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The 2012 United States House of Representatives Elections in Florida were held on Tuesday, November 6, 2012 to elect the twenty-seven Congressional representatives from the state, one from each of the state's twenty-seven Congressional Districts, a two-seat increase due to the 2010 United States Census. The elections coincided with the elections of other federal and state offices, including a quadrennial presidential election, and a U.S. Senate election. The primary elections were held August 14, 2012.
Contents
- Redistricting
- Overview
- District 1
- District 2
- General election results
- District 3
- District 4
- District 5
- District 6
- District 7
- District 8
- District 9
- District 10
- District 11
- District 12
- District 13
- District 14
- District 15
- District 16
- District 17
- District 18
- District 19
- District 20
- District 21
- District 22
- District 23
- District 24
- District 25
- District 26
- District 27
- References
Redistricting
In November 2010, Florida voters passed two amendments to the Florida Constitution which would require Congressional and state legislative Districts to be compact and follow geographical boundaries, thereby preventing gerrymandering. Shortly after the amendments were passed U.S. Representatives Corrine Brown and Mario Diaz-Balart filed a lawsuit asking that the amendment concerning Congressional Districts be declared invalid. Brown and Diaz-Balart alleged that the power to change rules for congressional redistricting lies exclusively with the state legislature, and as such cannot be changed through a referendum; however in January 2012 a three-judge panel of the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals rejected their arguments.
Redistricting legislation which would create one new district each in North Florida and Central Florida was passed by a committee of the Florida House of Representatives on January 27, by the full House of Representatives on February 3, and by the Florida Senate on February 9. Shortly after, the Florida Democratic Party announced it would file a lawsuit, alleging that the map violated the Fair Districts provision, which requires that maps do not intentionally favor parties or incumbents. Separately, a coalition of groups including Common Cause, the League of Women Voters and the National Council of La Raza announced it would file its own challenge on the legislation's being signed into law.
Overview
The table below shows the total number and percentage of votes, as well as the number of seats gained and lost by each political party in the election for the United States House of Representatives in Florida. All vote totals come from the Florida Secretary of State's website along with the individual counties' election department websites.
District 1
Republican Jeff Miller, who has represented Florida's 1st congressional district since 2001, is running for re-election and has secured the Republican nomination unopposed. James E. Bryan, an Army veteran, secured the Democratic nomination unopposed.
Calen Fretts, the vice chair of the Libertarian Party of Okaloosa County, will run as the Libertarian Party nominee.
Additionally, William Cleave Drummond, II is running for election as a write-in candidate.
Florida's new 1st district voting age population is 77.6% White (single race), 12.9% Blacks (includes multirace), 4.3% Hispanic (excludes Hispanic Blacks), 0.3% Hispanic Blacks (includes multirace), and 5% other races
District 2
Republican Steve Southerland was first elected to represent Florida's 2nd congressional district in 2010 and secured the Republican nomination unopposed.
Former state senator Al Lawson won the Democratic primary against State representative Leonard L. Bembry; Jay Liles, an activist; and Alvin Peters, an attorney and former chairman of the Bay County Democratic Party.
Floyd Patrick Miller is runningran for election as a write-in candidate. For the working class [1]
Southerland defeated Al Lawson for re-election to a second term 53% 175,856 votes to 47% 157,634 votes out of 333,718 ballots cast on November 6, 2012.
Florida's new 2nd district voting age population is 68.5% non-Hispanic Whites (single race), 23.5% non-Hispanic Blacks (includes multirace), 4.4% Hispanic (excludes Hispanic Blacks), 0.3% Hispanic Blacks (includes multirace), and 3.3% other races (non-Hispanic)
General election results
District 3
Republican Cliff Stearns, who had represented the 6th District since 1989, had his home in Ocala drawn into the neighboring 11th District. However, he opted to seek reelection in the 3rd, which contained more than two-thirds of his former territory. However, he was upset in the primary by Ted Yoho, a large-animal veterinarian from Gainesville.
J.R. Gaillot won the Democratic nomination unopposed.
Phil Dodds is on the ballot under no partisan affiliation. Michael Ricks and Kenneth A. Willey are running for election as write-in candidates.
