2012 United States House of Representatives elections in New York

2012 United States House of Representatives elections in New York

← 2010 November 6, 2012 (2012-11-06) 2014 →

All 27 New York seats to the United States House of Representatives
  Majority party Minority party
 
Party Democratic Republican
Last election 21 8
Seats won 21 6
Seat change Steady Decrease 2
Popular vote 4,143,408 2,252,253
Percentage 58.22% 31.65%
Swing Increase0.15% Decrease9.60%

Results:
     Democratic hold      Democratic gain
     Republican hold      Republican gain

The 2012 United States House of Representatives elections in New York were held on Tuesday, November 6, 2012, to elect the 27 U.S. representatives from the state, one from each of the state's 27 congressional districts, a loss of two seats following the 2010 United States census. The elections coincided with the elections of other federal and state offices, including a quadrennial presidential election, and a U.S. Senate election. The two existing districts that were eliminated were District 9, held by Republican Rep. Bob Turner,[1][2] and District 22, held by retiring Democratic Rep. Maurice Hinchey.[3][4]

Party primary elections occurred on June 26, 2012,[5] with the general election coinciding with the national elections on November 6, 2012.

On election day, the Democratic Party regained two seats previously held by Republicans, while the Republican Party regained one seat previously held by a Democrat.[6] In the 113th Congress, which first met on January 3, 2013, the New York delegation initially consisted of 21 Democrats and six Republicans.[7][8]

Redistricting

[edit]

Each caucus in the New York State Legislature submitted their proposed 27-district maps to an appointed special master on February 29, 2012.[9] On March 6, the special master Judge Roanne L. Mann released her own proposed map, and slightly revised them again on March 12.[10][11] On March 19, the United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York imposed the special master's maps, with minor modifications.[12][13]

Overview

[edit]
United States House of Representatives elections in New York, 2012[14]
Party Votes Percentage Seats +/–
Democratic 4,127,348 58.00% 21 -
Republican 2,252,253 31.65% 6 -2
Green 41,672 0.59% 0 -
Conservative 23,414 0.33% 0 -
Socialist Workers 5,533 0.08% 0 -
Libertarian 2,986 0.04% 0 -
Others 663,130 9.32% 0 -
Totals 7,116,336 100.00% 27 -2
Popular vote
Democratic
58.00%
Republican
31.65%
Other
10.35%
House seats by party nomination
Democratic
77.78%
Working Families
74.07%
Independence
25.93%
Republican
22.22%
Conservative
18.52%
House seats by party registration
Democratic
77.78%
Republican
22.22%

District 1

[edit]
2012 New York's 1st congressional district election

← 2010
2014 →
  Majority party Minority party
 
Candidate Tim Bishop Randy Altschuler
Party Democratic Republican
Alliance Working Families Conservative
Independence
Popular vote 146,179 132,304
Percentage 52.5% 47.5%

U.S. Representative before election

Tim Bishop
Democratic

Elected U.S. Representative

Tim Bishop
Democratic

Incumbent Democrat Tim Bishop, who had represented the district since 2002, ran for re-election. He was re-elected with 50.2% of the vote in 20. The district had a PVI of Even.

Democratic primary

[edit]

Bishop kicked off his re-election campaign in April 2011.[15]

In March 2011, Bishop was included in a list of potentially vulnerable Democrats by the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, having only won by 593 votes in 2010.[16]

Candidates

[edit]
Nominee
[edit]

Bishop also had the endorsement of the Working Families Party.

Republican primary

[edit]

Candidates

[edit]
Nominee
[edit]
Withdrawn
[edit]

Primary results

[edit]
Republican primary results [19]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Randy Altschuler 7,394 86.4
Republican George Demos 1,166 13.6
Total votes 8,560 100.0

Altschuler also had the endorsement of the Conservative Party and Independence Party.

