By Maresa Strano
MADISON, Wisconsin: It's an off-year for gubernatorial elections in Alabama, Georgia, and Louisiana, which means the region had all eyes fixed on the state executive races for Public Service Commssioners. Three of the five state executive incumbents up for election ran in the general election on November 6, 2012. Both Georgia incumbents ran and won re-election, while incumbent Alabama Public Service Commission President Lucy Baxley (D) was ousted by fellow commissioner Twinkle Cavanaugh, a Republican. Since Baxley's departure (she retired from politics after her defeat), no single Democrat holds statewide office in Alabama. In Louisiana, incumbent commissioner James Field (R) opted not to seek re-election this year. (See official election result vote boxes below)[1][2][3]
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.[4]
- 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.[5] 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
|
Official results
Alabama
- See also: Alabama down ballot state executive elections, 2012
| Alabama Public Service Commission President General Election, 2012 |
| Party |
Candidate |
Vote % |
Votes |
| |
Republican |
 Twinkle Cavanaugh |
54.2% |
1,078,108 |
| |
Democratic |
Lucy Baxley Incumbent |
45.8% |
909,323 |
| Total Votes |
1,987,431 |
| Election results via Alabama Secretary of State |
Georgia (2 seats)
- See also: Georgia down ballot state executive elections, 2012
| Georgia Public Service Commission District 3 General Election, 2012 |
| Party |
Candidate |
Vote % |
Votes |
| |
Republican |
Chuck Eaton Incumbent |
52.1% |
1,858,663 |
| |
Democratic |
Stephen Oppenheimer |
43.1% |
1,537,923 |
| |
Libertarian |
Brad Ploeger |
4.8% |
171,138 |
| Total Votes |
3,567,724 |
| Election results via Georgia Secretary of State |
| Georgia Public Service Commission District 3 General Election, 2012 |
| Party |
Candidate |
Vote % |
Votes |
| |
Republican |
Chuck Eaton Incumbent |
52.1% |
1,858,663 |
| |
Democratic |
Stephen Oppenheimer |
43.1% |
1,537,923 |
| |
Libertarian |
Brad Ploeger |
4.8% |
171,138 |
| Total Votes |
3,567,724 |
| Election results via Georgia Secretary of State |
Louisiana
- See also: Louisiana state executive official elections, 2012
| Louisiana Public Service Commission Primary Election, 2012 |
| Party |
Candidate |
Vote % |
Votes |
| |
Republican |
Scott Angelle |
57.2% |
213,485 |
| |
Democratic |
Forest Wright |
20.5% |
76,336 |
| |
Republican |
Erich Ponti |
11.6% |
43,287 |
| |
Republican |
Sarah Holliday |
7.6% |
28,214 |
| |
Independent |
Greg Gaubert |
3.2% |
11,758 |
| Total Votes |
373,080 |
| Election results via Louisiana Secretary of State |
See also
|
- ↑ Georgia Secretary of State, "2012 General Election Results," December 7, 2012
- ↑ Alabama Secretary of State, "2012 General Election Results," accessed December 7, 2012
- ↑ Louisiana Secretary of State, "Complete 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
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