Florida's new 3rd district voting age population is 75.8% non-Hispanic Whites (single race), 12.9% non-Hispanic Blacks (includes multirace), 6.7% Hispanic (excludes Hispanic Blacks), 0.3% Hispanic Blacks (includes multirace), and 4.3% other races (non-Hispanic)
General election results
District 4
Republican Ander Crenshaw, who has represented the 4th District since 2001, won the Republican nomination with 71 percent of the vote. No other major party put up a candidate.
Florida's new 4th district voting age population is 74.9% non-Hispanic Whites (single race), 12.5% non-Hispanic Blacks (includes multirace), 6.3% Hispanic (excludes Hispanic Blacks), 0.4% Hispanic Blacks (includes multirace), and 5.9% other races (non-Hispanic)
General election results
District 5
The new 5th district is the successor to the former 3rd district, which has been represented by Democrat Corrine Brown since 1993.
Prior to redistricting, Mike Yost, who unsuccessfully challenged Brown as the Republican nominee in 2010; and LeAnne Kolb had announced plans to run for the Republican nomination, while Gerald Nyren had announced plans to run as a Libertarian Party candidate.
Florida's new 5th district voting age population is 49% non-Hispanic Blacks (includes multirace), 36.2% non-Hispanic Whites (single race), 10% Hispanic (excludes Hispanic Blacks), 1.1% Hispanic Blacks (includes multirace), and 3.7% other races (non-Hispanic)
General election results
District 6
In redistricting, most of the old 7th District was renumbered as the new 6th district. John Mica, who has represented the 7th District since 1993, had his home drawn into the neighboring 7th District, and opted to seek reelection there. Ron DeSantis, an Iraq War veteran and former prosecutor, won the Republican primary against State representative Fred Costello; Craig Miller, a businessman who served with the U.S. Air Force in the Vietnam War; Beverly Slough, Chairman, St. Johns County School District Board; Richard Clark, member of the Jacksonville City Council; Alec Pueschel and Billy Kogut.
Heather Beaven, a former Navy cryptologist who unsuccessfully challenged John Mica in 2010; won the Democratic primary against Vipin Verma, an attorney, who had qualified by collecting petition signatures
Florida's new 6th district voting age population is 82.8% non-Hispanic Whites (single race), 8.8% non-Hispanic Blacks (includes multirace), 5.4% Hispanic (excludes Hispanic Blacks), 0.3% Hispanic Blacks (includes multirace), and 2.7% other races (non-Hispanic)
General election results
District 7
The new 7th District is the successor to the old 24th District, represented by Republican Sandy Adams since 2011. John Mica, who had represented the old 7th District since 1993, had his home drawn into the new 7th. He defeated Adams in the Republican primary with 61 percent of the vote.
Jason Kendall won the Democratic primary, defeating Nicholas Ruiz III.
Florida's new 7th district voting age population is 70.2% non-Hispanic Whites (single race), 8.1% non-Hispanic blacks (includes multirace), 8.1 percent Hispanic (excludes Hispanic Blacks), 0.9 percent Hispanic Blacks (includes multirace) and 4.7% other races (non-Hispanic).
General election results
District 8
The new 8th District is the successor to the 15th District, represented by Republican Bill Posey since 2009. He was unopposed in the Republican primary. Shannon Roberts won the Democratic nomination, also unopposed.
Florida's new 8th district voting age population is 80.4% non-Hispanic Whites (single race), 8.7% non-Hispanic Blacks (includes multirace), 7.3% Hispanic (excludes Hispanic Blacks), 0.4% Hispanic Blacks (includes multirace), and 3.2% other races (non-Hispanic)
District 9
The new 9th district, an open seat located south of Orlando, is expected to favor Democrats.
Alan Grayson, who formerly represented the 10th district from 2009 to 2011, is seeking to return to the House of Representatives as the representative of the new 9th district. The 9th district will contain all of Osceola County, part of Orange County (including the Orlando International Airport), and part of Polk County. The district's inhabitants voted overwhelmingly for President Barack Obama, preferring him to John McCain 60-39%. In addition, the district will contain a plurality of whites, at 43%, followed by Hispanics and blacks, who will make up 41% and 12% of the population, respectively. Grayson ran unopposed in the Democratic primary and will face Republican nominee Todd Long.
Florida's new 9th district voting age population is 42.9% non-Hispanic Whites (single race), 39.1% Hispanic (excludes Hispanic Blacks), 10.1% non-Hispanic Blacks (includes multirace), 2.3% Hispanic Blacks (includes multirace), and 5.6% other races (non-Hispanic)
District 10
In redistricting, the 8th district was renumbered as the 10th district. Republican Daniel Webster, who has represented the 8th district since January 2011, was expected to seek re-election.
