2012 United States House of Representatives elections in Georgia

Overview

By district

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

District 1

Messinger:
Tie:
Republican incumbent Jack Kingston, who had represented Georgia's 1st congressional district since 1993, ran for re-election.

Republican primary

Candidates

Nominee

• Jack Kingston, incumbent U.S. representative

Primary results

Democratic primary

Candidates

Nominee

• Lesli Rae Messinger, businesswoman,

Eliminated in primary

• Nathan Russo, retired businessman

Primary results

General election

Endorsements

Organizations

• Campaign for Working Families
• National Right to Life Committee
• NRA Political Victory Fund
• United States Chamber of Commerce Organizations
• Progressive Democrats of America

Predictions

Results

District 2

Democratic incumbent Sanford Bishop, who had represented Georgia's 2nd congressional district since 1993, ran for re-election. In redistricting, the 2nd district was made majority-African American, and Macon was moved from the 8th district to the 2nd. The Hill ranked Bishop at fourth in its list of house members most helped by redistricting.

Democratic primary

Candidates

Nominee

• Sanford Bishop, incumbent U.S. representative

Primary results

Republican primary

Candidates

Nominee

• John House, Army veteran

Eliminated in primary

• Rick Allen, businessman and candidate for this seat in 2010
• Ken DeLoach, pastor and Christian school dean; candidate for Georgia's 8th congressional district in 2010

Primary results

Runoff results

General election

Endorsements

Labor unions

• International Brotherhood of Boilermakers
• International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers
• National Association of Letter Carriers
• National Education Association
• United Steelworkers

Organizations

• NRA Political Victory Fund Organizations
• Georgia Right to Life
• Iraq Veterans for Congress

Predictions

Results

District 3

Westmoreland: Republican incumbent Lynn Westmoreland, who had represented Georgia's 3rd congressional district since 2007, and had previously represented the 8th district from 2005 to 2007, ran for re-election.

Republican primary

Candidates

Nominee

• Lynn Westmoreland, incumbent U.S. representative

Eliminated in primary

• Chip Flanegan, business owner
• Kent Kingsley, former chair of the Lamar County Commission and retired Army lieutenant colonel

Primary results

General election

Endorsements

Organizations

• Campaign for Working Families
• Georgia Right to Life
• National Right to Life Committee
• NRA Political Victory Fund
• United States Chamber of Commerce

Predictions

Results

District 4

Vaughn:

Democratic incumbent Hank Johnson, who had represented Georgia's 4th congressional district since 2007, ran for re-election.

Democratic primary

Candidates

Nominee

• Hank Johnson, incumbent U.S. representative

Eliminated in primary

• Courtney Dillard, candidate for Rockdale County Board of Commissioners in 2010
• Lincoln Nunnally, business consultant

Primary results

Republican primary

Candidates

Nominee

• Chris Vaughn, pastor and motivational speaker

Eliminated in primary

• Greg Pallen, businessman

Primary results

Green primary

Candidates

Nominee

• Cynthia McKinney, former U.S. representative and Green Party presidential nominee in 2008

General election

Endorsements

Labor unions

• International Brotherhood of Boilermakers
• International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers
• National Association of Letter Carriers
• National Education Association
• United Steelworkers

Organizations

• Human Rights Campaign
• Humane Society of the United States
• J Street
• Planned Parenthood Action Fund
• Sierra Club

Predictions

Results

District 5

Lewis: Democratic incumbent John Lewis, who had represented Georgia's 5th congressional district since 1987, ran for re-election.

Democratic primary

Candidates

Nominee

• John Lewis, incumbent U.S. representative

Eliminated in primary

• Michael Johnson, former Fulton County superior court judge

Primary results

Republican primary

Candidates

Nominee

• Howard Stopeck, retired attorney

Primary results

General election

Endorsements

Labor unions

• International Brotherhood of Boilermakers
• International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers
• National Association of Letter Carriers
• National Education Association
• United Steelworkers

Organizations

• Human Rights Campaign
• Planned Parenthood Action Fund
• Sierra Club
• Stonewall Democrats

Predictions

Results

District 6

Kazanow:

Republican incumbent Tom Price, who had represented Georgia's 6th congressional district since 2005, ran for re-election. In redistricting, the 6th district was made slightly less favorable to Republicans: Cherokee County was removed from the district, while parts of DeKalb County were added to it.

Democratic primary

Candidates

Nominee

• Tom Price, incumbent U.S. representative

Republican primary

Primary results

Democratic primary

Candidates

Nominee

• Jeff Kazanow, business consultant

Eliminated in primary

• Robert Montigel, businessman

Primary results

General election

Endorsements

Organizations

• Campaign for Working Families
• Georgia Right to Life
• National Right to Life Committee
• NRA Political Victory Fund
• United States Chamber of Commerce

Predictions

Results

District 7

Reilly:

Republican incumbent Rob Woodall, who had represented Georgia's 7th congressional district since January 2011, ran for re-election.