Libertarian primary

[edit]

Candidates

[edit]
Disqualified
[edit]
  • Rick Witt

General election

[edit]

Endorsements

[edit]

Polling

[edit]
Poll
source
Date(s)
administered
Sample
size
Margin of
error
Tim
Bishop (D)
Randy
Altschuler (R)
Undecided
McLaughlin (R-Altschuler)[30] October 14–15, 2012 400 ± 4.9% 43% 48% 9%
McLaughlin (R-Prosperity First)[31] October 10–11, 2012 400 ± 4.9% 46% 49% 5%
Siena College[32] September 5–10, 2012 624 ± 3.9% 52% 39% 9%
Global Strategy (D-Bishop)[33] August 26–28, 2012 402 ± 4.9% 53% 39% 8%
Pulse Opinion Research (R-Altschuler)[34] July 29, 2012 1,000 ± 3.0% 43% 47% 10%
Garin-Hart-Yang (D-House Majority PAC/SEIU)[35] July 17–18, 2012 407 ± 4.9% 56% 32% 12%
Global Strategy (D-Bishop)[36] March 20–25, 2012 400 ± 4.9% 53% 36% 11%

Predictions

[edit]
Source Ranking As of
The Cook Political Report[37] Lean D November 5, 2012
Rothenberg[38] Tilts D November 2, 2012
Roll Call[39] Lean D November 4, 2012
Sabato's Crystal Ball[40] Lean D November 5, 2012
NY Times[41] Tossup November 4, 2012
RCP[42] Tossup November 4, 2012
The Hill[43] Tossup November 4, 2012

Results

[edit]

On election day, Bishop prevailed by a 52.2%-47.8% margin.[7]

New York's 1st congressional district, 2012[44]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Tim Bishop 135,118 48.5
Working Families Tim Bishop 11,061 4.0
Total Tim Bishop (incumbent) 146,179 52.5
Republican Randy Altschuler 107,226 38.5
Conservative Randy Altschuler 20,125 7.2
Independence Randy Altschuler 4,953 1.8
Total Randy Altschuler 132,304 47.5
Total votes 278,483 100.0
Democratic hold

District 2

[edit]
2012 New York's 2nd congressional district election

← 2010
2014 →
  Majority party Minority party
 
Candidate Peter T. King Vivianne Falcone
Party Republican Democratic
Alliance Conservative
Independence
Working Families
Popular vote 142,309 100,545
Percentage 58.6% 41.4%

U.S. Representative before election

Peter T. King (3rd)
Republican

Elected U.S. Representative

Peter T. King
Republican

Republican incumbent Peter King, who was redistricted from the 3rd district, said in May 2011 that the Nassau County Republican Party had encouraged him to run for president. King also said, however, that he was focused "entirely on getting re-elected to Congress."[45]

Republican primary

[edit]

Candidates

[edit]
Nominee
[edit]
Disqualified
[edit]
  • Paul Mourino

King had the endorsement of the Conservative Party and Independence Party.

Democratic primary

[edit]

Candidates

[edit]
Nominee
[edit]
  • Vivianne Falcone, teacher
Declined
[edit]

Falcone also had the endorsement of the Working Families Party.

General election

[edit]

Endorsements

[edit]

Results

[edit]

King won re-election by a margin of more than 15%.[7]

New York's 2nd congressional district, 2012 [44]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Peter King 116,363 47.9
Conservative Peter King 19,515 8.0
Independence Peter King 6,431 2.7
Total Peter King (incumbent) 142,309 58.6
Democratic Vivianne Falcone 93,932 38.7
Working Families Vivianne Falcone 6,613 2.7
Total Vivianne Falcone 100,545 41.4
Total votes 242,854 100.0
Republican hold

District 3

[edit]
2012 New York's 3rd congressional district election

← 2010
2014 →
  Majority party Minority party
 
Candidate Steve Israel Stephen LaBate
Party Democratic Republican
Alliance Independence
Working Families
Conservative
Popular vote 157,880 113,203
Percentage 57.8% 41.5%

County results
Israel:      50–60%      60–70%

U.S. Representative before election

Steve Israel
Democratic

Elected U.S. Representative

Steve Israel
Democratic

Democratic incumbent Steve Israel ran for re-election.

Democratic primary

[edit]

Candidates

[edit]
Nominee
[edit]

Israel also had the endorsement of the Working Families Party and the Independence Party.

Republican primary

[edit]

Candidates

[edit]
Nominee
[edit]
  • Stephen LaBate, U.S. Army reservist and financial planning advisor
Disqualified
[edit]
  • Robert Previdi, teacher

Conservative Party also endorsed LaBate.[49]

Libertarian primary

[edit]

Candidates

[edit]
Nominee
[edit]
  • Michael McDermott

General election

[edit]

Endorsements

[edit]
Stephen LaBate (R)

