2012 Wisconsin Senate election

The 2012 Wisconsin Senate elections were held on Tuesday, November 6, 2012. Sixteen of the 33 seats in the Wisconsin Senate were up for election—the even-numbered districts. This was the first Senate general election to take place after redistricting following the 2010 United States census. Before the election, 17 Senate seats were held by Democrats and 16 seats were held by Republicans. 10 Democratic seats and 6 Republican seats were up in this election. The primary election took place on August 13, 2012.[1]

2012 Wisconsin Senate election

← 2010 November 6, 2012 2014 →

16 of 33 seats in the Wisconsin Senate
16 seats needed for a majority
  Majority party Minority party
 
Leader Scott Fitzgerald Mark F. Miller
(retired as leader)
Party Republican Democratic
Leader's seat 13thJuneau 16thMonona
Last election 11 seats, 59.11% 6 seats, 40.54%
Seats before 16 17
Seats won 8 8
Seats after 18 15
Seat change Increase 2 Decrease 2
Popular vote 593,893 696,773
Percentage 45.28% 53.13%
Swing Decrease13.8 pp Increase12.6 pp

Results of the elections:
     Republican hold      Republican gain
     Democratic hold
     No election

President before election

Fred Risser
Democratic

Elected President

Michael G. Ellis
Republican

Republicans flipped two Democratic-held Senate seat and won the chamber majority, entering the 101st Wisconsin Legislature with 18 of 33 State Senate seats.

Results summary

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Seats Party
(majority caucus shading)
Total
Democratic Republican
Last election (2010) 6 11 17
Total after last election (2010) 14 19 33
Total before this election 17 16 33
Up for election 10 6 16
of which: Incumbent retiring 2 0 2
Vacated 0 0 0
Unopposed 3 1 4
This election 8 8 16
Change from last election   2   2
Total after this election 15 18 33
Change in total   2   2
Popular vote
Democratic
53.13%
Republican
45.28%
Other
1.59%
Senate seats won
Democratic
50%
Republican
50%

Close races

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Seats where the margin of victory was under 10%:

  1. State Senate district 18, 0.7% (gain)
  2. State Senate district 30, 8.55%

Outgoing incumbents

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Retiring

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Seeking other office

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  • Spencer Coggs (D–Milwaukee), representing district 6 since 2003, was elected Milwaukee Treasurer at the April 2012 election, and then did not seek re-election to the Senate in the fall.[3]

Candidates and results

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Dist. Incumbent This race[4]
Member Party First elected Primary election candidates General election candidates Result
2 Robert Cowles Republican 1987 (special) Robert Cowles (Rep.)  Y Robert Cowles (Rep.) 98.54% Incumbent re-elected.
4 Lena Taylor Democratic 2004 Lena Taylor (Dem.)
  •  Y Lena Taylor (Dem.) 86.62%
  • David D. King (Ind.) 13.11%
Incumbent re-elected.
6 Spencer Coggs Democratic 2003
(recall)
  • Nikiya Harris (Dem.)
  • Michael Mayo (Dem.)
  • Allyn Monroe Swan (Dem.)
  • Elizabeth M. Coggs (Dem.)
  • Delta L. Triplett (Dem.)
Incumbent retired.
Democratic hold.
8 Alberta Darling Republican 1992
  • Alberta Darling (Rep.)
  •  Y Alberta Darling (Rep.) 95.58%
  • Beth L. Lueck (Dem. write-in)
Incumbent re-elected.
10 Sheila Harsdorf Republican 2000
  • Sheila Harsdorf (Rep.)
  • Daniel C. Olson (Dem.)
  •  Y Sheila Harsdorf (Rep.) 59.17%
  • Daniel C. Olson (Dem.) 40.72%
Incumbent re-elected.
12 Jim Holperin Democratic 2008
  • Tom Tiffany (Rep.)
  • Susan Sommer (Dem.)
  • Lisa Theo (Dem.)
  •  Y Tom Tiffany (Rep.) 56.24%
  • Susan Sommer (Dem.) 40.45%
  • Paul O. Ehlers (Ind.) 3.26%
Incumbent retired.
New member elected.
Republican gain.
14 Luther Olsen Republican 2004
  • Luther Olsen (Rep.)
  • David Wayne Eiler (Rep.)
  • Margarete Worthington (Dem.)
  •  Y Luther Olsen (Rep.) 57.53%
  • Margarete Worthington (Dem.) 42.4%
Incumbent re-elected.
16 Mark F. Miller Democratic 2004
  • Mark F. Miller (Dem.)
  •  Y Mark F. Miller (Dem.) 98.73%
Incumbent re-elected.
18 Jessica King Democratic 2011
(recall)
  •  Y Rick Gudex (Rep.) 50.3%
  • Jessica King (Dem.) 49.6%
Incumbent lost.
New member elected.
Republican gain.
20 Glenn Grothman Republican 2004
  • Glenn Grothman (Rep.)
  • Tanya Lohr (Dem.)
  •  Y Glenn Grothman (Rep.) 68.63%
  • Tanya Lohr (Dem.) 31.3%
Incumbent re-elected.
22 Robert Wirch Democratic 1996
  • Robert Wirch (Dem.)
  • Pam Stevens (Rep.)
  •  Y Robert Wirch (Dem.) 69.57%
  • Pam Stevens (Rep.) 30.29%
Incumbent re-elected.
24 Julie Lassa Democratic 2003
(special)
  • Julie Lassa (Dem.)
  • Scott Kenneth Noble (Rep.)
  • Steve Abrahamson (Rep.)
  •  Y Julie Lassa (Dem.) 56.59%
  • Scott Kenneth Noble (Rep.) 43.31%
Incumbent re-elected.
26 Fred Risser Democratic 1962
Incumbent re-elected.
28 Mary Lazich Republican 1998
  • Mary Lazich (Rep.)
  • Jim Ward (Dem.)
  •  Y Mary Lazich (Rep.) 63.38%
  • Jim Ward (Dem.) 36.51%
Incumbent re-elected.
30 Dave Hansen Democratic 2000
  • Dave Hansen (Dem.)
  • John Macco (Rep.)
  • Ray Suennen (Rep.)
  •  Y Dave Hansen (Dem.) 54.23%
  • John Macco (Rep.) 45.68%
Incumbent re-elected.
32 Jennifer Shilling Democratic 2011
(recall)
  • Jennifer Shilling (Dem.)
  • Bill Feehan (Rep.)
  •  Y Jennifer Shilling (Dem.) 58.28%
  • Bill Feehan (Rep.) 41.64%
Incumbent re-elected.

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Canvass Results for 2012 Partisan Primary - 8/14/2012 (Report). Wisconsin Government Accountability Board. August 28, 2012. Retrieved March 26, 2024 – via Wisconsin Historical Society.
  2. ^ State Senator Jim Holperin Will Not Seek Reelection
  3. ^ WTMJ News. "Spencer Coggs to finish out Senate term while he's Milwaukee City Treasurer" Archived 2013-01-17 at the Wayback Machine, WTMJ-TV April 18, 2012.
  4. ^ Canvass Results for 2012 Presidential and General Election - 11/6/2012 (Report). Wisconsin Government Accountability Board. December 26, 2012. Retrieved March 26, 2024 – via Wisconsin Historical Society.
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