2012 Michigan's 11th congressional district election

Michigan's 11th congressional district election was held on November 6, 2012, for a seat in the 113th United States Congress alongside a presidential election, other elections to the United States House of Representatives and elections for class I of the United States Senate. In Michigan, all of the state's 14 Congressional seats will be at stake, as well Michigan's junior United States Senator Debbie Stabenow is running for re-election. Additionally, all 110 seats in the Michigan House of Representatives are at stake.

2012 Michigan's 11th congressional district election

November 6, 2012

Nominee Kerry Bentivolio Syed Taj Party Republican Democratic Popular vote 181,788 158,879 Percentage 50.8% 44.4%

U.S. Representative before election David Curson Democratic Elected U.S. Representative Kerry Bentivolio Republican

In reapportionment done following the 2010 United States Census, the district was redrawn to favor then Congressman Thaddeus McCotter.[1]

The election was held alongside a special election to fill a vacancy in Michigan's 11th congressional district caused by the July 6, 2012 resignation of Republican member of the United States House of Representatives Thaddeus McCotter.[2] The primary for the special election was held on September 5, 2012.[3]

McCotter signature scandal

After a failed, short-lived Presidential campaign, McCotter opted to run for 6th term in the House. On May 25, 2012, it was announced that McCotter had fallen short of the required 1,000 signatures to appear on the ballot for the August 7 GOP primary.[4]

On May 29, 2012, McCotter announced his intentions to seek the GOP nomination as write-in candidate.[5] McCotter ended his write-in campaign shortly after on June 2, 2012.[6]

McCotter resigned from Congress on July 6, 2012. On August 11, 2012, Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette announced charges against four former McCotter staff aides, for their roles in obtaining and submitting fraudulent election petitions.[7]

Primary election

Republican

After McCotter's resignation, the only other Republican who qualified for the primary ballot was political novice/Tea Party activist Kerry Bentivolio.

After McCotter's resignation, several candidates considered mounting a write-in campaign, including Birmingham-based foreclosure attorney David Trott, former state Rep. Andrew "Rocky" Raczkowski, state Sen. Mike Kowall of White Lake and former Oakland County Republican Party Chairman Paul Welday.[8] Eventually, State GOP leaders rallied around former state Sen. Nancy Cassis.[8]

Candidates

• Kerry Bentivolio
• Nancy Cassis (write-in)

Declined/Withdrew

• David Trott
• Andy Raczkowski
• Mike Kowall
• Paul Welday

Disqualified from Ballot

• Thad McCotter

Results

2012 Republican Primary - Michigan's 11th Congressional District [9]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±
	Republican	Kerry Bentivolio	42,468	65.5	N/A
	Republican	Total Write-In	22,490	34.5	N/A

Democratic

Only two candidates, both with low name recognition qualified for the Democratic Primary ballot before McCotter's resignation. They were Dr. Syed Taj, a member of the Canton Township Board of Trustees and Bill Roberts, a Lyndon LaRouche activist whose main goal was to impeach President Barack Obama and campaigned with posters with Obama having a mustache similar to Adolf Hitler.[10]

Results

2012 Democratic Primary - Michigan's 11th Congressional District [9]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±
	Democratic	Syed Taj	21,952	58.9	N/A
	Democratic	Bill Roberts	15,338	41.1	N/A

General election

Candidates

• Kerry Bentivolio, Republican nominee
• Syed Taj, Democratic Nominee
• Steven Paul Duke, Green Party nominee
• John J. Tartar, Libertarian Party nominee
• William Daniel Johnson, Natural Law Party nominee[11]

Results

2012 General Election - Michigan's 11th Congressional District[12]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±
	Republican	Kerry Bentivolio	181,788	50.8	N/A
	Democratic	Syed Taj	158,879	44.4	N/A
	Libertarian	John Tatar	9,637	2.7	N/A
	Green	Steven Duke	4,569	1.3	N/A
	Natural Law	Daniel Johnson	3,251	0.9	N/A

References

1. Blake, Aaron (June 20, 2011). "Michigan map highlights GOP redistricting challenges". The Washington Post. Retrieved August 16, 2011.
2. Spangler, Todd (July 6, 2012). "Rep. Thaddeus McCotter resigns, citing 'nightmarish' circumstances". Detroit Free Press. Retrieved August 16, 2012.
3. Eggert, David (July 10, 2012). "Lt. Gov. Brian Calley calls special $650K election to fill Thad McCotter's seat". Booth Newspapers MLive.com. Retrieved August 4, 2012.
4. Eggert, David (May 25, 2012). "Michigan Congressman Thaddeus McCotter short on signatures for 2012 bid to retain his seat". mlive.com. Retrieved August 16, 2012.
5. Eggert, David (May 29, 2012). "Thad McCotter will run write-in campaign after signature issues". mlive.com. Retrieved August 16, 2012.
6. Eggert, David (June 2, 2012). "Thad McCotter ends write-in campaign for Congress". mlive.com. Retrieved August 16, 2012.
7. Swickard, Joe (August 11, 2012). "Thaddeus McCotter's top aides charged in election fraud case". Detroit Free Press. Retrieved August 16, 2012.
8. Eggert, David (June 7, 2012). "Former state Sen. Nancy Cassis to run for Thad McCotter's congressional seat". Booth Newspapers. Retrieved August 17, 2012.
9. "2012 Official Michigan Primary Election Results - 11th Congressional District". miboecfr.nictusa.com. Archived from the original on 11 August 2012. Retrieved 19 August 2012.
10. Schultz, Marisa (July 19, 2012). "Opponents square off after McCotter's failed bid for seat". Detroit News. Retrieved August 17, 2012.
11. http://miboecfr.nictusa.com/election/candlist/12GEN/12GEN_CL.HTM
12. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2013-01-16. Retrieved 2013-01-14.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)