2012 North Carolina gubernatorial election

The 2012 North Carolina gubernatorial election took place on November 6, 2012, concurrently with the 2012 United States presidential election, U.S. House election, statewide judicial election, Council of State election and various local elections.
Incumbent Democratic governor Bev Perdue was eligible to run for re-election, but announced on January 26, 2012 that she would not seek a second term. Incumbent lieutenant governor Walter H. Dalton won the Democratic nomination, while former mayor of Charlotte and 2008 gubernatorial nominee Pat McCrory won the Republican nomination. McCrory won the election with almost 55 percent of the vote to Dalton's 43 percent, the largest margin of victory for a Republican in a race for governor in history, surpassing the previous record set in 1868.
Libertarian nominee Barbara Howe took 2% of the vote. When McCrory was inaugurated as the 74th governor of North Carolina on January 5, 2013, he became the state's first Republican governor since 1993 and the Republicans held complete control of state government for the first time since 1871. As of, this is the last time a Republican was elected Governor of North Carolina, and the only time since 1988. It was also the last time the state concurrently voted for a gubernatorial and presidential candidate of the same party, and the last time a Republican candidate won Mecklenburg County in a statewide election.

Democratic primary

Candidates

Bruce Blackmon, physician
Walter H. Dalton, Lieutenant Governor
Gary M. Dunn, salesman and UNC-Charlotte student
Bob Etheridge, former U.S. Representative
Bill Faison, state representative
Gardenia Henley, retired U.S. Agency for International Development auditor

Declined

Dan Blue, state senator
Erskine Bowles, chairman of the National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform, former UNC System president, former White House Chief of Staff
Roy Cooper, Attorney General of North Carolina
Janet Cowell, state treasurer
Cal Cunningham, former state senator
Anthony Foxx, mayor of Charlotte
Kay Hagan, U.S. Senator
Jim Hunt, former governor
Allen Joines, Mayor of Winston-Salem
Mike McIntyre, U.S. Representative
Brad Miller, U.S. Representative
Richard H. Moore, former North Carolina State Treasurer and candidate for governor in 2008
Bev Perdue, incumbent governor
Heath Shuler, U.S. Representative

Polling

Poll source	Date administered	Sample size	Margin of error	Dan Blue	Walter H. Dalton	Bob Etheridge	Bill Faison	Mike McIntyre	Brad Miller	Richard Moore	Undecided
Public Policy Polling	February 3–5, 2012	400	± 4.9%	13%	10%	21%	2%	6%	8%	7%	33%
Public Policy Polling	February 3–5, 2012	400	± 4.9%	11%	20%	24%	4%	—	—	—	41%
Public Policy Polling	February 3–5, 2012	400	± 4.9%	—	22%	25%	6%	7%	—	—	40%
Public Policy Polling	February 3–5, 2012	400	± 4.9%	—	20%	24%	4%	—	11%	—	41%
Public Policy Polling	February 3–5, 2012	400	± 4.9%	—	21%	24%	5%	—	—	8%	41%
Public Policy Polling	February 3–5, 2012	400	± 4.9%	—	24%	30%	6%	—	—	—	39%

Debates

A series of televised debates between candidates Dalton, Etheridge and Faison, held April 16–18, was considered potentially pivotal, since "the governor’s race has so far attracted little attention, created little buzz and produced few political commercials" and "polls suggest there is still a large swath of Democratic voters who have yet to decide" for whom to vote.
The first debate, conducted by WRAL-TV and broadcast statewide, featured few differences between the candidates, but Faison was seen as the aggressor. The second debate was more contentious, with Dalton criticizing Etheridge's support of a free trade agreement while he was in Congress, and Etheridge attacking Dalton over his attendance record on boards and commissions and his alleged failure to speak out against the actions of the majority-Republican legislature.
In the final debate of the series, this one conducted by WNCN-TV and the North Carolina League of Women Voters, candidates were considered to be more "muted" in their criticisms of each other. All three spoke out strongly against a voter ID bill proposed by Republicans in the state legislature. Dalton emphasized modernizing the state's economy, Etheridge continued his themes of leadership and education, and Faison most sharply attacked Republicans and called for action on the state's unemployment problem.

Republican primary

Candidates

Jim Harney, businessman
Scott Jones, businessman
Jim Mahan, small businessman and former teacher
Pat McCrory, former mayor of Charlotte and nominee for governor in 2008
Charles Kenneth Moss, businessman and preacher
Paul Wright, attorney and former District Court and Superior Court judge

Declined

Phil Berger, State Senate President Pro Tem
Cherie Berry, state labor commissioner
Peter Brunstetter, state senator
Paul Coble, former mayor of Raleigh and current chairman of the Wake County Board of Commissioners
Steve Troxler, state Agriculture Commissioner

Polling

Poll source	Date administered	Sample size	Margin of error	Pat McCrory	Someone more	Other	Undecided
Public Policy Polling	September 1–4, 2011	400	± 4.9%	40%	46%	—	15%