Republican primary

Candidates

Nominee

• Rob Woodall, incumbent U.S. representative

Eliminated in primary

• David Hancock, software company executive

Primary results

Democratic primary

Candidates

Nominee

• Steve Reilly, attorney

Primary results

General election

Endorsements

Organizations

• Georgia Right to Life
• National Right to Life Committee
• United States Chamber of Commerce

Predictions

Results

District 8

Scott: Republican incumbent Austin Scott, who was first elected to represent Georgia's 8th congressional district in 2010, ran unopposed in the primary as well as the general election. In redistricting, most of Macon—the heart of the 8th and its predecessors for over a century—was shifted to the neighboring 2nd, thereby making the 8th district more favorable to Republicans, which prompted The Hill to rank Scott at fifth in its list of house members most helped by redistricting.

Republican primary

Candidates

Nominee

• Austin Scott, incumbent U.S. representative

Primary results

Democratic primary

Candidates

Declined

• Jim Marshall, former U.S. representative
• DuBose Porter, minority leader of the Georgia House of Representatives

General election

Endorsements

Organizations

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

Predictions

Results

District 9

Collins:
Vogel: (New district) In redistricting, the new 9th district is centered around Gainesville, and had no incumbent.

Democratic primary

• Jody Cooley, attorney

Primary results

Republican primary

Candidates

Nominee

• Doug Collins, state representative

Eliminated in primary

• Roger Fitzpatrick, school principal
• Martha Zoller, radio personality

Declined

• Hunter Bicknell, chair of the Jackson County Commission
• Jim Butterworth, state senator
• Casey Cagle, lieutenant governor
• Bill Cowsert, state senator
• Clifton McDuffie, former chief executive officer of the Greater Hall Chamber of Commerce

Endorsements

Organizations

• Maggie's List
• Susan B. Anthony List

Primary results

Runoff results

Collins defeated Zoller in an August runoff election.

General election

Endorsements

Organizations

• Campaign for Working Families
• Georgia Right to Life
• National Right to Life Committee
• NRA Political Victory Fund
• United States Chamber of Commerce

Predictions

Results

District 10

Broun: Republican incumbent Paul Broun, who had represented Georgia's 10th congressional district since 2007, ran for re-election.

Republican primary

Candidates

Nominee

• Paul Broun, incumbent U.S. representative

Eliminated in primary

• Stephen Simpson, businessman and retired Army officer

Declined

• Mac Collins, former U.S. representative

Primary results

General election

Campaign

In a leaked video of a speech given at Liberty Baptist Church Sportsman's Banquet on September 27, Broun is heard telling supporters that, "All that stuff I was taught about evolution and embryology and the Big Bang Theory, all that is lies straight from the pit of Hell." Broun also believes that the world is less than 9000 years old and that it was created in six literal days. In response to this, and as Broun is also on the House Science Committee, libertarian radio talk show host Neal Boortz spearheaded a campaign to run deceased biologist Charles Darwin against Broun as the Democratic candidate, with the intention of drawing attention to these comments from the scientific community and having him removed from his post on the House Science Committee. Darwin received nearly 4,000 write-in votes in the election, which Broun won.

Endorsements

Organizations

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

Predictions

Results

District 11

Thompson:

Republican incumbent Phil Gingrey, who had represented Georgia's 11th congressional district since 2003, ran for re-election.

Republican primary

Candidates

Nominee

• Phil Gingrey, incumbent U.S. representative

Eliminated in primary

• William Llop, certified public accountant
• Michael Opitz, arbitrator

Primary results

Democratic primary

Candidates

Nominee

• Patrick Thompson, technology sales executive and nominee for state senate's 56th district in 2010

Primary results

General election

Endorsements

Organizations

• Campaign for Working Families
• Georgia Right to Life
• National Right to Life Committee
• NRA Political Victory Fund
• United States Chamber of Commerce

Predictions

Results

District 12

Anderson:
In redistricting, Savannah was removed from Georgia's 12th congressional district and replaced with the Augusta area, thereby making the district more favorable to Republicans.

