2012 Washington State Senate election

The 2012 Washington State Senate elections took place on November 6, 2012.[1] Twenty-five of Washington's forty-nine state senators were elected. Each state legislative district has one senator elected to a four-year term, but state senate elections alternate so that about half of the senators are elected in presidential election years (e.g., 2008, 2012) and the other half are elected in non-presidential even numbered election years (e.g., 2010, 2014). A top two primary election on August 7, 2012 determined which candidates appear on the November ballot. Candidates were allowed to self-declare a party preference.

Washington State Senate elections, 2012

← 2010 November 6, 2012 2014 →

26 seats of the Washington State Senate
25 seats needed for a majority
  Majority party Minority party
 
Leader Margarita Prentice
(retired)
Mike Hewitt
Party Democratic Republican
Leader's seat 11th-Skyway 16th-Walla Walla
Last election 27 22
Seats won 26 23
Seat change Decrease 1 Increase 1

Results:
     Democratic gain      Republican gain
     Democratic hold      Republican hold
     No election

President pro tempore before election

Margarita Prentice
Democratic

Elected President pro tempore

Tim Sheldon
Democratic (Coalition)

25 seats were regularly scheduled to be up this cycle, along with 1 additional seat holding a special election to fill an unexpired term: the 46th district, held by appointed Senator David Frockt, whose former incumbent Scott White vacated the seat.

Democrats gained the 5th district seat and Republicans gained the 10th and 25th district seats for a net gain of one seat for the Republicans. While the Democratic Party won a majority of the seats in the election, two Democratic senators joined the Republicans to form the Majority Coalition Caucus on December 10, 2012, giving Republicans an effective majority of seats.[2]

Overview

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Washington State Senate elections, 2012
Party Seats +/–
Democratic 12   1
Republican 14   1
Independent 0 0
Total 26

Composition

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Elections Seats
  Democratic Incumbent and Uncontested 2
  Races w/ two Democrats in General 1
  Republican Incumbent and Uncontested 4
  Races w/ two Republicans in General 1
  Contested, Open Seats[a] 7
  1. ^ Including the 27th district, an open seat with two Democrats running against each other in the general election.

On December 10, 2012, two Democratic Senators[a] joined in a coalition with the Republican Caucus to form a conservative majority, called the "Majority Coalition Caucus".[2]

Since Dec 10, 2012 Seats
  Democratic 24
  Mostly Republican "Majority Coalition Caucus"[a] 25
 Total
49
  1. ^ a b On December 10, Democratic Senators Sheldon and Tom announced they would caucus with the Republicans, creating a conservative coalition majority (25-24).[3]

Seats up for election

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Results as reported by the Secretary of State:

District 1

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Washington's 1st legislative district election, 2012
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Rosemary McAuliffe (inc.) 37,316 55.49
Republican Dawn McCravey 29,932 44.51
Total votes 67,248 100
Democratic hold

District 2

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Washington's 2nd legislative district election, 2012
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Randi Becker (inc.) 31,946 56.81
Democratic Bruce L. Lachney 24,286 43.19
Total votes 56,232 100.00
Republican hold

District 3

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Incumbent Lisa Brown did not seek another term. On November 30, 2012, Brown was selected for Governor-Elect Jay Inslee's transition team.

Washington's 3rd legislative district election, 2012
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Andy Billig 29,609 57.85
Republican Nancy McLaughlin 21,576 42.15
Total votes 51,185 100.00
Democratic hold

District 4

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Washington's 4th legislative district election, 2012
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Mike Padden (inc.) 49,593 100.00
Republican hold

District 5

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Original incumbent Cheryl Pflug resigned in June 2012 to take a seat on the Washington Growth Management Hearings Board.[4] Former state senator and recurring statewide-office candidate Dino Rossi was appointed to complete her term, but redistricting moved him out of the 5th LD, making him ineligible to run for the seat in 2012.[5]

Washington's 5th legislative district election, 2012
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Brad Toft 30,683 45,58
Democratic Mark Mullet 36,630 54.42
Total votes 67,313 100.00
Democratic gain from Republican

District 9

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Washington's 9th Legislative District election, 2012
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Mark G. Schoesler (inc.) 39,390 100.00
Republican hold

District 10

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Washington's 10th legislative district election, 2012
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Mary Margaret Haugen (inc.) 33,708 47.18
Republican Barbara Bailey 37,732 52.82
Total votes 71,440 100.00
Republican gain from Democratic

District 11

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Incumbent Margarita Prentice was redistricted out of the 11th LD, and declined to run for election in the new district.

