United States House of Representatives elections in Iowa, 2012

The 2012 United States House of Representatives elections in Iowa were held on Tuesday, November 6, 2012 to elect the state's four U.S. Representatives. The elections coincided with the elections of other federal and state offices, including a quadrennial presidential election. Primary elections were held on June 5, 2012.[1]

The new congressional map, drawn by the state's Legislative Services Agency and passed with bipartisan support in the state House of Representatives and Senate, was signed into law by Governor Terry Branstad on April 19, 2011. Reflecting population shifts recorded in the 2010 United States Census, the new map decreases Iowa's representation from five congressional districts to four.[2]

Overview

United States House of Representatives elections in Iowa, 2012 [3]
Party Votes Percentage Seats Before Seats After +/–
Democratic 772,387 50.26% 3 2 -1
Republican 726,505 47.27% 2 2 -
Socialist Workers 6,286 0.41% -
Independent 30,291 1.97% -
Write-In 1,380 0.09% -
Totals 1,536,849 100% 5 4 -1

District 1

Bruce Braley, a Democrat the incumbent representative from the 1st district in northeastern Iowa since 2007, ran in the new 1st district. Fellow incumbent Dave Loebsack, who lived within the boundaries of the new 1st district in Linn County, but who had represented southeastern Iowa's 2nd district since 2007, moved to Johnson County and ran in the new 2nd district.[4] The 1st district has become more favorable to Democrats with the inclusion of Linn County and its loss of Scott County.[5] Braley won the Democratic nomination unopposed.[6]

Rod Blum, a businessman,[7] and Ben Lange, who challenged Braley as the Republican nominee in 2010,[8] sought the Republican nomination. Steve Rathje, a businessman, had planned to run,[9] but ended his bid in December 2011.[10] Lange won the Republican primary with 13,217 votes to Blum's 11,551.[6]

In May 2011, Roll Call rated the race as "Safe Democratic".[5]

General Election
Iowa's 1st Congressional District - Election results November 6, 2012 [11]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Bruce Braley (incumbent) 222,422 56.9
Republican Ben Lange 162,465 41.6
Independent Gregory Hughes 4,772 1.2
Independent George Todd Krail II 931 0.2
Write-ins Others 259 0.1
Total votes 390,849 100.0
Democratic hold Swing {{{swing}}}


External links

District 2

None of Iowa's current members of Congress resided in the newly-drawn 2nd district; however, Democrat Dave Loebsack moved from Linn County to Johnson County in order to avoid a primary against Bruce Braley and continue representing southeastern Iowa.[4] The 2nd district became slightly more favorable to Republicans as a result of the inclusion of Scott County, but retains Democratic-leaning Johnson County.[5] State senator Joe Seng challenged Loebsack in the Democratic primary.[12] Loebsack defeated Seng in the primary.[13]

John Archer, a senior legal counsel at John Deere,[14] and Dan Dolan, a housing developer,[15] sought the Republican nomination. Richard Gates, a machinist and Tea Party activist, had planned to run,[14] but ended his bid in February 2012.[16] Archer won the primary. Roll Call rated the race as "Likely Democratic".[5]

General Election
Iowa's 2nd Congressional District - Election results November 6, 2012 [17]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Dave Loebsack (incumbent) 211,863 55.6
Republican John Archer 161,977 42.5
Independent Alan Aversa 7,112 1.9
Write-ins Others 323 0.1
Total votes 381,275 100.1
Democratic hold Swing {{{swing}}}


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District 3

Leonard Boswell, a Democrat who represented the 3rd district in central Iowa since 1997, and Tom Latham, a Republican who represented the 4th district in northern and central Iowa since 1995, both ran in the new 3rd district.[18] Latham, who lived in the new 4th district, moved south to avoid facing fellow Republican Steve King in a primary.[19] Approximately half of the new 3rd district was represented by Boswell, whereas the new 3rd district contains more than 20 percent of the area currently represented by Latham. However, Latham had $983,500 cash on hand at the end of March 2011, whereas Boswell had just $173,815.

Latham ended up defeating Boswell.

Roll Call rated the race as a tossup.[5]

The first debate was held October 10, 2012 at 7 pm, sponsored by KCCI and the Des Moines Register.[20]

General Election
Iowa's 3rd Congressional District - Election results November 6, 2012 [21]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Tom Latham (incumbent) 202,000 52.2
Democratic Leonard Boswell (incumbent) 168,632 43.6
Socialist Workers David Rosenfeld 6,286 1.6
Independent Scott G. Batcher 9,352 2.4
Write-ins Others 572 0.2
Total votes 386,842 100.0
Republican hold Swing {{{swing}}}


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District 4

Steve King, a Republican represented western Iowa's 5th district since 2003, ran in the new 4th district. Christie Vilsack, the former First Lady of Iowa, was the Democratic nominee against King. Brady Olson also ran in the Liberty party against both King and Vilsack.[22] The new 4th district comprises mostly territory which King represented and which tends to vote for Republican candidates.