Democratic primary

Candidates

Nominee

• John Barrow, incumbent U.S. representative

Primary results

Republican primary

Candidates

Nominee

• Lee Anderson, state representative

Eliminated in primary

• Rick W Allen, businessman
• Wright McLeod, real estate lawyer and retired Navy commander
• Maria Sheffield, attorney and candidate for state insurance commissioner in 2010

Declined

• Max Burns, former U.S. representative
• Buddy Carter, state senator
• Ben Harbin, state representative
• Jeanne Seaver, Tea Party activist and candidate for this seat in 2010;
• Tommie Williams, state senate's president pro tempore

Endorsements

Organizations

• Maggie's List
• Susan B. Anthony List

Primary results

Anderson defeated Allen in an August runoff election, winning the Republican nomination.

Runoff results

General election

Campaign

Given the increased Republican lean of his district and that his home in Savannah had been removed, Barrow faced significant political headwinds entering the general election campaign. However, his ad campaign, where he made direct-to-camera appeals was able to paint him a conservative democrat without alienating the party's liberal base. One ad featured Barrow showing off his grandfather's revolver and his father's bolt-action rifle and recounting, "Long before I was born, my grandfather used this little Smith & Wesson here to help stop a lynching".

In contrast, the Anderson campaign tried to appeal to the district's largely rural base by empathizing his background as a hay farmer. His cause wasn't helped by fact that Anderson, after stumbling in some of the GOP primary debates, has refused to share a debate stage with Barrow, a Harvard-educated lawyer.

Anderson's performance during the campaign was criticised by political analyst Stuart Rothenberg stating that "This district is one that should have never been a headache for the GOP, but after getting a weak nominee in state Rep. Lee Anderson, reality is setting in for many Republican operatives. Anderson's weakness isn't the only factor in this race. Rep. John Barrow has run a good race with terrific TV ads meant to demonstrate his political independence and get voters to focus on him and not on his party."

As election day approached, Barrow expressed confidence, saying, "I'm encouraged by everything I see and hear".

Endorsements

Labor unions

• AFL–CIO
• International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers
• National Association of Letter Carriers
• National Education Association

Organizations

• Blue Dog Coalition
• Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee "Frontline" Program
• National Federation of Independent Business
• NRA Political Victory Fund
• United States Chamber of Commerce
• Veterans of Foreign Wars U.S. representatives
• John Boehner, speaker of the United States House of Representatives (2011–present)
• Paul Broun, U.S. representative from Georgia's 10th congressional district (2007–present)
• Eric Cantor, majority leader of the United States House of Representatives (2011–present)
• Phil Gingrey, U.S. representative from Georgia's 11th congressional district (2003–present)
• Tom Graves, U.S. representative from Georgia's 9th congressional district (2010–present)
• Jack Kingston, U.S. representative from Georgia's 1st congressional district (1993–present)
• Tom Price, U.S. representative from Georgia's 6th congressional district (2005–present)
• Austin Scott, U.S. representative from Georgia's 8th congressional district (2011–present)
• Lynn Westmoreland, U.S. representative from Georgia's 3rd congressional district (2007–present)
• Rob Woodall, U.S. representative from Georgia's 7th congressional district (2011–present)

Statewide officials

• Gary Black, agriculture commissioner of Georgia (2011-present)
• Nathan Deal, governor of Georgia (2011-present)

Organizations

• Georgia Right to Life
• Gun Owners of America
• National Republican Congressional Committee "Young Guns" Program
• National Right to Life Committee
• Tea Party Express

Polling

Predictions

Results

District 13

Malik:

Democratic incumbent David Scott, who had represented Georgia's 13th congressional district since 2003, ran for re-election.

Democratic primary

Candidates

Nominee

• David Scott, incumbent U.S. representative

Primary results

Republican primary

Candidates

Nominee

• Shahid Malik, businessman

Primary results

General election

Endorsements

Labor unions

• International Brotherhood of Boilermakers
• International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers
• National Association of Letter Carriers
• National Education Association

Organizations

• Humane Society of the United States
• Planned Parenthood Action Fund
• Sierra Club

Predictions

Results

District 14

Grant:

In redistricting, the new 14th district includes almost all of northwestern Georgia. Republican incumbent Tom Graves, who had represented the 9th district since May 2010, lived in this new district and ran for re-election here.

Republican primary

Candidates

Nominee

• Tom Graves, incumbent U.S. representative for Georgia's 9th congressional district

Declined

• Bob Barr, former U.S. representative and Libertarian Party nominee in 2008
• Jerry Shearin, former chair of the Paulding County Commission
• Steve Tarvin, candidate for the 9th district in 2010

Primary results

Democratic primary

Candidates

Nominee

• Danny Grant, electrician

Primary results

General election

Endorsements

Organizations

• Campaign for Working Families
• Eagle Forum
• Family Research Council
• Georgia Right to Life
• National Right to Life Committee
• NRA Political Victory Fund
• United States Chamber of Commerce

Predictions

Results

References

References

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