Washington's 11th legislative district election, 2012
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Bob Hasegawa 34,301 69.34
Republican Kristin Thompson 15,170 30.66
Total votes 49,471 100.00
Democratic hold

District 12

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Washington's 12th legislative district election, 2012
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Linda Evans Parlette (inc.) 44,318 100.00
Republican hold

District 14

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Washington's 14th legislative district election, 2012
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Curtis King (inc.) 40,394 100.00
Republican hold

District 16

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Washington's 16th legislative district election, 2012
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Mike Hewitt (inc.) 32,717 69.74
Democratic Scott Nettles 14,197 30.26
Total votes 46,914 100.00
Republican hold

District 17

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Washington's 17th legislative district election, 2012
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Don Benton (inc.) 27,542[a] 50.07
Democratic Tim Probst[b] 27,468 49.93
Total votes 54,864 100.00
Republican hold
  1. ^ Hand recount
  2. ^ Hand recount

District 18

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Washington's 18th legislative district election, 2012
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Ann Rivers (inc.) 42,924 67.86
Democratic Ralph Schmidt 20,330 32.14
Total votes 63,254 100.00
Republican hold

District 19

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Washington's 19th legislative district election, 2012
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Brian Hatfield (inc.) 34,590 62.16
Republican Rick Winsman 21,056 37.84
Total votes 55,646 100.00
Democratic hold

District 20

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Washington's 20th legislative district election, 2012
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Dan Swecker (inc.) 24,075 44.57
Republican John Braun 29,943 55.43
Total votes 54,018 100.00
Republican hold

District 22

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Washington's 22nd legislative district election, 2012
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Karen Fraser (inc.) 50,389 100.00
Democratic hold

District 23

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Washington's 23rd legislative district election, 2012
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Christine Rolfes (inc.) 43,305 65.08
Republican Bret A. Treadwell 23,235 34.92
Total votes 66,540 100.00
Democratic hold

District 24

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Washington's 24th legislative district election, 2012
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Jim Hargrove (inc.) 44,417 65.44
Independent Larry Carter 23,455 34.56
Total votes 67,872 100.00
Democratic hold

District 25

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Incumbent Jim Kastama ran for Washington Secretary of State, making him ineligible to run for reelection. He did not win the state position.

Washington's 25th legislative district election, 2012
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Eric Herde 21,517 38.26
Republican Bruce Dammeier 34,715 61.74
Total votes 56,232 100.00
Republican gain from Democratic

District 27

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Incumbent Debbie Regala retired at the end of her term.[6]

Washington's 27th legislative district election, 2012
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Jeannie Darneille 30,939 57.29
Democratic John R. Connelly 23,068 42.71
Total votes 54,007 100.00
Democratic hold

District 28

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Washington's 28th legislative district election, 2012
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Mike Carrell (inc.) 32,146 58.40
Democratic Yoshie Wong 22,896 41.60
Total votes 55,042 100.00
Republican hold

District 39

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Incumbent Val Stevens retired at the end of her term.[7]

Washington's 39th legislative district election, 2012
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Kirk Pearson 33,449 57.62
Democratic Scott Olson 24,603 42.38
Total votes 58,052 100.00
Republican hold

District 40

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Washington's 40th legislative district election, 2012
Party Candidate Votes %
Independent Republican John Swapp 23,959 37.07
Democratic Kevin Ranker (inc.) 40,677 62.93
Total votes 64,636 100.00
Democratic hold

District 41

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Washington's 41st legislative district election, 2012
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Steve Litzow (inc.) 37,314 54.04
Democratic Maureen Judge 31,734 45.96
Total votes 69,048 100.00
Republican hold

District 46

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Washington's 46th legislative district election, 2012
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic David Frockt (inc.) 56,124 100.00
Democratic hold

District 49

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Incumbent Craig Pridemore ran for Washington State Auditor, making him ineligible to run for reelection. He did not win the state position.

Washington's 49th legislative district election, 2012
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Annette Cleveland 30,390 58.42
Republican Eileen Quiring O'Brien 21,634 41.58
Total votes 52,024 100.00
Democratic hold

References

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  1. ^ November 06, 2012 General Election Results: Legislative - All Results (Report).
  2. ^ a b Rodney Tom and Mark Schoesler (December 16, 2012). "Op-ed: State Senate's new Majority Coalition Caucus will govern across party lines". Seattle Times. Retrieved December 16, 2012.
  3. ^ "Dems Hand Second State Senate to GOP". December 11, 2012.
  4. ^ "Former Sen. Cheryl Pflug criticizes appointment of Dino Rossi as successor, endorses Mark Mullet : The Issaquah Press – News, Sports, Classifieds and More in Issaquah, WA". Archived from the original on September 15, 2015. Retrieved December 11, 2012.
  5. ^ "Dino Rossi, State Senator Once Again". July 10, 2012.
  6. ^ "Sen. Debbie Regala will retire at end of term | Political Buzz - The News Tribune". Archived from the original on April 12, 2013. Retrieved December 11, 2012.
  7. ^ "Home".