Results

[edit]
New York's 3rd congressional district, 2012[44]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Steve Israel 146,271 53.5
Working Families Steve Israel 6,506 2.4
Independence Steve Israel 5,103 1.9
Total Steve Israel (incumbent) 157,880 57.8
Republican Stephen LaBate 98,614 36.1
Conservative Stephen LaBate 14,589 5.4
Total Stephen LaBate 113,203 41.5
Libertarian Michael McDermott 1,644 0.6
Constitution Anthony Tolda 367 0.1
Total votes 273,094 100
Democratic hold

District 4

[edit]
2012 New York's 4th congressional district election

← 2010
2014 →
  Majority party Minority party Third party
 
Candidate Carolyn McCarthy Fran Becker Frank Scaturro
Party Democratic Republican Conservative
Alliance Independence
Working Families
Tax Revolt
Popular vote 163,955 85,693 15,603
Percentage 61.8% 32.3% 5.9%

U.S. Representative before election

Carolyn McCarthy
Democratic

Elected U.S. Representative

Carolyn McCarthy
Democratic

Incumbent Democrat Carolyn McCarthy, who had represented the district since 1997, ran for re-election. She was re-elected with 53.7% of the vote in 2010. The district had a PVI of D+4.

Democratic primary

[edit]

Candidates

[edit]
Nominee
[edit]

The Independence Party and Working Families Party endorsed McCarthy.

Republican primary

[edit]

Candidates

[edit]
Nominee
[edit]
  • Fran Becker, Nassau County Legislator and nominee for this seat in 2010
Eliminated in primary
[edit]

Primary results

[edit]

On June 26, 2012, Nassau County legislator Fran Becker defeated Frank Scaturro in a primary election for the Republican nomination, while Scaturro defeated Becker in the Conservative Party primary as a write-in candidate.

Republican primary results [19]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Fran Becker 6,357 55.1
Republican Frank Scaturro 5,175 44.9
Total votes 11,532 100.0
Conservative primary results [19]
Party Candidate Votes %
Conservative Frank Scaturro 253 56.6
Conservative Fran Becker 194 43.4
Total votes 447 100.0

General election

[edit]

Endorsements

[edit]
Frank Scaturro (C)

Organizations

Results

[edit]
New York's 4th congressional district, 2012[44]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Carolyn McCarthy 152,590 57.5
Working Families Carolyn McCarthy 7,472 2.8
Independence Carolyn McCarthy 3,893 1.5
Total Carolyn McCarthy (incumbent) 163,955 61.8
Republican Fran Becker 84,982 32.0
Tax Revolt Fran Becker 711 0.3
Total Fran Becker 85,693 32.3
Conservative Frank Scaturro 15,603 5.9
Total votes 265,251 100.0
Democratic hold

District 5

[edit]
2012 New York's 5th congressional district election

← 2010
2014 →
  Majority party Minority party
 
Candidate Gregory Meeks Alan Jennings
Party Democratic Republican
Popular vote 167,836 17,875
Percentage 89.7% 9.6%

U.S. Representative before election

Gregory Meeks (6th)
Democratic

Elected U.S. Representative

Gregory Meeks
Democratic

Incumbent Democrat Gregory Meeks, who had represented the district since 1998, ran for re-election. He was re-elected with 87.8% of the vote in 2010. The district had a PVI of D+33.

Democratic primary

[edit]

Candidates

[edit]
Nominee
[edit]
Eliminated in primary
[edit]
  • Alan Jennings, former New York City Council member
  • Joseph Marthone, small-business owner
  • Michael Scala, rapper

Primary results

[edit]
Democratic primary results [19]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Gregory Meeks (incumbent) 9,920 66.5
Democratic Alan Jennings 1,972 13.2
Democratic Michael Scala 1,694 11.4
Democratic Joseph Marthone 1,327 8.9
Total votes 14,913 100.0

Republican primary

[edit]

Candidates

[edit]
Nominee
[edit]

Libertarian primary

[edit]

Candidates

[edit]
Nominee
[edit]
  • Catherine Wark

General election

[edit]

Endorsements

[edit]

Results

[edit]
New York's 5th congressional district, 2012[44]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Gregory Meeks (incumbent) 167,836 89.7
Republican Alan Jennings 17,875 9.6
Libertarian Catherine Wark 1,345 0.7
Total votes 187,056 100.0
Democratic hold

District 6

[edit]
2012 New York's 6th congressional district election

  Majority party Minority party
 
Candidate Grace Meng Dan Halloran
Party Democratic Republican
Alliance Working Families Conservative
Popular vote 111,501 50,846
Percentage 67.9% 31.0%

