2012 United States House of Representatives elections in North Carolina

The 2012 United States House of Representatives elections in North Carolina were held on Tuesday, November 6, 2012, to elect the 13 U.S. representatives from the state of North Carolina. The elections coincided with the U.S. presidential election, N.C. gubernatorial election, statewide judicial elections, Council of State elections, and various local elections. Primary elections were held on May 8, 2012; for races in which no candidate received 40 percent of the vote in the primary, runoff elections (officially known as "second" primaries) were held on July 17.News & Observer: It's official

North Carolina 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, along with Arizona, Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin.

Overview

Statewide PartyCandidatesVotesSeats %+/– %Republican132,137,16748.759 369.23 Democratic132,218,35750.604 330.77 Libertarian324,1420.5500.00 Write-in14,4460.1000.00Total304,384,112100.013100.0

By district Results of the 2012 United States House of Representatives elections in North Carolina by district:

DistrictDemocraticRepublicanOthersTotalResult Votes % Votes % Votes % Votes %District 1 254,644 75.32% 77,288 22.86% 6,134 1.81% 338,066 100.00% Democratic holdDistrict 2 128,973 41.42% 174,066 55.90% 8,358 2.68% 311,397 100.00% Republican holdDistrict 3 114,314 36.89% 195,571 63.11% 0 0.00% 309,885 100.00% Republican holdDistrict 4 259,534 74.47% 88,951 25.53% 0 0.00% 348,485 100.00% Democratic holdDistrict 5 148,252 42.46% 200,945 57.54% 0 0.00% 349,197 100.00% Republican holdDistrict 6 142,467 39.08% 222,116 60.92% 0 0.00% 364,583 100.00% Republican holdDistrict 7 168,695 50.10% 168,041 49.90% 0 0.00% 336,736 100.00% Democratic holdDistrict 8 137,139 45.37% 160,695 53.16% 4,446 1.47% 302,280 100.00% Republican gainDistrict 9 171,503 45.65% 194,537 51.78% 9,650 2.57% 375,690 100.00% Republican holdDistrict 10 144,023 43.01% 190,826 56.99% 0 0.00% 334,849 100.00% Republican holdDistrict 11 141,107 42.58% 190,319 57.42% 0 0.00% 331,426 100.00% Republican gainDistrict 12 247,591 79.63% 63,317 20.37% 0 0.00% 310,908 100.00% Democratic holdDistrict 13 160,115 43.20% 210,495 56.80% '0 0.00% 370,610 100.00% Republican gainTotal 2,218,357 50.60% 2,137,167 48.75% 28,588 0.65% 4,384,112 100.00%

Redistricting

A redistricting map, drawn to reflect changes observed in the 2010 United States census, was passed into law in July 2011. The map must receive approval from either the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia or the U.S. Department of Justice before it can be enforced (under the 1965 Voting Rights Act). The North Carolina chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People challenged the map on the grounds that it reduces the influence of African American voters.

District Old PVI New PVI Incumbent G. K. Butterfield Renee Ellmers Walter B. Jones Jr. David Price Virginia Foxx Howard Coble Mike McIntyre Larry Kissell Sue Myrick Patrick McHenry Heath Shuler Mel Watt Brad Miller

District 1

Incumbent Democrat G. K. Butterfield, who had represented the district since 2004, ran for re-election. The 1st district, which is majority-minority and already strongly favored Democrats, favored them even more so after redistricting. The redrawn district had a PVI of D+17, whereas the old 1st had a PVI of D+9.

Democratic primary

Candidates

Nominee G. K. Butterfield, incumbent U.S. representative

Eliminated in primary Daniel-Lynn Whittacre, high school teacher, HHS federal agent

Primary results

Republican primary

Candidates

Nominee Pete DiLauro, former law enforcement officer

General election

Endorsements

Predictions SourceRankingAs of The Cook Political Report November 5, 2012 Rothenberg November 2, 2012 Roll Call, November 4, 2012 Sabato's Crystal BallCrystal Ball , November 5, 2012 NY TimesHouse Race Ratings, The New York Times, November 4, 2012RCP, November 4, 2012The Hill November 4, 2012

Results

District 2

Incumbent Republican Renee Ellmers, who had represented the district since 2011, ran for re-election. The 2nd district was made more favorable to Republicans in redistricting, with The Hill ranking Ellmers at second in its list of house members most helped by redistricting. The redrawn district had a PVI of R+11, whereas the old 2nd had a PVI of R+2.

Republican primary

Candidates

Nominee Renee Ellmers, incumbent U.S. representative

Eliminated in primary Sonya Holmes Clement F. Munno Richard Speer, contract farmer

Primary results

Democratic primary

Candidates

Nominee Steve Wilkins, retired U.S. Army officer and businessman

Eliminated in primary Toni Morris, professional counselor

Withdrawn Jim Bibbs

Declined Bob Etheridge, former U.S. representative (ran for governor)

Primary results

Libertarian primary

Candidates

Nominee Brian Irving, retired U.S. Air Force officer

General election

Endorsements

Predictions SourceRankingAs of The Cook Political Report November 5, 2012 Rothenberg November 2, 2012 Roll Call November 4, 2012 Sabato's Crystal Ball November 5, 2012 NY Times November 4, 2012RCP November 4, 2012The Hill November 4, 2012

Results

District 3

Incumbent Republican Walter B. Jones Jr., who had represented the district since 1995, ran for re-election. The 3rd district was made slightly more favorable to Democrats in redistricting, but continued to strongly favor Republicans. The redrawn district had a PVI of R+10, whereas the old 3rd had a PVI of R+16.

