2012 United States House of Representatives elections in Georgia

← 2010 November 6, 2012 (2012-11-06) 2014 →
All 14 Georgia seats to theUnited States House of Representatives
Majority party Minority party   Party Republican Democratic Last election 8 5 Seats won 9 5 Seat change 1 Popular vote 2,104,098 1,448,869 Percentage 59.21% 40.77% Swing 2.69% 2.68%
District results County results Republican   50–60%   60–70%   70–80%   80–90%   >90% Democratic   50–60%   60–70%   70–80%   80–90%

Elections in Georgia
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v t e

The2012 United States House of Representatives elections in Georgia were held on Tuesday, November 6, 2012, and elected the 14U.S. Representatives from the state, one from each of the state's 14congressional districts, an increase of one seat following the2010 United States census. The elections coincided with the elections of other federal and state offices, including a quadrennialpresidential election. The party primary elections were held on July 31, 2012, and the run-off on August 21, 2012.

The new congressional map, drawn and passed by the Republican-controlledGeorgia General Assembly, was signed into law byGovernorNathan Deal on September 7, 2011. The new district, numbered the 9th, is based inHall County. The map also made the12th district, then represented byDemocratJohn Barrow, much more favorable toRepublicans.^[1]

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

2012 Georgia's 1st congressional district election

← 2010 2014 →

Nominee Jack Kingston Lesli Messinger Party Republican Democratic Popular vote 157,181 92,399 Percentage 63.0% 37.0%

Results by precinct Kingston:     50–60%     60–70%     70–80%     80–90%     >90% Messinger:     50–60%     60–70%     70–80%     80–90% Tie:     50%      No votes

U.S. Representative before election Jack Kingston Republican Elected U.S. Representative Jack Kingston Republican

Republican incumbentJack Kingston, who had representedGeorgia's 1st congressional district since 1993, ran for re-election.^[4]

• Jack Kingston, incumbent U.S. representative

• Lesli Rae Messinger, businesswoman,^[6]

• Nathan Russo, retired businessman^[7]

2012 Georgia's 2nd congressional district election

← 2010 2014 →

Nominee Sanford Bishop John House Party Democratic Republican Popular vote 162,751 92,410 Percentage 63.8% 36.2%

Bishop:     50–60%     60–70%     70–80%     80–90%House:     50–60%     60–70%County results Bishop:     50–60%     60–70%     70–80%     80–90%     >90% House:     50–60%     60–70%     70–80%     80–90%      No votesPrecinct results

U.S. Representative before election Sanford Bishop Democratic Elected U.S. Representative Sanford Bishop Democratic

Democratic incumbentSanford Bishop, who had representedGeorgia's 2nd congressional district since 1993, ran for re-election.^[20] In redistricting, the 2nd district was made majority-African American,^[21] andMacon was moved from the8th district to the 2nd.^[22]The Hill ranked Bishop at fourth in its list of house members most helped by redistricting.^[23]

• Sanford Bishop, incumbent U.S. representative

• John House,Armyveteran^[24]

• Rick Allen, businessman and candidate for this seat in2010^[25]
• Ken DeLoach, pastor and Christian school dean; candidate for Georgia's 8th congressional district in2010^[26]

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

• Lynn Westmoreland, incumbent U.S. representative

• Chip Flanegan, business owner
• Kent Kingsley, former chair of theLamar County Commission and retiredArmylieutenant colonel^[31][32][33]

2012 Georgia's 4th congressional district election

← 2010 2014 →

Nominee Hank Johnson Chris Vaughn Party Democratic Republican Popular vote 208,861 75,041 Percentage 73.6% 26.4%

Results by precinct Johnson:     50–60%     60–70%     70–80%     80–90%     >90% Vaughn:     50–60%     60–70%     70–80%      No votes

U.S. Representative before election Hank Johnson Democratic Elected U.S. Representative Hank Johnson Democratic

Democratic incumbentHank Johnson, who had representedGeorgia's 4th congressional district since 2007, ran for re-election.^[34]