Val Demings, a former Chief of the Orlando Police Department and wife of the Orange County Sheriff, ran as a Democrat. Democrat Alan Grayson, who represented the district from 2009 until 2011, said in July 2011 he would run either for the 8th district or for a newly created seat in Orlando.
Florida's new 10th district voting age population is 69.9% non-Hispanic Whites (single race), 13.5% Hispanic (excludes Hispanic Blacks), 10.4% non-Hispanic Blacks (includes multirace), 0.7% Hispanic Blacks (includes multirace), and 5.4% other races (non-Hispanic).
General election results
District 11
In redistricting, most of the old 5th District became the 11th District. Rich Nugent, who has represented the 5th since 2011, won reelection in the 11th. David Werder won the Democratic nomination unopposed.
Florida's new 11th district voting age population is 83.1% non-Hispanic Whites (single race), 7.3% non-Hispanic Blacks (includes multirace), 7% Hispanic (excludes Hispanic Blacks), 0.4% Hispanic Blacks (includes multirace), and 2.2% other races (non-Hispanic)
General election results
District 12
In redistricting, most of the old 9th District became the 12th district. Republican Gus Bilirakis, who has represented the 9th District since 2007, will run for reelection in the 12th. Jonathan Snow won the Democratic nomination unopposed.
John Russell, an acute care nurse practitioner, had announced prior to redistricting that he would run as an independent in the 11th District. However, after he was drawn into the 12th, he opted to seek election there.
Florida's new 12th district voting age population is 82.6% non-Hispanic Whites (single race), 9.6% Hispanic (excludes Hispanic Blacks), 4% non-Hispanic Blacks (includes multirace), 0.4% Hispanic Blacks (includes multirace), and 3.5% other races (non-Hispanic)
District 13
In redistricting, most of the old 10th District became the 13th District. Bill Young, who has represented the 10th and its predecessors since 1971, will run for reelection.
Jessica Ehrlich, who previously worked for U.S. Representatives Clay Shaw and Stephen Lynch, won the Democratic nomination unopposed.
Florida's new 13th district voting age population is 83.5% non-Hispanic Whites (single race), 7% Hispanic (excludes Hispanic Blacks), 5% non-Hispanic Blacks (includes multirace), 0.3% Hispanic Blacks (includes multirace), and 4.2% other races (non-Hispanic)
General election results
District 14
In redistricting, the 11th District was renumbered as the 14th District. Democrat Kathy Castor, who has represented the 11th since 2007, will seek reelection here. E. J. Otero won the Republican nomination.
Florida's new 14th district voting age population is 46.5% non-Hispanic Whites (single race), 24% non-Hispanic Blacks (includes multirace), 24% Hispanic (excludes Hispanic Blacks), 1.6% Hispanic Blacks (includes multirace), and 3.8% other races (non-Hispanic)
District 15
In redistricting, the 12th district was renumbered as the 15th district. Dennis Ross, who has represented the 12th district since 2011, won the Republican primary unopposed. No other party put up a candidate.
Florida's new 15th district voting age population is 68.6% non-Hispanic Whites (single race), 14.2% Hispanic (excludes Hispanic Blacks), 12% non-Hispanic Blacks (includes multirace), 0.7% Hispanic Blacks (includes multirace), and 4.5% other races (non-Hispanic)
District 16
In redistricting, the Florida's 13th congressional district was renumbered as the 16th district. Republican Vern Buchanan, who has represented the 13th since 2007, will run for reelection in the 16th after deciding against running for the U.S. Senate.
Prior to redistricting, former state representative Keith Fitzgerald had announced he would seek the Democratic nomination to challenge Buchanan.
Florida's new 16th district voting age population is 83.5% non-Hispanic Whites (single race), 8.5% Hispanic (excludes Hispanic Blacks), 5.6% non-Hispanic Blacks (includes multirace), 0.3% Hispanic Blacks (includes multirace), and 2.2% other races (non-Hispanic)
General election results
District 17
The new 17th district, an open seat for a large district comprising parts of 10 South and Central Florida counties as well as parts of the Everglades watershed, is expected to favor Republicans. Republican Tom Rooney, who has represented the 16th district since 2009, will seek re-election in the new 17th district. He faced an Aug. 14 primary challenge from Joe Arnold, a Republican state committeeman for Okeechobee County and member of the school board. Rooney defeated Arnold in a landslide, getting 74% of vote.