Republican primary

Candidates

Nominee Walter B. Jones Jr., incumbent U.S. representative

Eliminated in primary Frank Palombo, former New Bern police chief

Primary results

Democratic primary

Candidates

Nominee Erik Anderson, former U.S. Marine

General election

Endorsements

Predictions SourceRankingAs of The Cook Political Report November 5, 2012 Rothenberg November 2, 2012 Roll Call November 4, 2012 Sabato's Crystal Ball November 5, 2012 NY Times November 4, 2012RCP November 4, 2012The Hill November 4, 2012

Results

District 4

Democrat David Price, who had represented North Carolina's 4th congressional district since 1997 and previously served from 1987 until 1995, ran for re-election. Brad Miller, who had represented the 13th district since 2003, considered challenging Price in the 4th district primary after having his home drawn into it, but announced in January 2012 that he would not seek either seat and would instead retire.

Democratic primary Price was unopposed in the Democratic primary.

Candidates

Nominee David Price, incumbent U.S. representative

Declined Brad Miller, incumbent U.S. representative for North Carolina's 13th congressional district

Republican primary

Candidates

Nominee Tim D'Annunzio, businessman and candidate for North Carolina's 8th congressional district in 2010.

Eliminated in primary Jim Allen, electrical contractor George Hutchins, former US Marine, veteran of the first Gulf War and candidate for this district in 2010

Withdrawn Doug Yopp, director of the Friends of the Library at NC State

Primary results

General election

Endorsements

Predictions SourceRankingAs of The Cook Political Report November 5, 2012 Rothenberg November 2, 2012 Roll Call November 4, 2012 Sabato's Crystal Ball November 5, 2012 NY Times November 4, 2012RCP November 4, 2012The Hill November 4, 2012

Results

District 5

Republican Virginia Foxx, who had represented North Carolina's 5th congressional district since 2005, ran for re-election. The 5th district was made slightly more favorable to Democrats in redistricting, but continued to strongly favor Republicans.

Republican primary

Candidates

Nominee Virginia Foxx, incumbent U.S. representative

Democratic primary

Candidates

Nominee Elisabeth Motsinger, Winston-Salem/Forsyth County School Board member

Eliminated in primary Bruce Peller, dentist

Withdrawn Treva Johnson, Wilkes County Democratic chairwoman

Primary results

General election

Endorsements

Predictions SourceRankingAs of The Cook Political Report November 5, 2012 Rothenberg November 2, 2012 Roll Call November 4, 2012 Sabato's Crystal Ball November 5, 2012 NY Times November 4, 2012RCP November 4, 2012The Hill November 4, 2012

Results

District 6

Republican Howard Coble, who had represented North Carolina's 6th congressional district since 1985, ran for re-election. The 6th district was expected to continue to strongly favor Republicans.

Republican primary

Candidates

Nominee Howard Coble, incumbent U.S. representative

Eliminated in primary Bill Flynn, former radio personality Billy Yow, Guilford County commissioner

Primary results

Democratic primary

Candidates

Nominee Tony Foriest, former state senator from the 24th district

General election

Endorsements

Predictions SourceRankingAs of The Cook Political Report November 5, 2012 Rothenberg November 2, 2012 Roll Call November 4, 2012 Sabato's Crystal Ball November 5, 2012 NY Times November 4, 2012RCP November 4, 2012The Hill November 4, 2012

Results

District 7

The home of Democrat Mike McIntyre, who had represented North Carolina's 7th congressional district since 1997, was drawn into the 8th district in redistricting. McIntyre, who had briefly considered running for governor following Bev Perdue's announcement that she would not seek re-election, decided to seek re-election in the newly redrawn 7th district. The district was made more favorable to Republicans in redistricting: 58% of its residents voted for Republican nominee John McCain in the 2008 presidential election.

Democratic primary

Candidates

Nominee Mike McIntyre, incumbent U.S. representative

Republican primary

Candidates

Nominee David Rouzer, state senator from the 12th district

Eliminated in primary Randy Crow, business executive Ilario Pantano, retired U.S. Marine and nominee for this district in 2010

Withdrawn Timothy Alan Wilkes

Primary results

General election

Campaign McIntyre was heavily targeted by Republicans, especially after the GOP-controlled North Carolina General Assembly had redrawn congressional boundaries to put his home in Robeson County into the 8th district, something that McIntyre accused the GOP of doing “solely for the reason of giving my opponent a seat in Congress”.

Nearly $9 million was spent by both parties, with McIntyre airing ads stating he was a "strong conservative and Christian who walks his faith every day" and Rouzer trying to tie McIntyre to his votes for Nancy Pelosi and for the stimulus.

Endorsements

McIntyre was the lone Democratic federal candidate endorsed by National Right to Life Committee in this election cycle.

Polling Poll sourceDate(s)administeredSamplesizeMargin of errorMikeMcIntyre (D)DavidRouzer (R)UndecidedWenzel StrategiesWenzel Strategies October 23–24, 2012 600 ± 3.98% 39% 45% 17%North Star Opinion Research (R-YG Action)North Star Opinion Research (R-YG Action) August 12–13, 2012 400 ± 4.9% 49% 40% 11%Grove InsightGrove Insight July 26–29, 2012 400 ± 4.9% 52% 34% 13%Public Opinion Strategies Rouzer (R)Public Opinion Strategies Rouzer (R) July 22–23, 2012 400 ± 4.9% 44% 40% 15%

Predictions SourceRankingAs of The Cook Political Report November 5, 2012 Rothenberg November 2, 2012 Roll Call November 4, 2012 Sabato's Crystal Ball November 5, 2012 NY Times November 4, 2012RCP November 4, 2012The Hill November 4, 2012

Results The election outcome left McIntyre the winner by 655 votes. A recount requested by Rouzer began on November 26, 2012; two days later, Rouzer conceded the race to McIntyre. This was the closest House race in 2012.

District 8