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Indiana's 2nd Congressional District elections, 2012
2014 →
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November 6, 2012 |
May 8, 2012 |
Jackie Walorski  |
Joe Donnelly  |
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The 2nd Congressional District of Indiana held an election for the U.S. House of Representatives on November 6, 2012.
Jackie Walorski (R) won election to the U.S. House of Representatives on November 6, 2012, defeating Brendan Mullen (D) with 1% of the vote. This switched partisan control of the district.[1]
| Candidate Filing Deadline | Primary Election | General Election |
|---|---|---|
Primary: Indiana has an open primary system, in which any registered voter can choose which party's primary to vote in, without having to be a member of that party.
Voter registration: Voters had to register to vote in the primary by April 9. For the general election, the voter registration deadline was October 9.[2]
- See also: Indiana elections, 2012
Incumbent: Heading into the election the incumbent was Joe Donnelly (D), who was first elected in 2006. Donnelly ran for the U.S. Senate rather than for re-election to the House of Representatives[3]
This was the first election using district maps based on data from the 2010 Census. Indiana's 2nd Congressional District was based in South Bend located in north-central Indiana and included La Porte, St. Joseph, Elkhart, Starke, Marshall, Pulaski, Fulton, Miami, Wasbasha, and Kosclusko counties.[4]
Candidates
General election candidates
- Brendan Mullen
- Jackie Walorski
Joe Ruiz
Kenneth R. Lunce, Jr. (Write-In)- Note:
Andrew Straw was disqualified from the ballot on July 27, 2012[5]
May 8, 2012, primary results
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Election results
General Election
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Jackie Walorski |
49% | 134,033 | |
| Democratic | Brendan Mullen | 47.6% | 130,113 | |
| Libertarian | Joe Ruiz | 3.4% | 9,326 | |
| Independent | Kenneth R. Lunce, Jr. (Write-in) | 0% | 3 | |
| Total Votes | 273,475 | |||
| Source: Indiana Secretary of State "House of Representatives Election Results" | ||||
Democratic Primary
| Candidate | Vote % | Votes |
|---|---|---|
|
Brendan Mullen |
54.1% | 11,218 |
| Dan Morrison | 45.9% | 9,519 |
| Total Votes | 20,737 | |
Republican Primary
| Candidate | Vote % | Votes |
|---|---|---|
|
Jackie Walorski |
72.8% | 46,873 |
| Greg Andrews | 27.2% | 17,522 |
| Total Votes | 64,395 | |
Race background
Indiana's 2nd District was included in the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee's "Red to Blue List," which identifies districts that the organization has specifically targeted to flip from Republican to Democratic control.[13]
Republican challenger Jackie Walorski has been included in the National Republican Congressional Committee's Young Guns program. The program highlights challengers who represent the GOP's best chances to pick up congressional seats in the general election.[14]
Democratic candidate Brendan Mullen received endorsements from the Indiana Federation of Teachers,[15] the organization VoteVets,[15] The American Association for Justice,[15] The Indiana Democratic State Central Committee,[15] and the Blue Dog Coalition PAC.[15]
Republican Jackie Walorski was endorsed by Gun Owners of America Political Victory Fund.[16] On March 13, 2012, Walorski was endorsed by The Republican Second District Central Committee.[17] Walorski has also obtained endorsements from the Eagle Forum, FreedomWorks for America, Indiana Chamber of Commerce, Indiana Right to Life, the National Rifle Association (NRA), and the Susan B. Anthony List.[17]
Green Party candidate Andrew Straw was endorsed by the Indiana Green Party on January 3, 2012.[18]
Libertarian Party candidate Joe Ruiz was endorsed by the Libertarian Party of Indiana on March 24th, 2012
Impact of redistricting
- See also: Redistricting in Indiana
The newly-drawn map was designed to produce seven districts that were favorable to the Republican Party and two that were favorable to the Democratic Party.