Poll source

Date
administered

Sample
size

Margin of
error

Phil
Berger

Cherie
Berry

Tom
Fetzer

Virginia
Foxx

Pat
McCrory

Patrick
McHenry

Sue
Myrick

Fred
Smith

Other/
Undecided

Public Policy Polling

November 19–21, 2010

400

± 4.9%

12%

11%

37%

22%

General election

Candidates

Walter H. Dalton, lieutenant governor
Barbara Howe, nominee for governor in 2000 and 2004
Pat McCrory, former mayor of Charlotte and nominee for governor in 2008

Debates

, October 3, 2012 - C-SPAN
, October 16, 2012 - C-SPAN
, October 24, 2012 - C-SPAN

Dalton and McCrory met for their first televised debate at the studios of UNC-TV on October 3, 2012. Two debates were sponsored by the North Carolina Association of Broadcasters Educational Foundation, with the third and final debate sponsored by WRAL-TV and the Rocky Mount Chamber of Commerce. Howe was not invited to participate in any of the scheduled debates. The Associated Press characterized Dalton as going "on the offensive" against McCrory in the first debate. The final encounter between the two candidates, held Oct. 24 on the campus of North Carolina Wesleyan College, featured "more subdued disagreements over taxes, education, health care and mental health."

Polling

Democratic primary polling with Perdue

Poll source	Date administered	Sample size	Margin of error	Bill Faison	Bev Perdue	Other	Undecided
Public Policy Polling	December 1–4, 2011	392	± 5.0%	23%	55%	—	23%
Public Policy Polling	September 30 – October 3, 2011	353	± 3.6%	18%	62%	—	20%

Republican primary with Ellmers, Troxler

Poll source	Date administered	Sample size	Margin of error	Renee Ellmers	Pat McCrory	Steve Troxler	Other	Undecided
Public Policy Polling	September 1–4, 2011	400	± 4.9%	10%	61%	—	—	29%
Public Policy Polling	September 1–4, 2011	400	± 4.9%	—	51%	15%	—	34%
Public Policy Polling	September 1–4, 2011	400	± 4.9%	10%	52%	19%	—	19%

General election polling

With Blue

Poll source	Date administered	Sample size	Margin of error	Dan Blue	Pat McCrory	Other	Undecided
Public Policy Polling	January 27–29, 2012	554	± 4.2%	31%	49%	—	19%
Public Policy Polling	March 17–20, 2011	584	± 4.1%	28%	48%	—	16%

With Blackmon

Poll source	Date administered	Sample size	Margin of error	Bruce Blackmon	Pat McCrory	Other	Undecided
Public Policy Polling	March 8–11, 2012	804	± 3.5%	33%	48%	—	18%

With Bowles

Poll source	Date administered	Sample size	Margin of error	Erskine Bowles	Pat McCrory	Other	Undecided
Public Policy Polling	January 27–29, 2012	554	± 4.2%	42%	44%	—	14%
Public Policy Polling	September 30 – October 3, 2011	760	± 3.6%	42%	42%	—	16%

With Cooper

Poll source	Date administered	Sample size	Margin of error	Roy Cooper	Pat McCrory	Other	Undecided
Public Policy Polling	September 30 – October 3, 2011	760	± 3.6%	39%	42%	—	19%
Public Policy Polling	March 17–20, 2011	584	± 4.1%	35%	43%	—	22%

With Foxx

Poll source	Date administered	Sample size	Margin of error	Anthony Foxx	Pat McCrory	Other	Undecided
Public Policy Polling	January 27–29, 2012	554	± 4.2%	32%	50%	—	18%

With Etheridge

Poll source	Date administered	Sample size	Margin of error	Bob Etheridge	Pat McCrory	Other	Undecided
Public Policy Polling	March 8–11, 2012	804	± 3.5%	36%	46%	—	18%
Public Policy Polling	January 27–29, 2012	554	± 4.2%	35%	50%	—	16%

With Faison

Poll source	Date administered	Sample size	Margin of error	Bill Faison	Pat McCrory	Other	Undecided
Public Policy Polling	January 27–29, 2012	554	± 4.2%	31%	50%	—	19%
Public Policy Polling	January 5–8, 2012	780	± 3.5%	27%	47%	—	26%
Public Policy Polling	December 1–4, 2011	865	± 3.3%	26%	47%	—	26%
Public Policy Polling	September 30 – October 3, 2011	760	± 3.6%	30%	45%	—	25%

With Henley

Poll source	Date administered	Sample size	Margin of error	Gardenia Henley	Pat McCrory	Other	Undecided
Public Policy Polling	March 8–11, 2012	804	± 3.5%	29%	49%	—	22%

With Hagan

Poll source	Date administered	Sample size	Margin of error	Kay Hagan	Pat McCrory	Other	Undecided
Public Policy Polling	January 27–29, 2012	554	± 4.2%	41%	48%	—	11%

