2012 Washington gubernatorial election
The 2012 Washington gubernatorial election took place on November 6, 2012.[1] Candidates in the election were chosen in an August 7, 2012[2] primary election, under the state's nonpartisan blanket primary system, which allows voters to vote for any candidate running in the race, regardless of party affiliation. The two candidates who received the most votes in the primary election qualified for the general election.[3]
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County results Inslee: 50–60% 60–70% McKenna: 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% | |||||||||||||||||
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Elections in Washington |
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General elections
Gubernatorial elections
Lieutenant Governor elections Attorney General elections Secretary of State elections State Senate elections State House elections State Supreme Court elections Other judicial elections |
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Incumbent Democratic Governor Christine Gregoire decided to retire rather than seek a third term.[4] She endorsed fellow Democrat Jay Inslee, a U.S. Congressman, as her successor. On March 20, 2012, Inslee resigned from Congress in order to focus on his gubernatorial campaign.[5]
Inslee and Republican Rob McKenna, the Washington Attorney General, advanced to the general election. Inslee narrowly won the election, and McKenna conceded three days later.[6]
Primary election
Democratic candidates
- Rob Hill
- Jay Inslee, U.S. Representative[7]
Declined
- Lisa Brown, State Senate Majority Leader[8]
- Dow Constantine, King County Executive[9]
- Christine Gregoire, incumbent Governor[4]
- Jim McIntire, State Treasurer[10]
- Aaron Reardon, Snohomish County Executive[11]
- Ron Sims, former King County Executive and Deputy Secretary of Housing and Urban Development[12]
- Brian Sonntag, State Auditor General[13][14]
Republican candidates
- Shahram Hadian, pastor and small business owner[15]
- Javier O. Lopez
- Rob McKenna, Attorney General of Washington[16]
- Max Sampson
Declined
- Dave Reichert, U.S. Representative[17]
Independent candidates
- Christian Joubert
- L. Dale Sorgen, computer programmer and former pastor[18]
- James White
Results
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Democratic | Jay Inslee | 664,534 | 47.13 | |
Republican | Rob McKenna | 604,872 | 42.90 | |
Republican | Shahram Hadian | 46,169 | 3.27 | |
Democratic | Rob Hill | 45,453 | 3.22 | |
Independent | James White | 13,764 | 0.98 | |
Independent | Christian Joubert | 10,457 | 0.74 | |
Independent | L. Dale Sorgen | 9,734 | 0.69 | |
Republican | Max Sampson | 8,753 | 0.62 | |
Republican | Javier O. Lopez | 6,131 | 0.43 | |
Total votes | 1,409,867 | 100.00 |
General election
Candidates
- Jay Inslee (Democratic), former U.S. Representative
- Rob McKenna (Republican), Attorney General
Debates
- Complete video of debate, October 2, 2012 - C-SPAN
Predictions
Source | Ranking | As of |
---|---|---|
The Cook Political Report[20] | Tossup | November 1, 2012 |
Sabato's Crystal Ball[21] | Lean D | November 5, 2012 |
Rothenberg Political Report[22] | Tilt D | November 2, 2012 |
Real Clear Politics[23] | Tossup | November 5, 2012 |
Polling
Poll source | Date(s) administered |
Sample size |
Margin of error |
Jay Inslee (D) |
Rob McKenna (R) |
Other | Undecided |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Public Policy Polling | November 1–3, 2012 | 932 | ± 3.2% | 50% | 48% | — | 2% |
KING5/SurveyUSA | October 28–31, 2012 | 555 | ± 4.2% | 47% | 46% | — | 7% |
KCTS 9/Washington Poll | October 18–31, 2012 | 632 | ± 3.9% | 49% | 46% | — | 6% |
Elway Poll | October 18–21, 2012 | 451 | ± 4.5% | 45% | 47% | 2% | 8% |
Strategies360 | October 17–20, 2012 | 500 | ± 4.4% | 45% | 45% | 2% | 8% |
Public Policy Polling/WCV | October 15–16, 2012 | 574 | ± n/a% | 48% | 42% | — | 10% |
KCTS 9/Washington Poll | October 1–16, 2012 | 782 | ± 3.5% | 48% | 45% | — | 8% |
Rasmussen Reports | October 14, 2012 | 500 | ± 4.5% | 47% | 45% | 1% | 8% |
SurveyUSA | October 12–14, 2012 | 543 | ± 4.3% | 47% | 44% | — | 9% |
SurveyUSA | September 28–30, 2012 | 540 | ± 4.3% | 48% | 42% | — | 10% |
Rasmussen Reports | September 26, 2012 | 500 | ± 4.5% | 46% | 45% | 3% | 6% |
Public Elway Poll | September 9–12, 2012 | 405 | ± 5% | 44% | 41% | — | 15% |
Public Policy Polling | September 7–9, 2012 | 563 | ± n/a% | 48% | 42% | — | 10% |
Survey USA | September 7–9, 2012 | 524 | ± 4.4% | 49% | 44% | — | 7% |