King defeated Vilsack in the general election.

Roll Call rated the race as "Leans Republican".[5]

Polling
Poll source Date(s)
administered		 Sample
size		 Margin of
error		 Steve
King (R)		 Christie
Vilsack (D)
Public Policy Polling[23] January 18–23, 2012 974 ± 3.1% 49% 43%
General Election
Iowa's 4th Congressional District - Election results November 6, 2012 [24]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Steve King (incumbent) 200,063 52.9
Democratic Christie Visack 169,470 44.9
Independent Martin James Monroe 8,124 2.1
Write-ins Others 226 0.1
Total votes 377,883 100.0
Republican hold Swing {{{swing}}}


External links

References

  1. ↑ "3 Year Election Calendar". Iowa Secretary of State. Retrieved August 16, 2011.
  2. ↑ Wright, Allie (April 20, 2011). "Branstad signs redistricting bill". The Daily Iowan. Retrieved April 21, 2011.
  3. ↑ "Secretary of State - Election Night Results - November 6th, 2012". Iowa Secretary of State.
  4. 1 2 Waddington, Lynda (April 14, 2011). "Loebsack makes re-election hopes in new 2nd District official". The Iowa Independent. Retrieved April 21, 2011.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Toeplitz, Shira (May 26, 2011). "Race Ratings: Competitive Races On Tap in Iowa". Roll Call. Retrieved May 27, 2011.
  6. 1 2 "2012 Primary Election Canvass Summary" (PDF). Iowa Secretary of State. Retrieved November 17, 2012.
  7. ↑ Clayworth, Jason (October 24, 2011). "Dubuque businessman to challenge Braley". The Des Moines Register. Retrieved October 26, 2011.
  8. ↑ Lynch, James Q. (October 12, 2011). "Lange: Rematch with Braley in Iowa 1st like an open seat race". Eastern Iowa Government. Retrieved October 13, 2011.
  9. ↑ "Rathje seeks Republican nomination in northeast Iowa's 1st Congressional District". The Republic. July 20, 2011. Retrieved August 14, 2011.
  10. ↑ Petroski, William (December 16, 2011). "Rathje quits Iowa's 1st District congressional race, returns nearly $100,000 to donors". The Des Moines Register. Retrieved January 7, 2012.
  11. ↑ "Secretary of State - Election Night Results - November 6th, 2012". Iowa Secretary of State.
  12. ↑ "Seng enters race for Congress". Quad-City Times. March 16, 2012. Retrieved March 17, 2012.
  13. ↑ "Iowa Secretary of State 2012 Primary Election Canvass Summary" (PDF). June 25, 2012. Retrieved November 9, 2015.
  14. 1 2 Lynch, James Q. (July 7, 2011). "Quad Cities attorney to challenge Loebsack". The Gazette (Cedar Rapids). Retrieved September 10, 2011.
  15. ↑ Lemmon, Dustin (June 20, 2011). "Dolan is Loebsack's first GOP challenger". Quad-City Times. Retrieved September 10, 2011.
  16. ↑ Crippes, Christinia (February 21, 2012). "Gates withdraws from GOP race". The Hawk Eye. Retrieved March 17, 2012.
  17. ↑ "Secretary of State - Election Night Results - November 6th, 2012". Iowa Secretary of State.
  18. ↑ Price, Dave (April 18, 2011). "POSITIVE OUTLOOK: Boswell said he feels confident about his chances". WHO-DT. Retrieved April 21, 2011.
  19. ↑ Cillizza, Chris (April 15, 2011). "Tom Latham to run in Iowa's 3rd district". The Washington Post. Retrieved April 21, 2011.
  20. ↑ Watch tonight: Des Moines Register, KCCI host 3rd District debate, Des Moines Register, October 10, 2012
  21. ↑ "Secretary of State - Election Night Results - November 6th, 2012". Iowa Secretary of State.
  22. ↑ Shea, Bill (July 20, 2011). "Vilsack launches campaign". The Messenger. Retrieved July 20, 2011.
  23. ↑ "House Majority PAC Releases Polls in 8 GOP Districts; all 8 in Deep Trouble Back Home". House Majority PAC. January 25, 2012. Retrieved January 28, 2012.
  24. ↑ "Secretary of State - Election Night Results - November 6th, 2012". Iowa Secretary of State.

External links

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