By Maresa Strano
OLYMPIA, Missouri: Five state executive positions were up for election in 2012 in the state of Missouri: governor, lieutenant governor, attorney general, treasurer.
Four incumbents ran for and won re-election on November 6, 2012. The fifth incumbent, secretary of state Robin Carnahan (D), was eligible to seek a third term in 2012, but she chose to retire to the private sector instead.[1] She will be succeeded by state Rep. Jason Kander (D), who narrowly defeated fellow state lawmaker Shane Schoeller (R) to score Carnahan's open seat in the general election. Kander will be sworn in on January 14, 2013.
Here are the candidates who won election.[2](See below for official vote totals)
Official Results
Governor
- See also: Missouri gubernatorial election, 2012
Governor of Missouri General Election, 2012 |
Party |
Candidate |
Vote % |
Votes |
|
Democratic |
Jay Nixon Incumbent |
54.8% |
1,494,056 |
|
Republican |
Dave Spence |
42.5% |
1,160,265 |
|
Libertarian |
Jim Higgins |
2.7% |
73,509 |
Total Votes |
2,727,830 |
Election results via Missouri Secretary of State |
Lt. Governor
- See also: Missouri lieutenant gubernatorial election, 2012
Lieutenant Governor of Missouri General Election, 2012 |
Party |
Candidate |
Vote % |
Votes |
|
Republican |
Peter Kinder Incumbent |
49.3% |
1,319,747 |
|
Democratic |
Susan Montee |
45.5% |
1,219,457 |
|
Libertarian |
Matthew Copple |
2.8% |
75,169 |
|
Constitution |
Cynthia Davis |
2.4% |
63,594 |
Total Votes |
2,677,967 |
Election results via Missouri Secretary of State |
Attorney General
- See also: Missouri attorney general election, 2012
Attorney General of Missouri General Election, 2012 |
Party |
Candidate |
Vote % |
Votes |
|
Democratic |
Chris Koster Incumbent |
55.9% |
1,491,139 |
|
Republican |
Ed Martin |
40.6% |
1,084,106 |
|
Libertarian |
Dave Browning |
3.5% |
92,819 |
Total Votes |
2,668,064 |
Election results via Missouri Secretary of State |
Secretary of State
- See also: Missouri secretary of state election, 2012
Missouri Secretary of State General Election, 2012 |
Party |
Candidate |
Vote % |
Votes |
|
Democratic |
Jason Kander |
48.9% |
1,298,022 |
|
Republican |
Shane Schoeller |
47.4% |
1,258,937 |
|
Libertarian |
Cisse Spragins |
2.7% |
70,814 |
|
Constitution |
Justin Harter |
1% |
27,710 |
Total Votes |
2,655,483 |
Election results via Missouri Secretary of State |
Treasurer
- See also: Missouri down ballot state executive elections, 2012
Missouri Treasurer General Election, 2012 |
Party |
Candidate |
Vote % |
Votes |
|
Democratic |
Clint Zweifel Incumbent |
50.4% |
1,332,876 |
|
Republican |
Cole McNary |
45.4% |
1,200,368 |
|
Libertarian |
Sean O'Toole |
4.1% |
109,188 |
Total Votes |
2,642,432 |
Election results via Missouri 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.[3]
- 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. That number could become 35 if the Montana recount results show Juneau's challenger, Republican Sandy Welch, is the winner.
- From the gubernatorial perspective, after the November 2012 election, there are 30 Republican and 19 Democratic governors.[4] 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
- Ballotpedia's 2012 General Election Review Articles: Missouri Congressional Seats
- Ballotpedia:2012 general election preview articles
- November 6, 2012 election results
- State executive official elections, 2012
- Ballotpedia:Statewide projections for the November 6, 2012 elections
- Missouri state executive official elections, 2012
- Missouri down ballot state executive elections, 2012
- Missouri gubernatorial election, 2012
- Missouri lieutenant gubernatorial election, 2012
- Missouri secretary of state election, 2012
- Missouri attorney general election, 2012
- Swearing-in dates of state executives elected on November 6, 2012
- ↑ Student Life, "Carnahan will not run for office in 2012, to work in private sector," October 13, 2011
- ↑ Missouri Secretary of State, "November 6, 2012 General Election Results," accessed November 7, 2012
- ↑ The Missoulian, "Welch drops request for recount in school superintendent race," December 12, 2012
- ↑ NPR "Republican Governors Gear Up For Election Gains," October 18, 2012