With Joines

Poll source	Date administered	Sample size	Margin of error	Allan Joines	Pat McCrory	Other	Undecided
Public Policy Polling	January 27–29, 2012	554	± 4.2%	30%	50%	—	21%

With McIntyre

Poll source	Date administered	Sample size	Margin of error	Mike McIntyre	Pat McCrory	Other	Undecided
Public Policy Polling	January 27–29, 2012	554	± 4.2%	30%	50%	—	20%

With Meeker

Poll source	Date administered	Sample size	Margin of error	Charles Meeker	Pat McCrory	Other	Undecided
Public Policy Polling	January 27–29, 2012	554	± 4.2%	29%	49%	—	22%

With Miller

Poll source	Date administered	Sample size	Margin of error	Brad Miller	Pat McCrory	Other	Undecided
Public Policy Polling	January 27–29, 2012	554	± 4.2%	35%	49%	—	16%

With Moore

Poll source	Date administered	Sample size	Margin of error	Richard Moore	Pat McCrory	Other	Undecided
Public Policy Polling	January 27–29, 2012	554	± 4.2%	36%	47%	—	17%

With Perdue

Poll source	Date administered	Sample size	Margin of error	Bev Perdue	Renee Ellmers	Other	Undecided
Public Policy Polling	September 1–4, 2011	520	± 4.3%	45%	35%	—	20%

Poll source	Date administered	Sample size	Margin of error	Bev Perdue	Tom Fetzer	Other	Undecided
Public Policy Polling	November 19–21, 2010	517	± 4.3%	40%	42%	—	19%

Poll source	Date administered	Sample size	Margin of error	Bev Perdue	Pat McCrory	Other	Undecided
Public Policy Polling	January 5–8, 2012	780	± 3.5%	41%	52%	—	7%
Public Policy Polling	December 1–4, 2011	865	± 3.3%	40%	50%	—	10%
Public Policy Polling	October 27–31, 2011	615	± 4.0%	39%	48%	—	13%
Public Policy Polling	September 30 – October 3, 2011	760	± 3.6%	42%	47%	—	10%
Public Policy Polling	September 1–4, 2011	520	± 4.3%	41%	45%	—	14%
Public Policy Polling	August 4–7, 2011	780	± 3.5%	39%	47%	—	14%
Civitas Institute	July 12–13, 2011	600	± 4.0%	35%	55%	—	8%
Public Policy Polling	July 7–10, 2011	651	± 3.8%	39%	47%	—	14%
Public Policy Polling	June 8–11, 2011	563	± 4.1%	39%	45%	—	16%
Public Policy Polling	May 12–15, 2011	835	± 3.4%	39%	46%	—	15%
Public Policy Polling	April 14–17, 2011	507	± 4.4%	38%	49%	—	13%
Survey USA	April 14–15, 2011	500	± 4.5%	39%	51%	5%	4%
Public Policy Polling	March 17–20, 2011	584	± 4.1%	36%	50%	—	14%
Public Policy Polling	February 16–21, 2011	650	± 3.8%	37%	49%	—	15%
Public Policy Polling	January 20–23, 2011	575	± 4.1%	40%	47%	—	14%
Civitas Institute	December 15–16, 2010	600	± 4.0%	36%	51%	—	12%
Public Policy Polling	November 19–21, 2010	517	± 4.3%	37%	49%	—	14%
Civitas Institute	June 15–18, 2010	600	± 4.0%	37%	46%	—	17%

Poll source	Date administered	Sample size	Margin of error	Bev Perdue	Steve Troxler	Other	Undecided
Public Policy Polling	September 1–4, 2011	520	± 4.3%	42%	37%	—	22%

With Shuler

Poll source	Date administered	Sample size	Margin of error	Heath Shuler	Pat McCrory	Other	Undecided
Public Policy Polling	January 27–29, 2012	554	± 4.2%	31%	48%	—	21%

Results

Counties that flipped from Democratic to Republican

By congressional district

McCrory won ten of the state's 13 congressional districts, including one held by a Democrat.

District	McCrory	Dalton	Representative
	29.35%	69.26%	G. K. Butterfield
	60.13%	37.63%	Renee Ellmers
	59.34%	38.22%	Walter B. Jones Jr.
	31.29%	65.74%	David Price
	63.66%	34.12%	Virginia Foxx
	61.21%	36.51%	Howard Coble
	61.37%	36.63%	Mike McIntyre
	62.7%	35.59%	Larry Kissell
	62.7%	35.59%	Richard Hudson
	67.81%	30.47%	Sue Myrick
	67.81%	30.47%	Robert Pittenger
	61.68%	36.3%	Patrick McHenry
	63.14%	34.18%	Heath Shuler
	63.14%	34.18%	Mark Meadows
	26.85%	71.37%	Mel Watt
	59.34%	38.49%	Brad Miller
	59.34%	38.49%	George Holding