The 2012 United States House of Representatives elections in Wisconsin were held on Tuesday, November 6, 2012, to elect the eight
U.S. representatives from
Wisconsin
Wisconsin () is a state in the upper Midwestern United States. Wisconsin is the 25th-largest state by total area and the 20th-most populous. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake M ...
, one from each of the state's eight
congressional districts
Congressional districts, also known as electoral districts and legislative districts, electorates, or wards in other nations, are divisions of a larger administrative region that represent the population of a region in the larger congressional bod ...
. Representatives are elected for two-year terms; those elected will serve in the
112th Congress
The 112th United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, from January 3, 2011, until January 3, 2013. It convened in Washington, D.C. on January 3, 2011, and ended on January 3, 2013, 17 ...
from January 2013 until January 2015. The elections coincided with the elections of other federal and state offices, including a quadrennial
presidential election
A presidential election is the election of any head of state whose official title is President.
Elections by country
Albania
The president of Albania is elected by the Assembly of Albania who are elected by the Albanian public.
Chile
The pre ...
and an
election to the U.S. Senate.
Primary elections were held on August 14, 2012.
Overview
District 1
Republican
Paul Ryan, who has represented
Wisconsin's 1st congressional district
Wisconsin's 1st congressional district is a congressional district of the United States House of Representatives in southeastern Wisconsin, covering Kenosha County, Racine County, and most of Walworth County, as well as portions of Rock Count ...
since 1999, ran for reelection after deciding not to run for the U.S. Senate or seek the
Republican presidential nomination in 2012.
Though Ryan was selected to be the Republican nominee for Vice President of the United States on August 11, 2012, he was allowed, and continued to, run for re-election to his House seat.
Rob Zerban, a member of the
Kenosha County Board and former small business owner, sought and received the Democratic nomination to challenge Ryan.
Keith Deschler, a factory worker, ran as a Libertarian.
General election results
;External links
;Paul Ryan
Paul Ryan campaign website;Rob Zerban
Rob Zerban campaign website*
District 2
Democrat
Tammy Baldwin
Tammy Suzanne Green Baldwin (born February 11, 1962) is an American lawyer and politician who has served as the junior United States senator from Wisconsin since 2013. A member of the Democratic Party, she served three terms in the Wisconsin St ...
, who represented
Wisconsin's 2nd congressional district
Wisconsin's 2nd congressional district is a congressional district of the United States House of Representatives in southern Wisconsin, covering Dane County, Iowa County, Lafayette County, Sauk County and Green County, as well as portions of ...
since 1999,
ran for the U.S. Senate.
State Representative Mark Pocan
Mark William Pocan ( ; born August 14, 1964) is an American politician and businessman serving as the U.S. representative from Wisconsin's 2nd congressional district since 2013. The district is based in the state capital, Madison. A member of th ...
sought and received the Democratic nomination to succeed Baldwin. He defeated Dennis Hall, a former member of the
Janesville City Council;
state Representative
Kelda Roys;
and Matt Silverman, an attorney and decorated combat veteran,
[ in the Democratic primary. ]Dane County
Dane County is a county in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. As of the 2020 census, the population was 561,504, making it the second-most populous county in Wisconsin. The county seat is Madison, which is also the state capital.
Dane County is the ...
Treasurer Dave Worzala had also been seeking the Democratic nomination, but dropped out of the race in May 2012.[ State Senator ]Jon Erpenbach
Jon B. Erpenbach (born January 28, 1961) is an American politician serving as a Democratic member of the Wisconsin Senate, representing the 27th District since 1999.
Early life, education and career
Erpenbach was born in Middleton, Wisconsin a ...
, who had been considering a bid, chose not to run.
Chad Lee, a businessman who unsuccessfully challenged Baldwin as the Republican nominee in 2010, chose to run again.
;Primary results
General election results
;External links
Chad Lee campaign website
Mark Pocan campaign website
District 3
Democrat Ron Kind
Ronald James Kind (born March 16, 1963) is an American lawyer and politician serving as the U.S. representative for , since 1997. He is a member of the Democratic Party. The district is in the western part of the state and is anchored by La Cros ...
, who has represented Wisconsin's 3rd congressional district
Wisconsin's 3rd congressional district covers most of the Driftless Area in southwestern and western Wisconsin. The district includes the cities of Eau Claire, La Crosse, and Stevens Point, as well as many Wisconsin-based exurbs of the Minne ...
since 1997, did not run for the U.S. Senate and instead ran for re-election.
Ray Boland
Ray Boland (born November 21, 1937) is a former military officer and politician in Wisconsin.