• Hank Johnson, incumbent U.S. representative

• Courtney Dillard, candidate forRockdale County Board of Commissioners in 2010^[35]
• Lincoln Nunnally, business consultant^[36]

• Chris Vaughn, pastor and motivational speaker^[37]

• Greg Pallen, businessman^[38]

• Cynthia McKinney, former U.S. representative andGreen Party presidential nominee in2008

Democratic incumbentJohn Lewis, who had representedGeorgia's 5th congressional district since 1987, ran for re-election.^[46]

• John Lewis, incumbent U.S. representative

• Michael Johnson, formerFulton Countysuperior court judge^[47]

• Howard Stopeck, retired attorney^[48]

2012 Georgia's 6th congressional district election

← 2010 2014 →

Nominee Tom Price Jeff Kazanow Party Republican Democratic Popular vote 189,669 104,365 Percentage 64.5% 35.5%

Precinct Results Price:     50–60%     60–70%     70–80%     80–90%     >90% Kazanow:     50–60%     60–70%     70–80%      No votes

U.S. Representative before election Tom Price Republican Elected U.S. Representative Tom Price Democratic

Republican incumbentTom Price, who had representedGeorgia's 6th congressional district since 2005, ran for re-election.^[50] In redistricting, the 6th district was made slightly less favorable to Republicans:Cherokee County was removed from the district, while parts ofDeKalb County were added to it.^[21]

• Tom Price, incumbent U.S. representative

• Jeff Kazanow, business consultant^[50]

• Robert Montigel, businessman^[51]

2012 Georgia's 7th congressional district election

← 2010 2014 →

Nominee Rob Woodall Steve Reilly Party Republican Democratic Popular vote 156,689 95,377 Percentage 62.2% 37.8%

Results by precinct Woodall:     50–60%     60–70%     70–80%     80–90% Reilly:     50–60%     60–70%     70–80%     80–90%      No votes     50%

U.S. Representative before election Rob Woodall Republican Elected U.S. Representative Rob Woodall Republican

Republican incumbentRob Woodall, who had representedGeorgia's 7th congressional district since January 2011, ran for re-election.^[52]

• Rob Woodall, incumbent U.S. representative

• David Hancock, software company executive^[53]

• Steve Reilly, attorney^[53]

Republican incumbentAustin Scott, who was first elected to representGeorgia's 8th congressional district in2010, ran unopposed in the primary as well as the general election.^[54] In redistricting, most ofMacon—the heart of the 8th and its predecessors for over a century—was shifted to the neighboring2nd, thereby making the 8th district more favorable to Republicans,^[22] which promptedThe Hill to rank Scott at fifth in its list of house members most helped by redistricting.

• Austin Scott, incumbent U.S. representative

• Jim Marshall, former U.S. representative^[55]
• DuBose Porter, minority leader of theGeorgia House of Representatives^[56]

In redistricting, the new 9th district is centered aroundGainesville, and had no incumbent.^[57]

• Jody Cooley, attorney^[58]

• Doug Collins,state representative^[59]

• Roger Fitzpatrick, school principal^[60]
• Martha Zoller, radio personality^[61]

• Hunter Bicknell, chair of theJackson County Commission^[62]
• Jim Butterworth,state senator^[63]
• Casey Cagle,lieutenant governor^[64]
• Bill Cowsert,state senator^[21]
• Clifton McDuffie, formerchief executive officer of the Greater HallChamber of Commerce^[65]

Collins defeated Zoller in an August runoff election.^[68]

Republican incumbentPaul Broun, who had representedGeorgia's 10th congressional district since 2007, ran for re-election.^[52]

• Paul Broun, incumbent U.S. representative

• Stephen Simpson, businessman and retiredArmyofficer^[69]

• Mac Collins, former U.S. representative^[70]

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 theHouse Science Committee, libertarian radio talk show hostNeal Boortz spearheaded a campaign to run deceased biologistCharles 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.^[71] Darwin received nearly 4,000 write-in votes in the election, which Broun won.^[72]

2012 Georgia's 11th congressional district election

← 2010 2014 →

Nominee Phil Gingrey Patrick Thompson Party Republican Democratic Popular vote 196,968 90,353 Percentage 68.5% 31.5%

Results by precinct Gingrey:     50–60%     60–70%     70–80%     80–90% Thompson:     50–60%     60–70%     70–80%     80–90%      No votes

U.S. Representative before election Phil Gingrey Republican Elected U.S. Representative Phil Gingrey Republican

Republican incumbentPhil Gingrey, who had representedGeorgia's 11th congressional district since 2003, ran for re-election.