Survey USA | August 2–3, 2012 | 524 | ± 4.4% | 48% | 45% | — | 7% |
Elway Poll | July 18–22, 2012 | 405 | ± 5.0% | 43% | 36% | — | 21% |
Survey USA | July 16–17, 2012 | 630 | ± 4.0% | 41% | 42% | — | 16% |
Public Policy Polling | June 14–17, 2012 | 1,073 | ± 3.0% | 40% | 43% | — | 17% |
Elway Poll | June 13–16, 2012 | 408 | ± 5.0% | 40% | 42% | — | 18% |
Survey USA | May 8–9, 2012 | 557 | ± 4.2% | 38% | 40% | — | 22% |
Public Policy Polling | February 16–19, 2012 | 1,264 | ± 2.76% | 42% | 42% | — | 16% |
Survey USA | February 13–15, 2012 | 572 | ± 4.2% | 39% | 49% | — | 12% |
Elway Poll | February 7–9, 2012 | 405 | ± 5.0% | 36% | 45% | — | 19% |
Survey USA | January 12–16, 2012 | 617 | ± 4.0% | 43% | 46% | — | 11% |
Survey USA | November 21–23, 2011 | 549 | ± 4.3% | 38% | 44% | — | 17% |
Washington Poll | October 10–30, 2011 | 938 | ± 3.2% | 38% | 44% | — | 18% |
Survey USA | September 21–22, 2011 | 529 | ± 4.3% | 38% | 44% | — | 18% |
Survey USA | June 24–26, 2011 | 600 | ± 4.4% | 47% | 44% | — | 9% |
Public Policy Polling | May 12–15, 2011 | 1,098 | ± 3.0% | 38% | 40% | — | 22% |
Survey USA | April 27–28, 2011 | 610 | ± 4.0% | 41% | 48% | — | 11% |
Results
The race was close throughout the night, with results too close to call after 60 percent of ballots were cast.[24] Inslee was declared the winner early the next morning; McKenna conceded later in the evening.[25]
Inslee won only eight of the state's 39 counties, relying on heavy votes from the Seattle metropolitan area pushing him to victory.[26]
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Democratic | Jay Inslee | 1,582,802 | 51.54% | -1.70% | |
Republican | Rob McKenna | 1,488,245 | 48.46% | +1.70% | |
Total votes | 3,071,047 | 100.0% | N/A | ||
Democratic hold |
References
- "Washington's 2012 elections". Balletopedia - The Encyclopedia of American Politics. Balletopedia. Retrieved 28 June 2017.
- RCW 29a.04.311: Primaries. (Effective until January 1, 2012.)
- Pages - Top 2 Primary Archived April 25, 2011, at the Wayback Machine
- Garber, Andrew (June 13, 2011). "2 terms and out for Gov. Chris Gregoire". The Seattle Times. Retrieved June 13, 2011.
- Grygiel, Chris (March 10, 2012). "US Rep. Inslee to resign for Wash. gov. race". The News Tribune. Associated Press.
- Brunner, Jim (November 10, 2012). "McKenna concedes; Inslee to be governor". The Seattle Times.
- "Inslee Announcement Prompts More Democratic Interest", Roll Call Politics
- "Lisa Brown endorses Inslee"
- "Inslee Running for Gov; Constantine Cheers Him on Facebook - PubliCola". 30 June 2011. Archived from the original on 30 June 2011. Retrieved 29 June 2011.
- 2012 races take shape - Elections - The Olympian
- Haglund, Noah (October 19, 2011). "Aaron Reardon says he has no plans to run for governor or Congress". The Herald (Everett). Retrieved October 21, 2011.
- Sims Quits HUD Post, Hotline On Call Archived June 16, 2011, at the Wayback Machine
- Garber, Andrew (July 5, 2011). "Brian Sonntag will not run for governor". The Seattle Times.
- "State auditor Brian Sonntag makes decision on governor's race-KING5.com Seattle".
- Cornfield, Jerry (August 9, 2011). "Everett pastor enters governor race". The Herald (Everett). Retrieved August 16, 2011.
- Brunner, Jim (June 8, 2011). "McKenna launches campaign for governor". The Seattle Times.
- Connelly, Joel (June 8, 2011). "Reichert: I'll support McKenna for governor". Seattle Post-Intelligencer.
- Rathbun, Andy (November 19, 2009). "Sultan man declares 2012 governor bid". The Herald (Everett). Retrieved October 12, 2011.
- "Governor". Archived from the original on November 12, 2012. Retrieved November 13, 2012.
- "2012 Governor Race Ratings for November 1, 2012". The Cook Political Report. Retrieved November 30, 2018.
- "PROJECTION: OBAMA WILL LIKELY WIN SECOND TERM". Sabato's Crystal Ball. Retrieved November 30, 2018.
- "2012 Gubernatorial Ratings". Gubernatorial Ratings. The Rothenberg Political Report. Retrieved November 30, 2018.
- "2012 Elections Map - 2012 Governor Races". Real Clear Politics. Retrieved November 30, 2018.
- "Inslee vs. McKenna could drag on". The Seattle Times. November 6, 2012. Retrieved August 25, 2016.
- Brunner, Jim (November 9, 2012). "McKenna concedes; Inslee to be governor". The Seattle Times. Retrieved August 25, 2016.
- Johnson, Kirk (November 28, 2012). "In West's 'Democratopolis,' Winning an Election With Only 8 of 39 Counties". The New York Times. p. A22. Retrieved August 25, 2016.
- "November 06, 2012 General Election Results: Governor". Washington State Secretary of State. November 27, 2012. Retrieved August 25, 2016.