The 2012 North Carolina lieutenant gubernatorial election was held on November 6, 2012, concurrently with the other elections to the Council of State and the gubernatorial election. Primary elections were held May 8. The offices of Governor and Lieutenant Governor are elected separately. The incumbent, Lieutenant Governor Walter Dalton, announced on January 26, 2012 that he would run for Governor.WXII

In the general election, Republican Dan Forest won 50.08% of the vote, narrowly defeating Democrat Linda Coleman.North Carolina State Board of Elections Unofficial Results retrieved Nov 12, 2012 The election result was in doubt for almost two weeks after Election Day, and was within the margin in which Coleman could ask for a recount, but she chose not to do so on November 19.WRAL.com: Republican Forest claims lieutenant governor win

When he took office in January 2013, Forest became the state's first Republican lieutenant governor since Jim Gardner left office two decades earlier.

Democratic primary

Candidates

Declared Linda Coleman, former state representative, state personnel director Eric L. Mansfield, state senator

Declined Cal Cunningham, former state senator Hampton Dellinger, attorney

Polling

Poll source Date(s)administered Samplesize Margin oferror LindaColeman EricMansfield UndecidedPublic Policy PollingPublic Policy Polling May 5–6, 2012 500 ± 3.1% 41% 23% 36%Survey USASurvey USA April 26–30, 2012 560 ± 4.2% 41% 23% 36%Public Policy PollingPublic Policy Polling April 27–29, 2012 500 ± 4.4% 39% 18% 43%Public Policy PollingPublic Policy Polling April 20–22, 2012 500 ± 4.4% 28% 16% 56%Public Policy PollingPublic Policy Polling March 23–25, 2012 505 ± 4.36% 26% 14% 59%Public Policy PollingPublic Policy Polling February 29 – March 1, 2012 499 ± 4.4% 25% 15% 61%

Results

Republican primary

Candidates Declared Dale Folwell, state representative, former Winston-Salem School Board member, accountant and investment advisorNews & Observer: Hopefuls angle for Republican hopefuls angle for lieutenant governor Dan Forest, architect, son of Congresswoman Sue Myrick Tony Gurley, Wake County Commissioner, pharmacist, ex-race car driver Grey Mills, state representative Arthur Rich, businessmanWRAL.com

Polling Poll source Date(s)administered Samplesize Margin oferror DaleFolwell DanForest TonyGurley GreyMills ArthurRich UndecidedPublic Policy PollingPublic Policy Polling May 5–6, 2012 496 ± 4.4% 22% 17% 18% 9% 2% 32%Survey USASurvey USA April 26–30, 2012 451 ± 4.7% 13% 17% 12% 11% 5% 41%Public Policy PollingPublic Policy Polling April 27–29, 2012 486 ± 4.4% 20% 15% 11% 10% 3% 40%Public Policy PollingPublic Policy Polling April 20–22, 2012 521 ± 4.3% 15% 12% 12% 8% 2% 51%

Results

Under state law, if no candidate receives 40 percent of the vote in the primary, the second-place candidate can request a second primary (runoff).Poll suggests GOP headed toward runoff in Lt. Gov. and Auditor races According to unofficial May 8 primary election results, Gurley came in second, and he announced that he would request such a runoff.Tony Gurley statement

General election

Polling Poll source Date(s)administered Samplesize Margin oferror LindaColeman (D) DanForest (R) UndecidedPublic Policy PollingPublic Policy Polling November 3–4, 2012 926 ± 3.2% 44% 45% 11%Public Policy PollingPublic Policy Polling October 29–31, 2012 730 ± 3.6% 41% 43% 16%Public Policy PollingPublic Policy Polling October 12–14, 2012 1,084 ± 3% 37% 38% 26%Civitas/National Research, Inc. September 18–19, 2012 600 ± 4% 43% 39% 18%Public Policy PollingPublic Policy Polling August 31 – September 1, 2012 1,012 ± 3.1% 41% 39% 20%Public Policy PollingPublic Policy Polling August 2–5, 2012 813 ± 3.4% 37% 38% 26%Public Policy PollingPublic Policy Polling May 10–13, 2012 666 ± 3.8% 41% 40% 20%

Results

By congressional district Forest won ten of the state's 13 congressional districts, including one that elected a Democrat. District Forest Coleman Representative 26% 74%G. K. Butterfield 57% 43%Renee Ellmers 56% 44%Walter B. Jones Jr. 28% 72%David Price 59% 41%Virginia Foxx 57% 43%Howard Coble 57% 43%Mike McIntyre56%44%Larry KissellRichard Hudson58%42%Sue MyrickRobert Pittenger 58% 42%Patrick McHenry60%40%Heath ShulerMark Meadows 21% 79%Mel Watt56%44%Brad MillerGeorge Holding

Footnotes