U.S. Representative before election

Bob Turner (9th)
Republican

Elected U.S. Representative

Grace Meng
Democratic

The 6th district was an open seat, consisting mostly of territory from the former 5th and 9th districts. Neither of the two incumbents in those districts, Democrat Gary Ackerman from the 5th and Republican Bob Turner from the 9th, sought re-election. Ackerman retired,[52] while Turner, who represented 51% the voters of the new seat, dropped out of the race in March 2012 to run against incumbent Democrat Kirsten Gillibrand in the Senate election.[53]

Republican primary

[edit]

Candidates

[edit]
Nominee
[edit]
Withdrawn
[edit]

Democratic primary

[edit]

Candidates

[edit]
Nominee
[edit]
Eliminated in primary
[edit]
Declined
[edit]

Endorsements

[edit]
Grace Meng

Primary results

[edit]
Democratic primary results[19]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Grace Meng 14,825 53.0
Democratic Rory Lancman 7,089 25.3
Democratic Elizabeth Crowley 4,606 16.5
Democratic Robert Mittman 1,462 5.2
Total votes 27,982 100.0

The Working Families Party endorsed Lancman.

Green primary

[edit]

Candidates

[edit]
Nominee
[edit]

General election

[edit]

Endorsements

[edit]

Results

[edit]
New York's 6th congressional district, 2012[44]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Grace Meng 107,507 65.5
Working Families Grace Meng 3,994 2.4
Total Grace Meng 111,501 67.9
Republican Dan Halloran 45,993 28.0
Conservative Dan Halloran 4,853 3.0
Total Dan Halloran 50,846 31.0
Green Evergreen Chou 1,913 1.2
Total votes 164,260 100.0
Democratic gain from Republican

District 7

[edit]
2012 New York's 7th congressional district election

← 2010
2014 →
  Majority party Minority party
 
Candidate Nydia Velázquez James Murray
Party Democratic Conservative
Alliance Working Families
Popular vote 143,930 7,971
Percentage 94.8% 5.2%

U.S. Representative before election

Nydia Velázquez (12th)
Democratic

Elected U.S. Representative

Nydia Velázquez
Democratic

Incumbent Nydia Velazquez, who was redistricted from the 12th district, ran for re-election.

Democratic primary

[edit]

New York City Councilman Erik Martin Dilan, the son of current New York State Senator Martin Malave Dilan, challenged Velazquez in the primary with the backing of Brooklyn Democratic Party chair Vito Lopez; the Dilan family and Velazquez supporters had been engaged in a political feud for several years.[60][61]

Candidates

[edit]
Nominee
[edit]
Eliminated in primary
[edit]

Endorsements

[edit]
Nydia Velazquez

Primary results

[edit]
Democratic primary results [19]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Nydia Velazquez (incumbent) 17,208 57.9
Democratic Erik Dilan 10,408 35.0
Democratic Daniel O'Connor 1,351 4.6
Democratic George Martinez 745 2.5
Total votes 29,712 100.0

Conservative primary

[edit]

Candidates

[edit]
Nominee
[edit]
  • James Murray

General election

[edit]

Endorsements

[edit]

Results

[edit]
New York's 7th congressional district, 2012[44]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Nydia Velázquez 134,802 88.8
Working Families Nydia Velázquez 9,128 6.0
Total Nydia Velázquez (incumbent) 143,930 94.8
Conservative James Murray 7,971 5.2
Total votes 151,901 100.0
Democratic hold

District 8

[edit]
2012 New York's 8th congressional district election

← 2010
2014 →
  Majority party Minority party
 
Candidate Hakeem Jeffries Alan Bellone
Party Democratic Republican
Alliance Working Families Conservative
Popular vote 184,039 17,650
Percentage 90.1% 8.7%

U.S. Representative before election

Edolphus Towns (10th)
Democratic

Elected U.S. Representative

Hakeem Jeffries
Democratic

Incumbent Democrat Edolphus Towns, who was redistricted from the 10th district and was first elected in 1982, announced in April 2012 that he would abandon his plans for re-election.[64]

Democratic primary

[edit]

Towns's son Darryl, a former member of the New York State Assembly, was formerly considered the "next in line" for the seat; however, in 2011 he accepted a position in the administration of Governor Andrew Cuomo.[65]

Candidates

[edit]
Nominee
[edit]
Eliminated in primary
[edit]
Declined
[edit]

Endorsements

[edit]
Hakeem Jeffries

Primary results

[edit]
Democratic primary results [19]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Hakeem Jeffries 28,271 71.8
Democratic Charles Barron 11,130 28.2
Total votes 39,401 100.0

