Paul Ryan (Incumbent) | 200,423 | 54.9 | ||
| Democratic | Rob Zerban | 158,414 | 43.4 | ||
| Libertarian | Keith Deschler | 6,054 | 1.7 | ||
| none | Scattering | 167 | 0.1 | ||
| Total votes | 365,058 | 100.0 | |||
| Republican hold | |||||
External links
District 2
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 Precinct results Pocan: 40–50% 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% 80–90% >90% Lee: 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% >90% Tie: 40–50% 50% No votes | |||||||||||||||||
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Democrat Tammy Baldwin, who represented Wisconsin's 2nd congressional district since 1999, ran for the U.S. Senate.[25]
Democratic primary
Candidates
Nominee
Eliminated in primary
- Dennis Hall, former member of Janesville City Council[26]
- Kelda Roys, state representative [27]
- Matt Silverman, attorney and decorated combat veteran[26][28]
Withdrawn
- Dave Worzala, Dane County Treasurer[29][26]
Declined
- Tammy Baldwin, incumbent U.S. Representative
- Jon Erpenbach, state senator[30]
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Mark Pocan | 43,171 | 72.2 | |
| Democratic | Kelda Roys | 13,081 | 21.9 | |
| Democratic | Matt Silverman | 2,365 | 4.0 | |
| Democratic | Dennis Hall | 1,163 | 1.9 | |
| none | Scattering | 46 | 0.1 | |
| Total votes | 59,826 | 100.0 | ||
Republican primary
Candidates
Nominee
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Chad Lee | 32,813 | 99.5 | |
| none | Scattering | 158 | 0.5 | |
| Total votes | 32,971 | 100.0 | ||
General election
Endorsements
Mark Pocan (D)
Labor unions
- AFL-CIO[11]
- International Brotherhood of Boilermakers[12]
- National Association of Letter Carriers[13]
Organizations
Predictions
| Source | Ranking | As of |
|---|---|---|
| The Cook Political Report[18] | Safe D | November 5, 2012 |
| Rothenberg[19] | Safe D | November 2, 2012 |
| Roll Call[20] | Safe D | November 4, 2012 |
| Sabato's Crystal Ball[21] | Safe D | November 5, 2012 |
| NY Times[22] | Safe D | November 4, 2012 |
| RCP[23] | Safe D | November 4, 2012 |
| The Hill[24] | Safe D | November 4, 2012 |
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Mark Pocan | 265,422 | 67.9 | ||
| Republican | Chad Lee | 124,683 | 31.9 | ||
| Write-In | Joe Kopsick | 6 | 0.0 | ||
| none | Scattering | 787 | 0.2 | ||
| Total votes | 390,898 | 100.0 | |||
| Democratic hold | |||||
District 3
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Kind: 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% 80–90% >90% Boland: 50–60% 60–70% >90% Tie: 50% No votes | |||||||||||||||||
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Democrat Ron Kind, who has represented Wisconsin's 3rd congressional district since 1997, did not run for the U.S. Senate[33] and instead ran for re-election.[34]
Democratic primary
Candidates
Nominee
- Ron Kind, incumbent U.S. Representative
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Ron Kind (Incumbent) | 19,755 | 99.9 | |
| none | Scattering | 27 | 0.1 | |
| Total votes | 19,782 | 100.0 | ||
Republican primary
Candidates
Nominee
- Ray Boland, former state Secretary of Veterans Affairs and former commander at Fort McCoy[35]
Withdrawn
Declined
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Ray Boland | 35,668 | 99.6 | |
| none | Scattering | 148 | 0.4 | |
| Total votes | 35,816 | 100.0 | ||
General election
Endorsements
Ron Kind (D)
Labor unions
Organizations
Predictions
| Source | Ranking | As of |
|---|---|---|
| The Cook Political Report[18] | Safe D | November 5, 2012 |
| Rothenberg[19] | Safe D | November 2, 2012 |
| Roll Call[20] | Safe D | November 4, 2012 |
| Sabato's Crystal Ball[21] | Safe D | November 5, 2012 |
| NY Times[22] | Safe D | November 4, 2012 |
| RCP[23] | Safe D | November 4, 2012 |
| The Hill[24] | Safe D | November 4, 2012 |
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Ron Kind (Incumbent) | 217,712 | 64.1 | |
| Republican | Ray Boland | 121,713 | 35.8 | |
| none | Scattering | 339 | 0.1 | |
| Total votes | 339,764 | 100.0 | ||
District 4
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 Precinct results Moore: 40–50% 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% 80–90% >90% Sebring: 40–50% 50–60% 60–70% >90% No votes | |||||||||||||||||
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Democrat Gwen Moore, who had represented Wisconsin's 4th congressional district since 2005, ran for re-election.
