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.[1][2]
2012 United States House of Representatives elections in North Carolina[3]
Party
Votes
Percentage
Seats before
Seats after
+/–
Democratic
2,218,357
50.60%
7
4
-3
Republican
2,137,167
48.75%
6
9
+3
Libertarian
24,142
0.55%
0
0
-
Write-in
4,446
0.10%
0
0
-
Totals
4,384,112
100.00%
13
13
—
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).[4] 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.[5]
North Carolina's congressional districts after 2010 Census redistricting[6]
District 1[]
Democrat G. K. Butterfield, who has represented North Carolina's 1st congressional 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.[4] Butterfield ran against Republican ex-law enforcement officer Pete DiLauro and Libertarian Darryl Holloman in the general election.[7]
North Carolina's 1st congressional district, 2012[3]
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
Democratic
G. K. Butterfield (incumbent)
254,644
75.3
Republican
Pete DiLauro
77,288
22.9
Libertarian
Darryl Holloman
6,134
1.8
Total votes
338,066
100.0
Democratichold
District 2[]
Republican Renee Ellmers, who has represented North Carolina's 2nd congressional district since January 2011, ran for re-election. The 2nd district was made more favorable to Republicans in redistricting.
Brian Irving, a retired US Air Force officer, ran as the Libertarian Party candidate.
Democratic primary[]
Candidates
Jim Bibbs
Toni Morris, professional counselor
Steve Wilkins, retired US Army officer and businessman
Declined
Bob Etheridge, former U.S. Representative for North Carolina's 2nd congressional district[9] (ran for governor)[10]
North Carolina's 2nd congressional district, 2012[3]
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
Republican
Renee Ellmers (incumbent)
174,066
55.9
Democratic
Steve Wilkins
128,973
41.4
Libertarian
Brian Irving
8,358
2.7
Total votes
311,397
100.0
Republicanhold
District 3[]
Republican Walter Jones, Jr., who has represented North Carolina's 3rd congressional district since 1995, ran for re-election.[12] The 3rd district was made slightly more favorable to Democrats in redistricting, but continued to strongly favor Republicans.[4]
Brad Miller, who has 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.[15] Price was unopposed in the Democratic primary.[16]
Republican primary[]
Candidates
Jim Allen
Tim D'Annunzio, businessman and who previously sought the 2010 candidate for North Carolina's 8th congressional district
George Hutchins, former US Marine veteran of the first Gulf War and 2010 candidate for North Carolina's 8th congressional district[16]
North Carolina's 4th congressional district, 2012[3]
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
Democratic
David Price (incumbent)
259,534
74.5
Republican
Tim D'Annunzio
88,951
25.5
Total votes
348,485
100.0
Democratichold
District 5[]
Republican Virginia Foxx, who has 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.[4]
Democratic primary[]
Candidates
Elisabeth Motsinger, Winston-Salem/Forsyth County School Board-member[18]
North Carolina's 5th congressional district, 2012[3]
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
Republican
Virginia Foxx (incumbent)
200,945
57.5
Democratic
Elisabeth Motsinger
148,252
42.5
Total votes
349,197
100.0
Republicanhold
District 6[]
Republican Howard Coble, who has represented North Carolina's 6th congressional district since 1985, ran for re-election.[22]
The 6th district was expected to continue to strongly favor Republicans.[4]
Democratic primary[]
Former two-term State senatorTony Foriest was the only Democrat to file against Coble.[23]
North Carolina's 6th congressional district, 2012[3]
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
Republican
Howard Coble (incumbent)
222,116
60.9
Democratic
Anthony Foriest
142,467
39.1
Total votes
364,583
100.0
Republicanhold
District 7[]
The home of Democrat Mike McIntyre, who has 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,[26] decided to seek re-election in the newly redrawn 7th district.[27]
McIntyre was endorsed by the National Rifle Association,[28] the United States Chamber of Commerce,[29] the National Federation of Independent Business,[30] and the National Right to Life Committee.[31] In this election cycle, he was the lone Democratic federal candidate endorsed by NRLC.[32]
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.[4]
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.[33][34]
Republican primary[]
Randy Crow
Ilario Pantano, retired U.S. Marine and 2010 nominee for North Carolina's 7th congressional district
North Carolina's 7th congressional district, 2012[3]
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
Democratic
Mike McIntyre (incumbent)
168,695
50.1
Republican
David Rouzer
168,041
49.9
Total votes
336,736
100.0
Democratichold
District 8[]
Democrat Larry Kissell, who had represented North Carolina's 8th congressional district since 2009, ran for re-election.[35] The home of Kissell's fellow Democrat Mike McIntyre, who has represented the 7th district since 1997, was drawn into the 8th district in redistricting, but McIntyre sought re-election in the 7th district. The 8th district was made more favorable to Republicans in redistricting: only 42% of its residents voted for Democratic nominee Barack Obama in the 2008 presidential election.[4]
Democratic primary[]
Candidates
Larry Kissell, incumbent
Marcus Williams, attorney and 2008 candidate for U.S. Senate election in North Carolina[36]
Mecklenburg County Commissioner Jennifer Roberts was the only candidate seeking the Democratic nomination.[46] Patrick Cannon, the mayor pro tem of Charlotte, did not run.[47]
Bob Rucho, State Senator[56] In the Republican primary, Pittenger and Pendergraph qualified for the runoff election, earning 33% and 25% of the vote, respectively. On July 17, Pittenger won the primary runoff.[57]
North Carolina's 9th congressional district, 2012[3]
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
Republican
Robert Pittenger
194,537
51.8
Democratic
Jennifer Roberts
171,503
45.6
Libertarian
Curtis Campbell
9,650
2.6
Total votes
375,690
100.0
Republicanhold
District 10[]
Republican Patrick McHenry, who has represented North Carolina's 10th congressional district since 2005, ran for re-election. Though the 10th district was made more favorable to Democrats in redistricting, it was expected to continue to strongly favor Republicans.[4]
North Carolina's 10th congressional district, 2012[3]
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
Republican
Patrick McHenry (incumbent)
190,826
57.0
Democratic
Patsy Keever
144,023
43.0
Total votes
334,849
100.0
Republicanhold
District 11[]
Democrat Heath Shuler, who had represented North Carolina's 11th congressional district since 2007, chose not to run for re-election.[63] The 11th district was made more favorable to Republicans in redistricting: more than three-quarters of voters in Asheville were removed from the district, while Avery, Burke, Caldwell and Mitchell counties, all of which favor Republicans, were added to it.[4]
North Carolina's 12th congressional district, 2012[3]
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
Democratic
Melvin Watt (incumbent)
247,591
79.6
Republican
Jack Brosch
63,317
20.4
Total votes
310,908
100.0
Democratichold
District 13[]
Democrat Brad Miller, who had represented North Carolina's 13th congressional district since 2003, did not seek re-election.[76] The 13th district was made more favorable to Republicans in redistricting.[4]
^Morrill, Jim (February 13, 2012). "Barry switches races". The Charlotte Observer. Archived from the original on July 23, 2012. Retrieved February 19, 2012.