2012 Washington Statewide Executive Offices elections
November 6, 2012 (2012-11-06)
All 9 Statewide Executive Offices
  Majority party Minority party
 
Party Democratic Republican
Last election 7 2
Seats won 8 1
Seat change Increase 1 Decrease 1

Elections held in the state of Washington on November 6, 2012. A nonpartisan blanket primary was held on August 7, 2012.

Federal

U.S. President

In this election, Washington had 12 electors to the Electoral College. Incumbent Democratic president Barack Obama safely carried the state, gaining all 12 electoral votes against Republican nominee Mitt Romney.

2012 United States presidential election in Washington[1]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Barack Obama (incumbent) 1,755,396 56.16
Republican Mitt Romney 1,290,670 41.29
Libertarian Gary Johnson 42,202 1.35
Green Jill Stein 20,928 0.67
Constitution Virgil Goode 8,851 0.28
Justice Rocky Anderson 4,946 0.16
Socialism and Liberation Peta Lindsay 1,318 0.04
Socialist Workers James Harris 1,205 0.04
Total votes 3,125,516 100.00

U.S. Senate

Incumbent Democratic senator Maria Cantwell won re-election to a third term against Republican state senator Michael Baumgartner.

2012 United States Senate election in Washington[2][3]
Primary election
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Maria Cantwell (incumbent) 626,360 55.42
Republican Michael Baumgartner 344,729 30.50
Republican Art Coday 59,255 5.24
Democratic Timothy Wilson 26,850 2.38
Republican Chuck Jackson 21,870 1.94
Republican Glenn R. Stockwell 21,731 1.92
Republican Mike the Mover 16,459 1.46
Reform Will Baker 12,865 1.14
Total votes 1,130,119 100.00
General election
Democratic Maria Cantwell (incumbent) 1,855,493 60.36
Republican Michael Baumgartner 1,213,924 39.49
Write-in 4,644 0.15
Total votes 3,074,061 100.00
Democratic hold

U.S. House

Due to the results of the 2010 United States Census, Washington elected U.S. Representatives from ten congressional districts, a gain of one seat.

Incumbents Rick Larsen (D-2nd), Jaime Herrera Beutler (R-3rd), Doc Hastings (R-4th), Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-5th), Jim McDermott (D-7th), Dave Reichert (R-8th), and Adam Smith (R-9th) ran for re-election and won. Incumbents Jay Inslee (D-1st) and Norman D. Dicks (D-6th) retired and were respectively succeeded by Suzan DelBene (D) and Derek Kilmer (D). Denny Heck (D) was elected to the newly created 10th district.

The resulting composition was six Democrats and four Republicans.

State

Governor

Incumbent Democratic governor Christine Gregoire declined to run for a third term. Democratic congressman Jay Inslee ran to succeed her, earning Gregoire's endorsement.[4] He faced Republican attorney general Rob McKenna in the general election, defeating him by a small margin.[5]

2012 Washington gubernatorial election[6]
Primary election
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Jay Inslee 664,534 47.13
Republican Rob McKenna 604,872 42.90
Republican Shahram Hadian 46,169 3.27
Democratic Rob Hill 45,453 3.22
Independent James White 13,764 0.98
Independent Christian Joubert 10,457 0.74
Independent L. Dale Sorgen 9,734 0.69
Republican Max Sampson 8,753 0.62
Republican Javier O. Lopez 6,131 0.43
Total votes 1,409,867 100.00
General election
Democratic Jay Inslee 1,582,802 51.40
Republican Rob McKenna 1,488,245 48.33
Write-in 8,592 0.28%
Total votes 3,079,639 100.00
Democratic hold

Lieutenant governor

Incumbent Democratic lieutenant governor Brad Owen ran for re-election to a fifth term.

Polling

General election
Poll source Date(s)
administered		 Sample
size		 Margin
of error		 Brad
Owen (D)		 Bill
Finkbeiner (R)		 Undecided
Elway Research October 18–21, 2012 451 (RV) ± 4.5% 42% 32% 26%
Elway Research September 9–12, 2012 405 (RV) ± 5.0% 43% 27% 29%
2012 Washington lieutenant gubernatorial election
Primary election
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Brad Owen (incumbent) 648,110 48.52
Republican Bill Finkbeiner 352,195 26.36
Independent Republican Glenn Anderson 229,318 17.17
Independent Jimmy Deal 53,694 4.02
Independent Clifford Mark Greene 46,534 3.48
Independent Dave T. Sumner IV 6,057 0.45
Total votes 1,335,908 100.00
General election
Democratic Brad Owen (incumbent) 1,575,133 53.68
Republican Bill Finkbeiner 1,359,212 46.32
Total votes 2,934,345 100.00
Democratic hold

Secretary of State

Incumbent Republican Secretary of State Sam Reed declined to run for re-election to a fourth term. The general election was won by Republican Thurston County auditor Kim Wyman, who defeated Democratic state senator Kathleen Drew by under one percentage point, resulting in the smallest statewide margin in 2012.

2012 Washington Secretary of State election
Primary election
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Kim Wyman 528,754 39.76
Democratic Kathleen Drew 289,052 21.73
Democratic Gregory J. Nickels 210,832 15.85
Democratic Jim Kastama 185,425 13.94
Constitution Karen Murray 50,888 3.83
Independent David J. Anderson 44,276 3.33
Human Rights Sam Wright 20,809 1.57
Total votes 1,330,036 100.00
General election
Republican Kim Wyman 1,464,741 50.38
Democratic Kathleen Drew 1,442,868 49.62
Total votes 2,907,609 100.00
Republican hold

Attorney general

Incumbent Republican attorney general Rob McKenna retired to run for governor and did not seek a third term. Two King County Councilmembers, Republican Reagan Dunn and Democrat Bob Ferguson, faced off in the general election. Ferguson ultimately won the election.

