2012 elections review: Delaware voters choose winners in congressional, legislative primaries

September 12, 2012

By Ballotpedia's Congressional and State legislative teams

The primary season continued yesterday with elections in Delaware, New Hampshire, and Rhode Island.

Here's what happened in Delaware.

Contested Primaries in Delaware -- September 11, 2012
	U.S. House (1 seat)	State Legislature (62 seats)
Total Democratic Contested Primaries	0 (0%)	14 (22.58%)
Total Republican Contested Primaries	1 (100%)	6 (9.68%)

Congress

U.S. Senate

United States Senate elections in Delaware, 2012

Incumbent Tom Carper defeated challenger Keith Robert Spanarelli in the Democratic primary for Delaware's U.S. Senate seat. Carper will face Republican Kevin Wade, who had no primary challenger, in the general election. Green Party candidate Andrew Richard Groff and Independent Alexander Pires will also compete in November.

U.S. House

United States House of Representatives elections in Delaware, 2012

Delaware has one congressional seat on the ballot in 2012. A total of 4 candidates filed to run, made up of 2 Republican challengers, 1 incumbent, and 1 Libertarian. A total of 429 U.S. House seats have held primaries. Thus far, 55.01% of possible primaries have been contested. Delaware's contested figure of 50% (1 out of 2 possible party primaries) is slightly less competitive than the national average.

In Delaware's at large congressional district, Democratic incumbent John Carney ran unopposed in the primary. On the other side of the aisle, Tom Kovach defeated Rose Izzo for the Republican nomination.

Members of the U.S. House from Delaware -- Partisan Breakdown
Party		As of November 2012	After the 2012 Election
	Democratic Party	1	1
	Republican Party	0	0
Total		1	1

State legislature

Delaware State Senate elections, 2012 and Delaware House of Representatives elections, 2012

There are 62 total legislative seats with elections in 2012 -- 41 Senate seats and 21 House seats.

There were 14 (22.58%) contested Democratic primaries and 6 (9.68%) contested Republican primaries. Thus, there were 20 (16.13%) races Tuesday with at least two candidates on the ballot. The 16.13% figure of total contested primaries in Delaware is lower than the current national contested average of 18.40% for states that have had filing deadlines.

Senate

Heading into the election, the Democratic Party holds the majority in the Delaware State Senate.

District 1: Incumbent Harris McDowell a, who first assumed office in 1976, defeated two challengers David D. Brady and James Martin in the Democratic primary. He will face Libertarian Party candidate Bryan Lintz and Independent candidate Robert Clark in the general election.

District 3: Incumbent Robert Marshall a first assumed office in 1978 and defeated two challengers, Eric M. Anderson and Timothy J. Meades, Sr. in the Democratic primary. He will face no major party competition in the general election, and is all but guaranteed the winner of the district seat.

District 6: Incumbent Liane Sorenson (R) did not seek re-election. The open seat drew competition from both parties. Democratic candidate Andrew W. Staton a defeated Robert G. Frederick and Micheal C. Miller, Sr. for the nomination. On the Republican ticket, Ernesto B. Lopez a defeated Glen Urquhart for the Republican nomination. Staton and Lopez will face Libertarian Party candidate Gwendolyn M. Jones in the general election.

District 18: Incumbent Gary Simpson a, who first assumed office in 1999, defeated challenger Matthew A. Opaliski in the Republican primary. He will take on Democratic candidate Gary Downes in the general election.

District 19: Challenger Eric R. Bodenweiser a defeated incumbent Joseph Booth, who first assumed office in 2009. He will face Democrat Jane E. Hovington in the general election.

House

Heading into the election, the Democratic Party holds the majority in the Delaware House of Representatives.

District 1: Incumbent Dennis P. Williams (D) did not seek re-election. Democratic candidate Charles Potter, Jr. a defeated Victoria A. Kent and Rourke A. Moore to claim the seat. No major party competition filed to run, so Potter is all but guaranteed the district seat.

District 2: Incumbent Stephanie Bolden a first assumed office in 2011. She defeated challenger Arthur Scott in the Democratic primary and will face no major party competition in the general election.

District 10: Incumbent Dennis E. Williams a, who first assumed office in 2009, defeated challenger Sean Matthews in the Democratic primary. He will face Republican nominee Robert M. Rhodunda in the general election.

District 11: Incumbent Gregory Lavelle (R) did not seek re-election, and will instead run for Delaware State Senate. Lynne Newlin defeated David Brown, Jr. for the Democratic nomination. She will face Republican nominee Jeffrey Spiegelman and Libertarian Party candidate Margaret McKeown in the general election.

District 15: Incumbent Valerie Longhurst a, who first assumed office in 2005, survived a primary challenge from James D. Burton in the Democratic primary. She will face Libertarian Party candidate Amy Merlino in the general election.

District 19: Incumbent Robert Gilligan (D) did not seek re-election. Kimberly Williams a defeated William H. Dunn for the Democratic nomination, and the opportunity to take on Republican nominee Dennis C. Cini to decide the open seat.

District 20: Democratic candidate Marie M. Mayor a defeated Thomas D. Jones, Sr. and Lynn J. Rogers for nomination. She will take on Republican nominee Stephen T. Smyk and Libertarian Party candidate Valerie V. Valeska in the general election.

District 22: Incumbents Nick T. Manolakos, who first assumed office in District 20 in 2007, and Joseph Miro a, who first assumed office District 22 in 1999, faced off for the Republican nomination, with Miro claiming victory. He will take on Democratic candidate David E. Ellis in the general election.

District 23: Incumbent Teresa Schooley (D) did not seek re-election in 2012. Democratic candidate Paul S. Baumbach a defeated Claudia B. Bock and Gerald J. Grant, Jr. to win the nomination. Republican nominee Mark Doughty will face Baumbach in the general election to decide the open seat.

District 32: Incumbent E. Bradford Bennett (D) did not seek re-election in 2012. Both parties have contested primaries. Democratic candidate Andria L. Bennett a defeated William P. McGlumphy for the nomination. On the Republican ticket candidate Ellis B. Parrott a defeated William R. McVay to win the nomination. Bennett and Parrott will face each other in the general election.

District 39: Incumbent Daniel Short a, who first assumed office in 2003, defeated challenger Patrick J. Murray not just for the Republican nomination. He will face no general election competition, and will be all but guaranteed the district seat.

District 40: Incumbent Clifford Lee (R) did not seek re-election. Democratic candidate Benjamin D. Lowe a defeated Raymond C. Adkins to decide the nomination. He will face Republican nominee Timothy D. Dukes in the general election.

Delaware State Senate
Party		As of November 5, 2012	After the 2012 Election
	Democratic Party	14	13
	Republican Party	7	8
Total		21	21

Delaware House of Representatives
Party		As of November 5, 2012	After the 2012 Election
	Democratic Party	26	27
	Republican Party	15	14
Total		41	41

See also

• United States Senate elections in Delaware, 2012
• United States House of Representatives elections in Delaware, 2012
• Delaware State Senate elections, 2012
• Delaware House of Representatives elections, 2012