Rooney, 41, will run in the general election against a 73-year-old retired Delta Air Lines pilot from Lehigh Acres, Florida, Democrat William Bronson (formerly an unsuccessful Republican candidate in Massachusetts and Georgia) as well as 26-year-old Socialist Workers Party write-in candidate Tom Baumann from Miami (who ran unsuccessful campaigns in Minnesota and in the Borough of Manhattan). As of the September FEC financial reporting deadline Rooney had collected $930,248 in campaign contributions and had $564,716 on hand; the FEC had no reports on Bronson or Baumann.
Florida's new 17th district voting age population is 75.4% non-Hispanic Whites (single race), 13.9% Hispanic (excludes Hispanic Blacks), 7.9% non-Hispanic Blacks (includes multirace), 0.4% Hispanic Blacks (includes multirace), and 2.3% other races (non-Hispanic)
General election results
District 18
Allen West, who was first elected to represent Florida's 22nd congressional district in 2010, lost his race in the new 18th district. He had won the Republican nomination against Martin County Sheriff Robert Crowder.
Patrick Murphy, an environmental services executive, had planned to seek the Democratic nomination in the 22nd district, but announced in February 2012 that he would continue to challenge West in the 18th district.
Marilyn Davis Holloman qualified to run as a write-in. Everett Wilkinson, the chair of the South Florida Tea Party and registered to vote with no party affiliation, decided not to run.
Florida's new 18th district voting age population is 74.7% non-Hispanic Whites (single race), 11.6% Hispanic (excludes Hispanic Blacks), 10.6% non-Hispanic Blacks (includes multirace), 0.4% Hispanic Blacks (includes multirace), and 2.7% other races (non-Hispanic)
General election results
District 19
In redistricting, the 14th district was renumbered as the 19th district. Connie Mack IV, who has represented the 14th district since 2005, will run for the U.S. Senate rather than for re-election.
Trey Radel, a conservative radio talk show host, won the Republican primary election. He ran against State representative Gary Aubuchon; Joe Davidow, an attorney; Chauncey Goss, the son of former Director of Central Intelligence Porter Goss; Timothy John Rossano, a resident of south Lee County; and State representative Paige Kreegel will seek the Republican nomination to succeed Mack. John Sawyer, a former chain store owner, was not on the ballot. Lee County Commissioner Ray Judah; Jeff Kottkamp, the former Lieutenant Governor of Florida; and former state senator Burt Saunders may also run for the Republican nomination. Former state representative Dudley Goodlette; Tom Grady, the commissioner of the Florida Office of Financial Regulation; Ray Price, a member of the Naples City Council; and state senator Garrett Richter, all of whom are Republicans, will not run.
James Roach of Cape Coral, a retired GM research engineer and decorated Vietnam combat veteran who ran unsuccessfully for the 14th district in 2010, is the Democratic nominee.
Brandon Smith is on the general election ballot as an independent candidate.
Florida's new 19th district voting age population is 77.1% non-Hispanic Whites (single race), 14.4% Hispanic (excludes Hispanic Blacks), 6% non-Hispanic Blacks (includes multirace), 0.5% Hispanic Blacks (includes multirace), and 2.1% other races (non-Hispanic)
General election results
District 20
In redistricting, the 23rd District was renumbered as the 20th District. Democrat Alcee Hastings, who has represented the 23rd since 1993, will run for reelection—in effect, trading district numbers with fellow Democrat Debbie Wasserman Schultz. Bernard Sansaricq, the former president of the Senate of Haiti who unsuccessfully challenged Hastings as the Republican nominee in 2010, has filed with the Florida Division of Elections to run again.
General election results
Florida's new 20th district voting age population is 49.2% non-Hispanic Whites (single race), 35.5% Hispanic (excludes Hispanic Blacks), 9.8% non-Hispanic Blacks (includes multirace), 1.2% Hispanic Blacks (includes multirace), and 4.3% other races (non-Hispanic)
District 21
In redistricting, most of the old 19th District became the 21st District. Ted Deutch, who has represented the 19th district since April 2010, won the Democratic primary.
Cesar Augusto Henao Cañas (born September 10, 1977) is an independent candidate.