Democratic primary
Candidates
Nominee
- Gwen Moore, incumbent U.S. Representative
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Gwen Moore | 34,525 | 99.7 | |
| none | Scattering | 115 | 0.3 | |
| Total votes | 34,640 | 100.0 | ||
Republican primary
Candidates
Nominee
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Dan Sebring | 19,144 | 99.0 | |
| none | Scattering | 200 | 1.0 | |
| Total votes | 19,344 | 100.0 | ||
Independents
- Robert R. Raymond, perennial candidate[38]
General election
Endorsements
Gwen Moore (D)
Predictions
| Source | Ranking | As of |
|---|---|---|
| The Cook Political Report[18] | Safe D | November 5, 2012 |
| Rothenberg[19] | Safe D | November 2, 2012 |
| Roll Call[20] | Safe D | November 4, 2012 |
| Sabato's Crystal Ball[21] | Safe D | November 5, 2012 |
| NY Times[22] | Safe D | November 4, 2012 |
| RCP[23] | Safe D | November 4, 2012 |
| The Hill[24] | Safe D | November 4, 2012 |
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Gwen Moore (incumbent) | 235,257 | 72.2 | ||
| Republican | Dan Sebring | 80,787 | 24.8 | ||
| Independent | Robert R. Raymond | 9,277 | 2.9 | ||
| none | Scattering | 467 | 0.1 | ||
| Total votes | 325,788 | 100.0 | |||
| Democratic hold | |||||
District 5
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 Precinct results Sensenbrenner: 40–50% 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% 80–90% >90% Heaster: 40–50% 50–60% 60–70% No votes | |||||||||||||||||
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Republican Jim Sensenbrenner, who has represented Wisconsin's 5th congressional district since 2003 (and previously represented Wisconsin's 9th congressional district from 1979 to 2003), ran for re-election.[39]
Republican primary
Candidates
Nominee
- Jim Sensenbrenner, incumbent U.S. Representative
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Jim Sensenbrenner | 89,370 | 99.4 | |
| none | Scattering | 535 | 0.6 | |
| Total votes | 89,905 | 100.0 | ||
Democratic primary
Candidates
Nominee
- Dave Heaster, technology employee at the Kohler Company[40]
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Dave Heaster | 9,266 | 99.9 | |
| none | Scattering | 13 | 0.1 | |
| Total votes | 9,279 | 100.0 | ||
General election
Predictions
| Source | Ranking | As of |
|---|---|---|
| The Cook Political Report | Safe R | November 5, 2012 |
| Rothenberg[19] | Safe R | November 2, 2012 |
| Roll Call[20] | Safe R | November 4, 2012 |
| Sabato's Crystal Ball[21] | Safe R | November 5, 2012 |
| NY Times[22] | Safe R | November 4, 2012 |
| RCP[23] | Safe R | November 4, 2012 |
| The Hill[24] | Safe R | November 4, 2012 |
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Jim Sensenbrenner (Incumbent) | 250,335 | 67.7 | ||
| Democratic | Dave Heaster | 118,478 | 32.1 | ||
| none | Scattering | 851 | 0.2 | ||
| Total votes | 369,664 | 100.0 | |||
| Republican hold | |||||
District 6
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 Precinct results Petri: 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% 80–90% >90% Kallas: 50–60% 60–70% >90% Tie: 40–50% 50% No votes | |||||||||||||||||
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Republican Tom Petri, who has represented Wisconsin's 6th congressional district since 1979, ran for re-election.
Republican primary
Candidates
Nominee
- Tom Petri, incumbent U.S. Representative
Eliminated in primary
- Lauren Stephens, founder of a conservative political action committee.[41]
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Tom Petri (incumbent) | 73,376 | 82.2 | |
| Republican | Lauren Stephens | 15,821 | 17.7 | |
| none | Scattering | 75 | 0.1 | |
| Total votes | 89,272 | 100.0 | ||
Democratic primary
Candidates
Nominee
- Joe Kallas, former member of the Green Lake County Board and nominee for this seat in 2010[42]
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Joe Kallas | 11,285 | 99.8 | |
| none | Scattering | 18 | 0.2 | |
| Total votes | 11,303 | 100.0 | ||
General election
Predictions
| Source | Ranking | As of |
|---|---|---|
| The Cook Political Report | Safe R | November 5, 2012 |
| Rothenberg[19] | Safe R | November 2, 2012 |
| Roll Call[20] | Safe R | November 4, 2012 |
| Sabato's Crystal Ball[21] | Safe R | November 5, 2012 |
| NY Times[22] | Safe R | November 4, 2012 |
| RCP[23] | Safe R | November 4, 2012 |
| The Hill[24] | Safe R | November 4, 2012 |
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Tom Petri (Incumbent) | 223,460 | 62.1 | ||
| Democratic | Joe Kallas | 135,921 | 37.8 | ||
| none | Scattering | 364 | 0.1 | ||
| Total votes | 359,745 | 100.0 | |||
| Republican hold | |||||
District 7