• Phil Gingrey, incumbent U.S. representative

• William Llop,certified public accountant
• Michael Opitz, arbitrator^[75]

• Patrick Thompson, technology sales executive and nominee forstate senate's 56th district in2010^[76]

2012 Georgia's 12th congressional district election

← 2010 2014 →

Nominee John Barrow Lee Anderson Party Democratic Republican Popular vote 139,148 119,973 Percentage 53.7% 46.3%

County results Precinct results Barrow:     50–60%     60–70%     70–80%     80–90%     >90% Anderson:     40–50%     50–60%     60–70%     70–80%     80–90%

U.S. Representative before election John Barrow Democratic Elected U.S. Representative John Barrow Democratic

In redistricting,Savannah was removed fromGeorgia's 12th congressional district and replaced with theAugusta area, thereby making the district more favorable to Republicans.^[22] The former 12th district gave 55 per cent of its vote in the2008 presidential election to Democratic nominee, whereas only 40 per cent of the new district's voters voted for Obama.^[21] Democratic incumbentJohn Barrow, who had represented the 12th district since 2005, ran for re-election.^[77]

• John Barrow, incumbent U.S. representative

• Lee Anderson,state representative^[78]

• Rick W Allen, businessman^[78]
• Wright McLeod,real estate lawyer and retiredNavycommander^[79]
• Maria Sheffield, attorney and candidate for state insurance commissioner in2010^[80]

• Max Burns, former U.S. representative^[21]
• Buddy Carter,state senator^[81]
• Ben Harbin,state representative^[21]
• Jeanne Seaver,Tea Partyactivist and candidate for this seat in2010;^[21]
• Tommie Williams,state senate'spresident pro tempore^[82]

Anderson defeated Allen in an August runoff election, winning the Republican nomination.^[83]

Given the increased Republican lean of his district and that his home inSavannah 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".^[84]

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.^[85]

Anderson's performance during the campaign was criticised bypolitical analystStuart 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."^[86]

As election day approached, Barrow expressed confidence, saying, "I'm encouraged by everything I see and hear".^[87]

2012 Georgia's 13th congressional district election

← 2010 2014 →

Nominee David Scott Shahid Malik Party Democratic Republican Popular vote 201,988 79,550 Percentage 71.7% 28.3%

Results by precinct Scott:     50–60%     60–70%     70–80%     80–90%     >90% Malik:     50–60%     60–70%     70–80%     80–90%      No votes

U.S. Representative before election David Scott Democratic Elected U.S. Representative David Scott Democratic

Democratic incumbentDavid Scott, who had representedGeorgia's 13th congressional district since 2003, ran for re-election.^[97]

• David Scott, incumbent U.S. representative

• Shahid Malik, businessman^[48]

2012 Georgia's 14th congressional district election

← 2010 2014 →

Nominee Tom Graves Daniel Grant Party Republican Democratic Popular vote 159,947 59,245 Percentage 73.0% 27.0%

Results by precinct Graves:     50–60%     60–70%     70–80%     80–90% Grant:     50–60%     60–70%     70–80%

U.S. Representative before election Tom Graves (9th) Republican Elected U.S. Representative Tom Graves Republican

In redistricting, the new14th district includes almost all of northwestern Georgia. Republican incumbentTom Graves, who had represented the 9th district since May 2010, lived in this new district and ran for re-election here.^[57]

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

• Bob Barr, former U.S. representative andLibertarian Party nominee in2008^[98][99]
• Jerry Shearin, former chair of thePaulding County Commission
• Steve Tarvin, candidate for the 9th district in2010

• Danny Grant, electrician^[100]