By Greg Janetka
Indianapolis, Indiana: Four state executive positions were up for election this year in the state of Indiana. With Gov. Mitch Daniels (R) and Lt. Gov. Becky Skillman (R) term-limited, only two incumbents ran for re-election, one of whom won on November 6, 2012.
Here are the candidates who won election.[1]
Official Results
Governor/Lt. Governor
- See also: Indiana gubernatorial and lieutenant gubernatorial election, 2012
| Governor/Lieutenant Governor of Indiana General Election, 2012 |
| Party |
Candidate |
Vote % |
Votes |
| |
Democratic |
John Gregg / Vi Simpson |
46.6% |
1,200,016 |
| |
Republican |
 Mike Pence / Sue Ellspermann |
49.5% |
1,275,424 |
| |
Libertarian |
Rupert Boneham / Brad Klopfenstein |
4% |
101,868 |
| |
Independent |
Donnie Harold Harris / George Fish |
0% |
21 |
| Total Votes |
2,577,329 |
| Election results via Indiana Secretary of State |
Attorney General
- See also: Indiana attorney general election, 2012
| Attorney General of Indiana General Election, 2012 |
| Party |
Candidate |
Vote % |
Votes |
| |
Republican |
Greg Zoeller Incumbent |
58% |
1,453,334 |
| |
Democratic |
Kay Fleming |
42% |
1,051,504 |
| Total Votes |
2,504,838 |
| Election results via Indiana Secretary of State |
Superintendent of Public Instruction
- See also: Indiana down ballot state executive elections, 2012
| Indiana Superintendent of Public Instruction General Election, 2012 |
| Party |
Candidate |
Vote % |
Votes |
| |
Democratic |
Glenda Ritz |
52.8% |
1,332,755 |
| |
Republican |
Tony Bennett Incumbent |
47.2% |
1,190,716 |
| Total Votes |
2,523,471 |
| Election results via Indiana Secretary of State |
National picture
States with 2012 executive elections
There were 94 total seats up for election across 22 states this year, including 11 Governors, 9 Lt. Governors, 10 Attorneys General, 7 Secretaries of State and 57 down ballot seats.
- Before the election, 51 of these offices were held by Democrats, 38 were held by Republicans, and the remaining 4 positions were held by non partisan or Independent officers . After the election, Democrats hold 49 (net loss of 2 seats), Republicans 42 (net gain of 4 seats), and Independents/non partisans only 1 (loss of 3).
- Of the 69 incumbents who ran for election in 2012, 7 were defeated-6 Democrat and 1 Republican. Democratic Montana Superintendent of Public Instruction Denise Juneau narrowly escaped that fate, having had to wait for her challenger to cancel a self-financed recount on December 11, 2012 before being named the official winner.[2]
- Out of 25 total open seats, 13 were won by Democrats, 11 went to Republican, and 1 went to an Independent (nonpartisan) candidate. In all, there are 34 new state executives as a result of the election.
- From the gubernatorial perspective, after the November 2012 election, there are 30 Republican and 19 Democratic governors.[3] If the GOP had taken five governor seats from Democrats on November 6, that would have given the party 34 -- the most for Republicans since 1922. As of December 2012, the number of Democratic governors in the country is at its lowest since 2001.
| 2012 State Executive Election Partisan Breakdown
|
| Party
|
Before 2012 Election
|
After 2012 Election
|
Net Change
|
| Democratic
|
51
|
50
|
-1
|
| Republican
|
38
|
43
|
+5
|
| Independent (Nonpartisan)
|
4
|
1
|
-3
|
| TOTALS
|
931 vacant
|
94
|
|
| 2012 State Executive Election Analysis
|
| Party
|
Open Seat Winners
|
Defeated Incumbents
|
New State Executives
|
| Democratic
|
13
|
6
|
15
|
| Republican
|
11
|
1
|
18
|
| Independent (Nonpartisan)
|
1
|
0
|
1
|
| TOTALS
|
25
|
7
|
34
|
See also
John Gregg
Mike Pence
Rupert Boneham
Donnie Harold Harris
