2012 United States House of Representatives elections in Arkansas

Overview

Statewide

The table below shows the total number and percentage of votes, as well as the number of seats gained and lost by each political party in the election for the United States House of Representatives in Arkansas.

By district

Results of the 2012 United States House of Representatives elections in Arkansas by district:

District 1

Crawford:
Ellington:
The 1st district had lost population, and so was drawn in the new map to incorporate counties in southeastern Arkansas which were previously a part of the 4th district. Republican incumbent Rick Crawford was first elected in 2010.

Republican primary

Candidates

Nominee

• Rick Crawford, incumbent U.S. Representative

Democratic primary

Candidates

Nominee

• Scott Ellington, prosecuting attorney

Eliminated in primary

• Clark Hall, state representative
• Gary Latanich, professor of economics at Arkansas State University

Declined

• Paul Bookout, president pro tempore of the Arkansas Senate;
• L. J. Bryant, business owner and nominee for Land Commissioner in 2010
• Chad Causey, former chief of staff to U.S. Representative Marion Berry and nominee for this seat in 2010
• David Cook, former state representative and candidate for this seat in 2010
• Keith Ingram, state representative
• Robert S. Moore Jr., Speaker of the state house of representatives;
• Steve Rockwell, businessman (who had considered running in 2010)
• Robert F. Thompson, state senator

Endorsements

Organizations

• Blue Dog Coalition

Polling

Primary results

Green primary

Candidates

Nominee

• Jacob Holloway, graduate student at Arkansas State University.

Libertarian primary

Candidates

Nominee

• Jessica Paxton, wife of Libertarian Party of Arkansas chairman Rodger Paxton

General election

Endorsements

Organizations

• National Republican Congressional Committee "Patriot" Program
• NRA Political Victory Fund
• National Right to Life Committee
• United States Chamber of Commerce

Labor unions

• AFL-CIO
• National Association of Letter Carriers
• National Education Association
• United Steelworkers

Organizations

• Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee "Emerging Races" Program

Polling

Predictions

Results

District 2

Population growth in Arkansas's central counties meant that the 2nd district had to shrink in the new map. Under the new map, the 2nd district is likely to continue to favor Republicans.

Republican incumbent Timothy Griffin was first elected in 2010.

Republican primary

Candidates

Nominee

• Tim Griffin, incumbent U.S. Representative

Democratic primary

Candidates

Nominee

• Herb Rule, attorney and former state representative

Declined

• David Boling, former chief of staff to U.S. Representative Vic Snyder and candidate for this seat in 2010
• Bob Edwards, attorney (who had considered running in 2010)
• John Charles Edwards, state representative
• Drew Pritt, political consultant
• Bill Halter, former Lieutenant Governor of Arkansas and candidate for Senate in 2010
• Pat Hays, Mayor of North Little Rock;
• David Johnson, state senator
• Jay Martin, lawyer and former state representative
• Tracy Steele, state representative
• Robbie Wills, former speaker of the state House of Representatives and candidate for this seat in 2010

Libertarian primary

Candidates

Nominee

• Chris Hayes

General election

Endorsements

Organizations

• Gun Owners of America
• NRA Political Victory Fund
• National Right to Life Committee
• United States Chamber of Commerce

Labor unions

• National Education Association
• United Steelworkers

Predictions

Results

District 3

Population growth in Arkansas's northwestern counties meant that the 3rd district had to shrink in the new map. Under the new map, the 3rd district is likely to continue to favor Republicans.

Republican incumbent Steve Womack was first elected in 2010.

Republican primary

Candidates

Nominee

• Steve Womack, incumbent U.S. Representative

Democratic primary

Candidates

Nominee

• Ken Aden, former director for West Memphis-based nonprofit Residents 4 Arkansas

Green primary

Candidates

Nominee

• Rebekah Kennedy, nominee for Senate in 2008 and for state attorney general in 2010.

