By Maresa Strano
HARRISBURG, Pennsylvania: Three state executive offices were up for election in Pennsylvania this year: attorney general, state treasurer, and auditor general.
Incumbent State Treasurer Rob McCord (D) ran for and won re-election in 2012. As for the other two incumbents whose seats were up for election:
- Pennsylvania Attorney General Linda Kelly (R) is stepping aside upon the expiration of the term she was appointed to by now Governor Tom Corbett. Kelly's Senate confirmation in 2010 was predicated on a "gentleman's agreement," a staple of Pennsylvania state politics, whereby state-row appointees pledge to not seek a full term to the position in the subsequent election cycle. She will be succeeded by Democrat Kathleen Kane on January 15, 2013. Kane defeated David Freed (R) with over 56% of the vote. She is the first female and first Democrat to be elected attorney general in Pennsylvania.[1]
- Two term auditor general Jack Wagner (D) could not run this year due to term limits. Pennsylvania State Representative Eugene DePasquale (D) was elected to replace Wagner as the state's top financial watchdog.
Here are the candidates who won election.[2]
Official Results
Attorney General
- See also: Pennsylvania attorney general election, 2012
| Attorney General of Pennsylvania General Election, 2012 |
| Party |
Candidate |
Vote % |
Votes |
| |
Democratic |
 Kathleen Kane |
56.1% |
3,125,557 |
| |
Republican |
David Freed |
41.6% |
2,313,506 |
| |
Libertarian |
Marakay Rogers |
2.3% |
128,140 |
| Total Votes |
5,567,203 |
| Election results via Pennsylvania Department of State |
Treasurer
- See also: Pennsylvania down ballot state executive elections, 2012
| Pennsylvania Treasurer General Election, 2012 |
| Party |
Candidate |
Vote % |
Votes |
| |
Democratic |
Rob McCord Incumbent |
52.5% |
2,872,344 |
| |
Republican |
Diana Irey Vaughan |
44% |
2,405,654 |
| |
Libertarian |
Patricia Fryman |
3.5% |
190,406 |
| Total Votes |
5,468,404 |
| Election results via Pennsylvania Department of State |
Auditor
- See also: Pennsylvania down ballot state executive elections, 2012
| Pennsylvania Auditor General General Election, 2012 |
| Party |
Candidate |
Vote % |
Votes |
| |
Democratic |
Eugene DePasquale |
49.7% |
2,729,565 |
| |
Republican |
John Maher |
46.4% |
2,548,767 |
| |
Libertarian |
Betsy Summers |
3.8% |
210,786 |
| Total Votes |
5,489,118 |
| Election results via Pennsylvania Department 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.
- 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
- ↑ Philadelphia Inquirer, "Election Results 2012," accessed November 7, 2012
- ↑ Pennsylvania Secretary of State, "2012 General Election Results," accessed December 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
Kathleen Kane
David Freed
Marakay Rogers