2012 Washington Attorney General election
Primary election
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Bob Ferguson 685,346 51.68
Republican Reagan Dunn 506,524 38.20
Republican Stephen Pidgeon 134,185 10.12
Total votes 1,326,055 100.00
General election
Democratic Bob Ferguson 1,564,443 53.48
Republican Reagan Dunn 1,361,010 46.52
Total votes 2,925,453 100.00
Democratic gain from Republican

State Treasurer

Incumbent Democratic Treasurer James McIntire ran for re-election to a second term.

2012 Washington State Treasurer election
Primary election
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic James McIntire (incumbent) 925,850 96.63
Republican Sharon Hanek (write-in) 32,339 3.38
Total votes 958,189 100.00
General election
Democratic James McIntire (incumbent) 1,695,401 58.71
Republican Sharon Hanek 1,192,150 41.29
Total votes 2,887,551 100.00
Democratic hold

State Auditor

Incumbent Democratic Auditor Brian Sonntag declined to run for re-election to a sixth term. Democratic state representative Troy Kelley won the election, defeating Republican James Watkins.

Polling

General election
Poll source Date(s)
administered		 Sample
size		 Margin
of error		 Troy
Kelley (D)		 James
Watkins (R)		 Undecided
Elway Research October 18–21, 2012 451 (RV) ± 4.5% 34% 29% 37%
Elway Research September 9–12, 2012 405 (RV) ± 5.0% 36% 27% 38%
2012 Washington State Auditor election
Primary election
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican James Watkins 584,444 46.09
Democratic Troy Kelley 291,335 22.98
Democratic Craig Pridemore 268,220 21.15
Democratic Mark Miloscia 123,936 9.78
Total votes 1,267,935 100.00
General election
Democratic Troy Kelley 1,512,620 52.95
Republican James Watkins 1,344,137 47.05
Total votes 2,856,757 100.00
Democratic hold

Insurance Commissioner

Incumbent Democratic Insurance Commissioner Mike Kreidler ran for re-election to a fourth term.

2012 Washington Insurance Commissioner election
Primary election
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Mike Kreidler (incumbent) 712,095 54.91
Republican John Adams 279,052 21.52
Republican Scott Reilly 241,377 18.61
Independent Brian C. Berend 64,303 4.96
Total votes 1,296,827 100.00
General election
Democratic Mike Kreidler (incumbent) 1,662,555 58.31
Republican John Adams 1,188,926 41.70
Total votes 2,851,481 100.00
Democratic hold

Commissioner of Public Lands

Incumbent Democratic Commissioner of Public Lands Peter J. Goldmark ran for re-election to a second term.

2012 Washington Commissioner of Public Lands election
Primary election
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Peter J. Goldmark (incumbent) 683,448 51.88
Republican Clint Didier 540,907 41.06
Independent Stephen A. Sharon 92,993 7.06
Total votes 1,317,348 100.00
General election
Democratic Peter J. Goldmark (incumbent) 1,692,083 58.74
Republican Clint Didier 1,188,411 41.26
Total votes 2,880,494 100.00
Democratic hold

Superintendent of Public Instruction

Incumbent Democratic Superintendent of Public Instruction Randy Dorn ran for re-election to a second term. He was unopposed in the general election. The superintendent is the only nonpartisan statewide election.

2012 Washington Superintendent of Public Instruction election
Primary election
Party Candidate Votes %
Nonpartisan Randy Dorn (incumbent) 634,314 56.22
Nonpartisan Ron Higgins 172,331 15.27
Nonpartisan James Bauckman 149,370 13.24
Nonpartisan Donald Hansler 104,360 9.25
Nonpartisan John P. Blair 67,898 6.02
Total votes 1,128,273 100.00
General election
Nonpartisan Randy Dorn (incumbent) 2,164,163 100.00
Total votes 2,164,163 100.00
Democratic hold

State Senate

The Democrats won on election night, but in early December two Democrats formed a conservative coalition with the Republican Caucus.

State House of Representatives

Judicial positions

Ballot measures

Initiative 502
Choice Votes  %
Referendum passed Yes 1,724,209 55.70
No 1,371,235 44.30
Total votes 3,095,444 100.00
Initiative 1185
Choice Votes  %
Referendum passed Yes 1,892,969 63.91
No 1,069,083 36.09
Total votes 2,962,052 100.00
Initiative 1240
Choice Votes  %
Referendum passed Yes 1,525,807 50.69
No 1,484,125 49.31
Total votes 3,009,932 100.00
Referendum 74
Choice Votes  %
Referendum passed Yes 1,659,915 53.70
No 1,431,285 46.30
Total votes 3,091,200 100.00

References

  1. ↑ "November 06, 2012 General Election Results: President/Vice President". www.wa.gov. Washington Secretary of State. Retrieved December 5, 2020.
  2. ↑ "August 07, 2012 Primary Results - U.S. Senator". Washington Secretary of State. August 28, 2012. Retrieved June 24, 2022.
  3. ↑ "November 06, 2012 General Election Results - U.S. Senator". Washington Secretary of State. November 27, 2012. Retrieved June 24, 2022.
  4. ↑ "Inslee Announcement Prompts More Democratic Interest", Roll Call Politics
  5. ↑ Brunner, Jim (November 9, 2012). "McKenna concedes; Inslee to be governor". The Seattle Times. Archived from the original on October 6, 2016. Retrieved August 25, 2016.
  6. ↑ "Governor". Archived from the original on November 12, 2012. Retrieved November 13, 2012.
  7. 1 2 3 4 "Voters' Guide - 2012 General Election". Washington Secretary of State. Retrieved June 24, 2022.
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