2012 United States House of Representatives elections in North Carolina
The 2012 United States House of Representatives elections in North Carolina were held on Tuesday, November 6, 2012, to elect the 13 U.S. representatives from the state of North Carolina. The elections coincided with the U.S. presidential election, N.C. gubernatorial election, statewide judicial elections, Council of State elections, and various local elections. Primary elections were held on May 8, 2012; for races in which no candidate received 40 percent of the vote in the primary, runoff elections were held on July 17.
North Carolina was one of five states in which the party that won the state's popular vote did not win a majority of seats in 2012, along with Arizona, Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin.
Overview
Statewide
By district
Results of the 2012 United States House of Representatives elections in North Carolina by district:Redistricting
A redistricting map, drawn to reflect changes observed in the 2010 United States census, was passed into law in July 2011. The map must receive approval from either the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia or the U.S. Department of Justice before it can be enforced. The North Carolina chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People challenged the map on the grounds that it reduces the influence of African American voters.| District | Old PVI | New PVI | Incumbent |
| G. K. Butterfield | |||
| Renee Ellmers | |||
| Walter B. Jones Jr. | |||
| David Price | |||
| Virginia Foxx | |||
| Howard Coble | |||
| Mike McIntyre | |||
| Larry Kissell | |||
| Sue Myrick | |||
| Patrick McHenry | |||
| Heath Shuler | |||
| Mel Watt | |||
| Brad Miller |
District 1
Incumbent Democrat G. K. Butterfield, who had represented the district since 2004, ran for re-election. The 1st district, which is majority-minority and already strongly favored Democrats, favored them even more so after redistricting. The redrawn district had a PVI of D+17, whereas the old 1st had a PVI of D+9.Democratic primary
Candidates
Nominee
- G. K. Butterfield, incumbent U.S. representative
Eliminated in primary
- Daniel-Lynn Whittacre, high school teacher, HHS federal agent
Primary results
Republican primary
Candidates
Nominee
- Pete DiLauro, former law enforcement officer
General election
Endorsements
Predictions
Results
District 2
Incumbent Republican Renee Ellmers, who had represented the district since 2011, ran for re-election. The 2nd district was made more favorable to Republicans in redistricting, with The Hill ranking Ellmers at second in its list of house members most helped by redistricting. The redrawn district had a PVI of R+11, whereas the old 2nd had a PVI of R+2.Republican primary
Candidates
Nominee
- Renee Ellmers, incumbent U.S. representative
Eliminated in primary
- Sonya Holmes
- Clement F. Munno
- Richard Speer, contract farmer
Primary results
Democratic primary
Candidates
Nominee
- Steve Wilkins, retired U.S. Army officer and businessman
Eliminated in primary
- Toni Morris, professional counselor
Withdrawn
- Jim Bibbs
Declined
- Bob Etheridge, former U.S. representative
Primary results
Libertarian primary
Candidates
Nominee
- Brian Irving, retired U.S. Air Force officer
General election
Endorsements
Predictions
Results
District 3
Incumbent Republican Walter B. Jones Jr., who had represented the district since 1995, ran for re-election. The 3rd district was made slightly more favorable to Democrats in redistricting, but continued to strongly favor Republicans. The redrawn district had a PVI of R+10, whereas the old 3rd had a PVI of R+16.Republican primary
Candidates
Nominee
- Walter B. Jones Jr., incumbent U.S. representative
Eliminated in primary
- Frank Palombo, former New Bern police chief
Primary results
Democratic primary
Candidates
Nominee
- Erik Anderson, former U.S. Marine
General election
Endorsements
Predictions
Results
District 4
Democrat David Price, who had represented North Carolina's 4th congressional district since 1997 and previously served from 1987 until 1995, ran for re-election. Brad Miller, who had represented the 13th district since 2003, considered challenging Price in the 4th district primary after having his home drawn into it, but announced in January 2012 that he would not seek either seat and would instead retire.Democratic primary
Price was unopposed in the Democratic primary.Candidates
Nominee
- David Price, incumbent U.S. representative
Declined
- Brad Miller, incumbent U.S. representative for North Carolina's 13th congressional district
Republican primary
Candidates
Nominee
- Tim D'Annunzio, businessman and candidate for North Carolina's 8th congressional district in 2010.
Eliminated in primary
- Jim Allen, electrical contractor
- George Hutchins, former US Marine, veteran of the first Gulf War and candidate for this district in 2010
Withdrawn
- Doug Yopp, director of the Friends of the Library at NC State
Primary results
General election
Endorsements
Predictions
Results
District 5
Republican Virginia Foxx, who had represented North Carolina's 5th congressional district since 2005, ran for re-election. The 5th district was made slightly more favorable to Democrats in redistricting, but continued to strongly favor Republicans.Republican primary
Candidates
Nominee
- Virginia Foxx, incumbent U.S. representative
Democratic primary
Candidates
Nominee
- Elisabeth Motsinger, Winston-Salem/Forsyth County School Board member
Eliminated in primary
- Bruce Peller, dentist
Withdrawn
- Treva Johnson, Wilkes County Democratic chairwoman
Primary results
General election
Endorsements
Predictions
Results
District 6
Republican Howard Coble, who had represented North Carolina's 6th congressional district since 1985, ran for re-election.The 6th district was expected to continue to strongly favor Republicans.
Republican primary
Candidates
Nominee
- Howard Coble, incumbent U.S. representative
Eliminated in primary
- Bill Flynn, former radio personality
- Billy Yow, Guilford County commissioner
Primary results
Democratic primary
Candidates
Nominee
- Tony Foriest, former state senator from the 24th district
General election
Endorsements
Predictions
Results
District 7
The home of Democrat Mike McIntyre, who had represented North Carolina's 7th congressional district since 1997, was drawn into the 8th district in redistricting. McIntyre, who had briefly considered running for governor following Bev Perdue's announcement that she would not seek re-election, decided to seek re-election in the newly redrawn 7th district. The district was made more favorable to Republicans in redistricting: 58% of its residents voted for Republican nominee John McCain in the 2008 presidential election.Democratic primary
Candidates
Nominee
- Mike McIntyre, incumbent U.S. representative
Republican primary
Candidates
Nominee
- David Rouzer, state senator from the 12th district
Eliminated in primary
- Randy Crow, business executive
- Ilario Pantano, retired U.S. Marine and nominee for this district in 2010
Withdrawn
- Timothy Alan Wilkes
Primary results
General election
Campaign
McIntyre was heavily targeted by Republicans, especially after the GOP-controlled North Carolina General Assembly had redrawn congressional boundaries to put his home in Robeson County into the 8th district, something that McIntyre accused the GOP of doing “solely for the reason of giving my opponent a seat in Congress”.Nearly $9 million was spent by both parties, with McIntyre airing ads stating he was a "strong conservative and Christian who walks his faith every day" and Rouzer trying to tie McIntyre to his votes for Nancy Pelosi and for the stimulus.