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 Precinct results Duffy: 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% 80–90% >90% Kreitlow: 40–50% 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% 80–90% >90% Tie: 40–50% 50% No votes | |||||||||||||||||
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Republican Sean Duffy, who has represented Wisconsin's 7th congressional district since 2011, ran for re-election.[43]
Republican primary
Candidates
Nominee
- Sean Duffy, incumbent U.S. Representative
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Sean Duffy | 46,987 | 99.5 | |
| none | Scattering | 252 | 0.5 | |
| Total votes | 47,239 | 100.0 | ||
Democratic primary
Candidates
Nominee
- Pat Kreitlow, former state Senator[44]
Declined
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Pat Kreitlow | 16,053 | 99.9 | |
| none | Scattering | 19 | 0.1 | |
| Total votes | 16,072 | 100.0 | ||
General election
Endorsements
Sean Duffy (R)
Organizations
- National Republican Congressional Committee "Patriot" Program[46]
Pat Kreitlow (D)
Labor unions
- AFL-CIO[11]
- International Brotherhood of Boilermakers[12]
- National Association of Letter Carriers[13]
Organizations
- Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee "Red to Blue" Program[14]
Polling
| Poll source |
Date(s) administered |
Sample size |
Margin of error |
Sean Duffy (R) |
Pat Kreitlow (D) |
Undecided |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NMB Research (R-American Action Network)[47] | September 30–October 1, 2012 | 400 | ±4.9% | 51% | 40% | 9% |
| Fairbank, Maslin, Maullin, Metz & Associates (D-Kreitlow)[48] | September 25–26, 2012 | 509 | ±4.4% | 44% | 41% | 15% |
| Public Policy Polling (D-CREDO)[49] | September 24–25, 2012 | 694 | ±3.7% | 48% | 44% | 7% |
Predictions
| Source | Ranking | As of |
|---|---|---|
| The Cook Political Report[50] | Lean R | November 5, 2012 |
| Rothenberg[19] | Lean R | November 2, 2012 |
| Roll Call[20] | Likely R | November 4, 2012 |
| Sabato's Crystal Ball[21] | Lean R | November 5, 2012 |
| NY Times[22] | Lean R | November 4, 2012 |
| RCP[23] | Lean R | November 4, 2012 |
| The Hill[24] | Tossup | November 4, 2012 |
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Sean Duffy (Incumbent) | 201,720 | 56.1 | ||
| Democratic | Pat Kreitlow | 157,524 | 43.8 | ||
| none | Scattering | 405 | 0.1 | ||
| Write-In | Dale C. Hehner | 20 | 0.0 | ||
| Total votes | 359,669 | 100.0 | |||
| Republican hold | |||||
District 8
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 Precinct results Ribble: 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% 80–90% >90% Wall: 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% 80–90% Tie: 40–50% 50% No votes | |||||||||||||||||
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Republican Reid Ribble, who has represented Wisconsin's 8th congressional district since 2011, ran for re-election.[51]
Republican primary
Candidates
Nominee
- Reid Ribble, incumbent U.S. Representative
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Reid Ribble | 64,689 | 99.6 | |
| none | Scattering | 251 | 0.4 | |
| Total votes | 64,940 | 100.0 | ||
Democratic primary
Candidates
Nominee
- Jamie Wall, business consultant and candidate for this seat in 2006[52]
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Jamie Wall | 11,513 | 99.8 | |
| none | Scattering | 19 | 0.2 | |
| Total votes | 11,532 | 100.0 | ||
General election
Polling
| Poll source | Date(s) administered |
Sample size |
Margin of error |
Reid Ribble (R) |
Jamie Wall (D) |
Undecided |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Normington, Petts & Associates (D)[53] | September 18–19, 2012 | 400 | ±4.9% | 47% | 41% | 12% |
Endorsements
Reid Ribble (R)
Organizations
- National Republican Congressional Committee "Patriot" Program[46]
Jamie Wall (D)
Labor unions
- AFL-CIO[11]
- International Brotherhood of Boilermakers[12]
- National Association of Letter Carriers[13]
Organizations
- Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee "Red to Blue" Program[14]
Predictions
| Source | Ranking | As of |
|---|---|---|
| The Cook Political Report[50] | Likely R | November 5, 2012 |
| Rothenberg[19] | Safe R | November 2, 2012 |
| Roll Call[20] | Safe R | November 4, 2012 |
| Sabato's Crystal Ball[21] | Likely R | November 5, 2012 |
| NY Times[22] | Lean R | November 4, 2012 |
| RCP[23] | Likely R | November 4, 2012 |
| The Hill[24] | Likely R | November 4, 2012 |
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Reid Ribble (Incumbent) | 198,874 | 56.0 | ||
| Democratic | Jamie Wall | 156,287 | 44.0 | ||
| none | Scattering | 303 | 0.1 | ||
| Total votes | 355,464 | 100.0 | |||
| Republican hold | |||||
External links