United States Senate election in Rhode Island, 2012

United States Senate election in Rhode Island, 2012

November 6, 2012
Turnout 58.0% (voting eligible)[1]

 
Nominee Sheldon Whitehouse Barry Hinckley
Party Democratic Republican
Popular vote 271,034 146,222
Percentage 64.8% 35.0%

County Results

Whitehouse:

     50–60%      60–70%

U.S. Senator before election

Sheldon Whitehouse
Democratic

Elected U.S. Senator

Sheldon Whitehouse
Democratic

The 2012 United States Senate election in Rhode Island was on November 6, 2012, alongside a presidential election, other elections to the United States Senate in other states, as well as elections to the United States House of Representatives and various state and local elections.

Incumbent Democratic Senator Sheldon Whitehouse was reelected to a second term in a landslide by a 30% margin of 65% - 35%.

Background

In the 2006 Senate election, former Attorney General of Rhode Island Sheldon Whitehouse defeated one-term Republican incumbent Lincoln Chafee. Chafee had been appointed to the Senate in 1999 when his father, the incumbent Senator John Chafee died. He then won election to a first term in 2000. Whitehouse won 53.52% of the vote in 2006.

Democratic primary

Candidates

Declared

Unsuccessful

  • Todd Giroux, contractor and Independent candidate for governor in 2010[2]

Results

Democratic primary results
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Sheldon Whitehouse 60,223 100
Total votes 60,223 100

Republican primary

Candidates

Declared

  • Barry Hinckley, president and co-founder of software company Bullhorn[3]

Declined

Polling

Poll source Date(s)
administered
Sample
size
Margin of
error
Scott
Avedisian
Donald
Carcieri
Buddy
Cianci
Giovanni
Cicione
Allen
Fung
John
Loughlin
John
Robitaille
Catherine
Taylor
Other/
Undecided
21% 3% 14% 24% 31% 2% 6%
Public Policy Polling February 16–22, 2011 250 ±6.2% 12% 44% 12% 0% 6% 12% 12% 2%

Results

Republican primary results
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Barry Hinckley 6,890 100
Total votes 6,890 100

Independent

Candidates

Declined

General election

Predictions

Source Ranking As of
The Cook Political Report[14] Solid D November 1, 2012
Sabato's Crystal Ball[15] Safe D November 5, 2012
Rothenberg Political Report[16] Safe D November 2, 2012
Real Clear Politics[17] Safe D November 5, 2012

Polling

Poll source Date(s)
administered
Sample
size
Margin of
error
Sheldon
Whitehouse (D)
Barry
Hinckley (R)
Other Undecided
Fleming & Associates February 20–23, 2012 511 ±4.38% 50% 28% 20%
Fleming & Associates September 26–29, 2012 501 ±4.38% 56% 30% 11%
Brown University September 26 – October 5, 2012 471 ±4.4% 59% 30% 12%
McLaughlin and Associates October 11, 2012 300 ±5.6% 49% 41% 10%
Fleming & Associates October 24–27, 2012 601 ±4% 55% 33% 10%

Results

United States Senate election in Rhode Island, 2012[18]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Democratic Sheldon Whitehouse 271,034 64.81% +11.29%
Republican Barry Hinckley 146,222 34.97% -11.51%
Other Write-ins 933 0.22% n/a
Majority 124,812 29.85% +22.81%
Total votes 418,189 100
Turnout 418,189 58%
Democratic hold Swing

See also

References

  1. Dr. Michael McDonald (February 9, 2013). "2012 General Election Turnout Rates". George Mason University. Archived from the original on April 24, 2013. Retrieved April 6, 2013.
  2. Arditi, Lynn (April 21, 2012). "Todd Giroux announces bid for U.S. Senate". The Providence Journal. Retrieved May 7, 2012.
  3. McGowan, Dan (May 28, 2011). "Senate Battle Heats Up: Hinckley Blasts Whitehouse". GoLocalProv. Retrieved May 7, 2012.
  4. Peoples, Steve (November 9, 2010). "GOPer Giovanni Cicione Considering Bid Against Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse". Roll Call. Retrieved November 14, 2010.
  5. Nesi, Ted (October 28, 2011). "Warwick Mayor Scott Avedisian". WPRI-TV. Twitter. Retrieved May 7, 2012.
  6. "Carcieri says he's decided against running for U.S. Senate". Providence Journal. November 16, 2011. Retrieved November 18, 2011.
  7. Donnis, Ian (February 25, 2011). "Rhode Island Tip Sheet: National exposure for RI penches". WRNI-FM. Retrieved February 25, 2011.
  8. Catanese, David (May 10, 2011). "Former police superintendent to challenge Cicilline". Politico. Retrieved May 7, 2012.
  9. Nesi, Ted (November 10, 2010). "Carcieri, Avedisian, Cicione may take on Whitehouse". WPRI-TV. Retrieved November 17, 2010.
  10. Nesi, Ted (February 22, 2011). "Fung 'not considering' $5M run against Whitehouse". WPRI-TV. Retrieved February 22, 2011.
  11. Nesi, Ted (December 2, 2010). "Robitaille: I may run for Senate in '12". WPRI-TV. Retrieved December 2, 2010.
  12. Silverman, Bradley (January 19, 2011). "Robitaille Likely to Run for Governor Again". WBRU. Retrieved January 22, 2011.
  13. Maxon, Jake (January 21, 2011). "2012 Senate Run a Possibility for Former Hasbro CEO". WBRU. Retrieved January 23, 2011.
  14. "2012 Senate Race Ratings for November 1, 2012". The Cook Political Report. Retrieved September 20, 2018.
  15. "2012 Senate". Sabato's Crystal Ball. Retrieved September 20, 2018.
  16. "2012 Senate Ratings". Senate Ratings. The Rothenberg Political Report. Retrieved September 20, 2018.
  17. "2012 Elections Map - Battle for the Senate 2012". Real Clear Politics. Retrieved September 20, 2018.
  18. "RI US Senate". Our Campaigns. Retrieved October 9, 2013.
Official campaign websites
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.