Green primary

[edit]

Candidates

[edit]
Nominee
[edit]

Republican primary

[edit]

Candidates

[edit]
Nominee
[edit]
  • Alan Bellone

General election

[edit]

Endorsements

[edit]

Results

[edit]
New York's 8th congressional district, 2012 [44]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Hakeem Jeffries 178,688 87.5
Working Families Hakeem Jeffries 5,351 2.6
Total Hakeem Jeffries 184,039 90.1
Republican Alan Bellone 15,841 7.8
Conservative Alan Bellone 1,809 0.9
Total Alan Bellone 17,650 8.7
Green Colin Beavan 2,441 1.2
Total votes 204,130 100.0
Democratic hold

District 9

[edit]
2012 New York's 9th congressional district election

← 2010
2014 →
  Majority party Minority party
 
Candidate Yvette Clarke Daniel J. Cavanagh
Party Democratic Republican
Alliance Working Families Conservative
Popular vote 186,141 24,164
Percentage 87.2% 11.3%

U.S. Representative before election

Yvette Clarke (11th)
Democratic

Elected U.S. Representative

Yvette Clarke
Democratic

Democrat Yvette Clarke, who was redistricted from the 11th district and had represented that district since 2007, sought re-election in her new district.

Democratic primary

[edit]

Sylvia Kinard, an attorney and the ex-wife of Bill Thompson (a current/former Democratic nominee for Mayor of New York City), challenged Clarke.[75]

Candidates

[edit]
Nominee
[edit]
Eliminated in primary
[edit]
  • Sylvia Kinard, attorney

Primary results

[edit]
Democratic primary results[19]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Yvette Clarke 15,069 88.3
Democratic Sylvia Kinard 1,993 11.7
Total votes 17,062 100.0

Republican primary

[edit]

Candidates

[edit]
Nominee
[edit]
  • Daniel Cavanaugh

General election

[edit]

Endorsements

[edit]

Results

[edit]
New York's 9th congressional district, 2012[44]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Yvette Clarke 178,168 83.5
Working Families Yvette Clarke 7,973 3.7
Total Yvette Clarke (incumbent) 186,141 87.2
Republican Daniel Cavanaugh 20,899 9.8
Conservative Daniel Cavanaugh 3,265 1.5
Total Daniel Cavanaugh 24,164 11.3
Green Vivia Morgan 2,991 1.5
Total votes 213,296 100.0
Democratic hold

District 10

[edit]
2012 New York's 10th congressional district election

← 2010
2014 →
  Majority party Minority party
 
Candidate Jerrold Nadler Michael Chan
Party Democratic Republican
Alliance Working Families Conservative
Popular vote 165,743 39,413
Percentage 80.7% 19.2%

U.S. Representative before election

Jerrold Nadler (8th)
Democratic

Elected U.S. Representative

Jerrold Nadler
Democratic

The new 10th district is located in New York City and includes the Upper West Side of Manhattan, the west side of Lower Manhattan, including Greenwich Village and the Financial District, and parts of Brooklyn, including Borough Park. Incumbent Democrat Jerrold Nadler, who had represented the 8th district since 1993 and the 17th district from 1992 to 1993, ran for re-election. He was re-elected in 2010 with 76% of the vote, and the district had a PVI of D+24

Democratic primary

[edit]

Candidates

[edit]
Nominee
[edit]

Republican primary

[edit]

Candidates

[edit]
Nominee
[edit]

General election

[edit]

Endorsements

[edit]

Results

[edit]
New York's 10th congressional district, 2012[44]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Jerrold Nadler 156,619 76.3
Working Families Jerrold Nadler 9,124 4.4
Total Jerrold Nadler (incumbent) 165,743 80.7
Republican Michael Chan 35,538 17.3
Conservative Michael Chan 3,875 1.9
Total Michael Chan 39,413 19.2
Total votes 205,156 100.0
Democratic hold

District 11

[edit]
2012 New York's 11th congressional district election

← 2010
2014 →
  Majority party Minority party
 
Candidate Michael Grimm Mark Murphy
Party Republican Democratic
Alliance Conservative Working Families
Popular vote 103,118 92,430
Percentage 52.2% 46.8%

County results
Grimm:      50–60%
Murphy:      50–60%

U.S. Representative before election

Michael Grimm (13th)
Republican

Elected U.S. Representative