Florida's new 21st district voting age population is 66.6% non-Hispanic Whites (single race), 17.6% Hispanic (excludes Hispanic Blacks), 10.6% non-Hispanic Blacks (includes multirace), 0.6% Hispanic Blacks (includes multirace), and 4.5% other races (non-Hispanic)
General election results
District 22
Republican Allen West, who was first elected to represent Florida's 22nd congressional district in 2010, will seek re-election in the new 18th district. Adam Hasner, a former majority leader of the Florida House of Representatives, will seek the Republican nomination in the new 22nd district. Broward County Commissioner Chip LaMarca decided not to run.
Lois Frankel, the former mayor of West Palm Beach, Florida; won the Democratic primary against Broward County Commissioner Kristin Jacobs. Patrick Murphy, an environmental services executive, had planned to seek the Democratic nomination in the 22nd district; but announced in February 2012 that he would continue to challenge West in the 18th district. Broward County Commissioner John Rodstrom also will not run for the Democratic nomination.
Florida's new 22nd district voting age population is 69.4% non-Hispanic Whites (single race), 17.2% Hispanic (excludes Hispanic Blacks), 9.8% non-Hispanic Blacks (includes multirace), 0.6% Hispanic Blacks (includes multirace), and 3.1% other races (non-Hispanic)
General election results
District 23
In redistricting, the 20th District was renumbered as the 23rd District. DNC Chairwoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz who has represented the 20th since 2005, is running for re-election. Businessman Ozzie deFaria, businesswoman Karen Harrington, who unsuccessfully challenged Wasserman Schultz in 2010, Americans Against Hate founder Joe Kaufman, Tea Party activist Joe Goldner and Carl Mathiesen will seek the Republican nomination.
Florida's new 23rd district voting age population is 48.9% non-Hispanic Blacks (includes multirace), 29.5% non-Hispanic Whites (single race), 17.4% Hispanic (excludes Hispanic Blacks), 1.2% Hispanic Blacks (includes multirace), and 3.1% other races (non-Hispanic)
General election results
District 24
In redistricting, most of the old 17th District was renumbered as the 24th District. Democrat Frederica Wilson, who has represented the 17th since 2011, will seek reelection. Rudy Moise, a doctor and lawyer who unsuccessfully sought the Democratic nomination in the 17th district in 2010, will run again.
Florida's new 24th district voting age population is 51.7% non-Hispanic Blacks (includes multirace), 29.9% Hispanic (excludes Hispanic Blacks), 12.6% non-Hispanic Whites (single race), 3.2% Hispanic Blacks (includes multirace), and 2.5% other races (non-Hispanic)
District 25
In redistricting, the 21st district was renumbered as the 25th district. Republican Mario Diaz-Balart, who has represented the 21st district since 2011, is expected to seek re-election. No other party put up a candidate.
Florida's new 25th district voting age population is 68.9% Hispanic (excludes Hispanic Blacks), 21.2% non-Hispanic Whites (single race), 6% non-Hispanic Blacks (includes multirace), 1.7% Hispanic Blacks (includes multirace), and 2.1% other races (non-Hispanic)
District 26
In redistricting, the old 25th District was renumbered as the 26th district. Republican David Rivera, who has represented the 25th since 2011, will seek reelection. He is running unopposed in the Republican primary.
Attorney, activist, and former Democratic candidate Joe Garcia will run against Rivera in a re-match of the 2010 election. Due to redistricting and constitutional amendments passed in 2010 restricting gerrymandering, the race is considered a toss-up. While the old 25th leaned Republican, the new district is split narrowly in half between Republicans and Democrats.
Florida's new 26th district voting age population is 67.4% Hispanic (excludes Hispanic Blacks), 20.2% non-Hispanic Whites (single race), 8.6% non-Hispanic Blacks (includes multirace), 1.5% Hispanic Blacks (includes multirace), and 2.4% other races (non-Hispanic)
General election results
District 27
In redistricting, the old 18th District was renumbered as the 27th District. Republican Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, who has represented the 18th since 1989, will seek reelection and was unopposed in the Republican primary. Democrat Manny Yevancey won the Democratic nomination, also unopposed.
Florida's new 27th district voting age population is 72.8% Hispanic (excludes Hispanic Blacks), 17.5% non-Hispanic Whites (single race), 5.5% non-Hispanic Blacks (includes multirace), 2.2% Hispanic Blacks (includes multirace), and 2% other races (non-Hispanic)