Libertarian primary

Candidates

Nominee

• David Pangrac, Libertarian Party of Arkansas Vice Chairman

General election

Campaign

Aden would withdraw from the race after admitting to exaggerating his military record. Under Arkansas law, the Democratic Party was unable to field a replacement candidate for Aden and no Democrat appeared on the general election ballot. On August 14, 2012, Kennedy received the endorsement of the Arkansas state AFL-CIO labor union.

Endorsements

Organizations

• NRA Political Victory Fund
• National Right to Life Committee
• United States Chamber of Commerce

Labor unions

• United Steelworkers

Labor unions

• AFL-CIO

Predictions

Results

District 4

Cotton:
Jeffress:
Under the new map, the 4th district loses some territory in the east of the state to the 1st district and gains some Republican-leaning northwestern Arkansas counties from the 3rd district. The district also gains Yell County from the 2nd district, which is expected to make the 4th district more favorable to Democrats.

Democratic incumbent Mike Ross, who was first elected in 2000, chose not to seek re-election.

Democratic primary

Candidates

Nominee

• Gene Jeffress, state senator

Eliminated in primary

• D.C. Morrison, businessman and candidate for Senate in 2010
• Q. Byrum Hurst Jr., attorney and small business owner

Declined

• Robin Carroll, prosecutor and former legal counsel to the Democratic Party;
• Conner Eldridge, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Arkansas
• Steve Faris, former state senator
• Greg Hale, consultant for The Markham Group;
• Steve Harrelson, state senator
• Mike Hathorn, former state representative and candidate for lieutenant governor in 2010
• Carlton Jones, prosecutor from Texarkana
• Chris Masingill, head of the Delta Regional Authority and a former staff member for Ross and Governor Mike Beebe
• Bruce Maloch, state representative
• Gregg Reep, state representative
• Mike Ross, incumbent U.S. Representative
• Larry Teague, state senator
• Chris Thomason, former state representative and chancellor of the University of Arkansas Community College at Hope
• Jeff Weaver, district director for Mike Ross
• Hank Wilkins, state representative

Polling

Primary results

Primary runoff results

Republican primary

Candidates

Nominee

• Tom Cotton, consultant and Army reservist

Eliminated in primary

• John Cowart, police officer and currently serving U.S. Marine Corps Reserve lieutenant colonel in Afghanistan
• Beth Anne Rankin, teacher, former Miss Arkansas & nominee for this seat in 2010

Withdrew

• Marcus Richmond, business owner and retired Marine Corps lieutenant colonel

Polling

Primary results

Green primary

Candidates

Nominee

• J. Joshua Drake

Libertarian primary

Bobby Tullis had considered seeking Libertarian nomination for the seat; however in December 2011 Tullis gave his support to Republican candidate Beth Anne Rankin; nevertheless, he was subsequently nominated as the Libertarian candidate.

Candidates

Nominee

• Bobby Tullis, former Democratic state representative and unsuccessful Green Party nominee for state treasurer in 2010

General election

Endorsements

Labor unions

• AFL-CIO
• National Association of Letter Carriers
• National Education Association
• United Steelworkers

Organizations

• Club for Growth
• Eagle Forum
• Gun Owners of America
• National Right to Life Committee
• Tea Party Express
• United States Chamber of Commerce

Predictions

Results

References

References

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2. MacNeil, Kelly. (April 14, 2011). "Beebe Says Redistricting Map Isn't Partisan". [[KUAR]].
3. "New York Times Election Results 2012". The New York Times.
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6. (October 17, 2011). "Rep. Clark Hall to enter first district congressional race". Talk Business & Politics.
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8. Merchant, Nomaan. (September 7, 2011). "3 Democrats not running in Arkansas' 1st District". [[Arkansas Democrat-Gazette]].
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35. (May 15, 2012). "Rebekah Kennedy". [[Arkansas Secretary of State]].
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37. (July 27, 2011). "In Ross's wake". [[Arkansas Times]].
38. Demillo, Andrew. (August 29, 2011). "Rankin, Jeffress launch congressional bids in Ark.". [[RealClearPolitics]].
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