Roll Call said that 2nd District was the "first House seat of the cycle that Roll Call Politics has rated as likely to flip to the other party..."[19]
According to Roll Call's Race Ratings "The most devastating change for 2nd District Democrats was the loss of Kokomo, a middle-class town with heavy union membership and reliable Donnelly voters. Kokomo was split between the heavily Republican 4th and 5th Districts."[19] The new district also lost part of LaPorte County, including Michigan City, to the 1st District.[19] Meanwhile, the district picked up Elkhart County.[19]
The Howey Political Report rated Walorski likely to win this district, after she lost by one percentage point in 2010 to Joe Donnelly.[20]
The new 2nd District was composed of the following percentages of voters of the old congressional districts.[21][22]
- 73 percent from the 2nd Congressional District
- 18 percent from the 3rd Congressional District
- 9 percent from the 5th Congressional District
District partisanship
FairVote's Monopoly Politics 2012 study
- See also: FairVote's Monopoly Politics 2012
In 2012, FairVote did a study on partisanship in the congressional districts, giving each a percentage ranking (D/R) based on the new 2012 maps and comparing that to the old 2010 maps. Indiana's 2nd District became more Republican because of redistricting.[23]
- 2012: 47D / 53R
- 2010: 51D / 49R
Cook Political Report's PVI
In 2012, Cook Political Report released its updated figures on the Partisan Voter Index, which measures each congressional district's partisanship relative to the rest of the country. Indiana's 2nd Congressional District had a PVI of R+7, which was the 149th most Republican district in the country. In 2008, this district was won by Barack Obama (D), 50-50 percent over John McCain (R). In 2004, George W. Bush (R) won the district 61-39 percent over John Kerry (D).[24]
Campaign donors
2012
| Jackie Walorski (2012)[25] Campaign Finance Reports | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Report | Date Filed | Beginning Balance | Total Contributions for Reporting Period | Expenditures | Cash on Hand | ||||
| April Quarterly[26] | April 15, 2012 | $436,055.47 | $211,009.50 | $(81,261.69) | $565,803.28 | ||||
| Pre-Primary[27] | April 26, 2012 | $565,803.28 | $20,490.76 | $(28,183.76) | $558,109.52 | ||||
| Running totals | |||||||||
| $231,500.26 | $(109,445.45) | ||||||||
According to an article in The National Journal, Walorski raised over $330,000 during the second quarter of the year and ended the period with $720,000 cash on hand.[28]
| Brendan Mullen (2012)[29] Campaign Finance Reports | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Report | Date Filed | Beginning Balance | Total Contributions for Reporting Period | Expenditures | Cash on Hand | ||||
| April Quarterly[30] | April 13, 2012 | $272,960.16 | $244,696.31 | $(67,570.54) | $450,085.93 | ||||
| Pre-Primary[31] | April 26, 2012 | $450,085.93 | $13,501.00 | $(32,226.26) | $431,360.67 | ||||
| Running totals | |||||||||
| $258,197.31 | $(99,796.8) | ||||||||
District history
| Candidate ballot access |
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2010
On November 2, 2010, Joe Donnelly won re-election to the United States House of Representatives. He defeated Jackie Walorski (R) and Mark Vogel (L) in the general election.[32]
| U.S. House, Indiana District 2 General Election, 2010 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Democratic | Joe Donnelly Incumbent |
48.2% | 91,341 | |
| Republican | Jackie Walorski | 46.8% | 88,803 | |
| Libertarian | Mark Vogel | 5% | 9,447 | |
| Total Votes | 189,591 | |||
See also
- United States House of Representatives elections in Indiana, 2012
- United States House of Representatives elections, 2012
- United States Senate elections in Indiana, 2012
External links
- Andrew Straw's Campaign Website
- Brendan Mullen's Campaign Website
- Jackie Walorski's Campaign Website
- Mitch Feikes's Campaign Website
- Joe Ruiz Campaign Website
Footnotes
- ↑ Politico, "2012 Election Map, Indiana"
- ↑ Indiana Elections Division, "2012 Calendar Brochure," accessed July 24, 2012
- ↑ WNDU.com, "UPDATE: Donnelly to run for US Senate in Ind." accessed December 15, 2011 (dead link)
- ↑ Indiana Redistricting Map, "Map" accessed July 24, 2012
- ↑ South End Tribune "Green candidate denied ballot spot," July 27, 2012
- ↑ Fox 28.com "Brendan Mullen announces run for 2nd Congressional District seat" accessed December 15, 2011
- ↑ Indiana Secretary of State "Candidate List" accessed February 9, 2012
- ↑ IndyStar.com "2 GOP rivals lead Burton in fundraising" accessed December 15, 2011
- ↑ WNDU.com "Walorski to run for 2nd District in 2012" accessed December 15, 2011
- ↑ Herald Argus "Feikes to run for 2nd District seat" accessed December 15, 2011
- ↑ Indiana Secretary of State "2012 Primary Election Results," May 8, 2012
- ↑ eTruth.com "Goshen attorney Straw to run for Congress" accessed December 15, 2011
- ↑ DCCC, "Red to Blue 2012"
- ↑ NRCC "Young Guns 2012"
- ↑ 15.0 15.1 15.2 15.3 15.4 Brendan Mullen for Congress, "Endorsements," accessed April 13, 2012
- ↑ Gun Owners of America Political Victory Fund, "Walorski" accessed May 1, 2012
- ↑ 17.0 17.1 Stand with Jackie, "Endorsements," accessed May 1, 2012
- ↑ eTruth.com, "Goshen attorney Straw to run for Congress" accessed December 15, 2011
- ↑ 19.0 19.1 19.2 19.3 Roll Call, "Race Ratings: GOP Poised to Scoop Up a Seat" accessed February 28, 2012
- ↑ WIBC, "Redistricting Reshuffles Congressional Races to Watch," accessed October 16, 2012
- ↑ Moonshadow Mobile's CensusViewer, "Arizona's congressional districts 2001-2011 comparison"
- ↑ Labels & Lists, "VoterMapping software voter counts"
- ↑ "2011 Redistricting and 2012 Elections in Indiana," September 2012
- ↑ Cook Political Report, "Partisan Voting Index Districts of the 113th Congress: 2004 & 2008" accessed October 2012
- ↑ FEC Reports, "Jackie Walorski Summary Reports" accessed July 11, 2012
- ↑ FEC Reports, "April Quarterly" accessed July 11, 2012
- ↑ FEC Reports, "Pre-Primary" accessed July 11, 2012
- ↑ Hotline On Call: National Journal, "Hotline Sort: Big Blow to Berkley's Campaign" accessed July 11, 2012
- ↑ FEC Reports, "Brendan Mullen Summary Reports" accessed July 14, 2012
- ↑ FEC Reports, "April Quarterly" accessed July 14, 2012
- ↑ FEC Reports, "Pre-Primary" accessed July 14, 2012
- ↑ U.S. Congress House Clerk, "Statistics of the Congressional Election of November 2, 2010," accessed March 28, 2013
