By Maresa Strano
SALEM, Oregon: Four state executive positions were up for election this year in the state of Oregon. Only three incumbents ran in the primary, but four incumbents appeared on the general election ballot. All four incumbents won election on November 6, 2012.
- At the start of the 2012 election season, the incumbent attorney general was John Kroger (D). Kroger gave ample notice that he would not run for re-election in 2012, but less so when a new job opportunity compelled him to leave office several months before voters had a chance to officially select his successor. Kroger resigned in the spring and Gov. John Kitzhaber appointed recent Democratic attorney general primary victor Ellen Rosenblum to fill the vacancy. For this reason, Rosenblum entered the general election phase as the incumbent.
Here are the candidates who won election.[1]
Official Results
Secretary of State
- See also: Oregon secretary of state election, 2012
| Oregon Secretary of State General Election, 2012 |
| Party |
Candidate |
Vote % |
Votes |
| |
Democratic |
 Kate Brown Incumbent |
51.4% |
863,656 |
| |
Republican |
Knute Buehler |
43.3% |
727,607 |
| |
Green |
Seth Woolley |
2.6% |
44,235 |
| |
Libertarian |
Bruce Alexander Knight |
1.4% |
24,273 |
| |
Progressive |
Robert Wolfe |
1.3% |
21,783 |
| Total Votes |
1,681,554 |
| Election results via Oregon Secretary of State |
Attorney General
- See also: Oregon attorney general election, 2012
| Attorney General of Oregon General Election, 2012 |
| Party |
Candidate |
Vote % |
Votes |
| |
Democratic |
Ellen Rosenblum Incumbent |
56.3% |
917,627 |
| |
Republican |
James Buchal |
39.2% |
639,363 |
| |
Libertarian |
James Leuenberger |
2.8% |
45,451 |
| |
Progressive |
Chris Henry |
1.7% |
28,187 |
| Total Votes |
1,630,628 |
| Election results via Oregon Secretary of State |
Treasurer
- See also: Oregon down ballot state executive elections, 2012
| Oregon Treasurer General Election, 2012 |
| Party |
Candidate |
Vote % |
Votes |
| |
Democratic |
Ted Wheeler Incumbent |
57.9% |
955,213 |
| |
Republican |
Tom Cox |
37% |
609,989 |
| |
Progressive |
Cameron Whitten |
2.4% |
38,762 |
| |
Libertarian |
John Mahler |
1.8% |
30,002 |
| |
Constitution |
Michael Paul Marsh |
0.9% |
15,415 |
| Total Votes |
1,649,381 |
| Election results via Oregon Secretary of State |
Labor Commissioner
- See also: Oregon down ballot state executive elections, 2012
| Oregon Commissioner of Labor and Industries General Election, 2012 |
| Party |
Candidate |
Vote % |
Votes |
| |
Nonpartisan |
Brad Avakian* (D) Incumbent |
52.5% |
681,987 |
| |
Nonpartisan |
Bruce Starr* (R) |
46.7% |
606,735 |
| |
Nonpartisan |
Write-in |
0.7% |
9,616 |
| Total Votes |
1,298,338 |
| Election results via Oregon 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
Kate Brown
Knute Buehler
Bruce Alexander Knight
Seth Woolley
Robert Wolfe
Michael Paul Marsh