Biography
Boland was born on November 21, 1937, in Chicago, Illinois. After graduating from Harper High School, Boland moved with his family to Friend ...
, a former state Secretary of Veterans Affairs and former commander at Fort McCoy, sought and received the Republican nomination to challenge Kind.
General election results
;External links
Ray Boland campaign website
Ron Kind campaign website
District 4
Democrat Gwen Moore, who has represented Wisconsin's 4th congressional district
Wisconsin's 4th congressional district is a congressional district of the United States House of Representatives in Wisconsin, encompassing a part of Milwaukee County and including almost all of the city of Milwaukee (except the slivers of the c ...
since 2005, is running for re-election.
Dan Sebring, an automobile repair shop owner who unsuccessfully challenged Moore as the Republican nominee in 2010, ran again.
Robert R. Raymond, a perennial candidate, ran as an Independent.
General election results
;External links
Gwen Moore campaign website
Dan Sebring campaign website
District 5
Republican Jim Sensenbrenner, who has represented Wisconsin's 5th congressional district
Wisconsin's 5th congressional district is a congressional district of the United States House of Representatives in Wisconsin, covering most of Milwaukee's northern and western suburbs. It presently covers all of Washington and Jefferson count ...
since 2003 (and previously represented Wisconsin's 9th congressional district from 1979 to 2003), is running for re-election.
Dave Heaster, a technology employee at the Kohler Company
Kohler Co., founded in 1873 by John Michael Kohler, is an American manufacturing company based in Kohler, Wisconsin. Kohler is best known for its plumbing products, but the company also manufactures furniture, cabinetry, tile, engines, and ...
, sought and received the Democratic nomination to challenge Sensenbrenner.
General election results
;External links
Dave Heaster campaign website
Jim Sensenbrenner campaign website
District 6
Republican Tom Petri
Thomas Evert Petri (born May 28, 1940) is an American politician who was the U.S. representative for from 1979 to 2015; he is a member of the Republican Party.
Early life
Petri was born in Marinette, Wisconsin. When he was a toddler, his fat ...
, who has represented Wisconsin's 6th congressional district
Wisconsin's 6th congressional district is a congressional district of the United States House of Representatives in eastern Wisconsin. It is based in the rural, suburban and exurban communities between Madison, Milwaukee, and Green Bay. It also ...
since 1979, is running for re-election. Lauren Stephens, the founder of a conservative political action committee, unsuccessfully challenged Petri in the Republican primary.
Joe Kallas, a former member of the Green Lake County Board who unsuccessfully challenged Petri as the Democratic nominee in 2010, is running again.
;Primary results
General election results
;External links
Joe Kallas campaign website
Tom Petri campaign website
District 7
Republican Sean Duffy
Sean Patrick Duffy (born October 3, 1971) is an American politician, prosecutor, former sports commentator and reality television personality who is currently a co-host of ''The Bottom Line'' on Fox Business, as well as a contributor on Fox News. ...
, who has represented Wisconsin's 7th congressional district
Wisconsin's 7th congressional district is a congressional district of the United States House of Representatives in northwestern and central Wisconsin; it is the largest congressional district in the state geographically, covering 20 counties (i ...
since 2011, is running for re-election.
Former state Senator Pat Kreitlow
Patrick J. Kreitlow (born July 3, 1964) is an American politician, former broadcaster, and communications consultant. A Democrat, Kreitlow was a member of the Wisconsin State Senate, representing Wisconsin's 23rd Senate district, from 2007 to 201 ...
sought and received the Democratic nomination to challenge Duffy. State Representative Janet Bewley chose not to run.
General election results
;External links
Sean Duffy campaign website
Pat Kreitlow campaign website
District 8
Republican Reid Ribble, who has represented Wisconsin's 8th congressional district since 2011, is running for re-election.
Jamie Wall, a business consultant and unsuccessful primary candidate for the 8th district in 2006, sought and received the Democratic nomination to challenge Ribble.
General election results
;External links
;Reid Ribble
Reid Ribble campaign website
;Jamie Wall
Jamie Wall campaign website
*
References
External links
Elections & Voting
at the Wisconsin Government Accountability Board
Candidate list
United States House of Representatives elections in Wisconsin, 2012
at Ballotpedia
Wisconsin U.S. House
at OurCampaigns.com
Campaign contributions for U.S. Congressional races in Wisconsin
at OpenSecrets
OpenSecrets is a nonprofit organization based in Washington, D.C., that tracks data on campaign finance and lobbying. It was created from a merger of the Center for Responsive Politics (CRP) and the National Institute on Money in Politics (NIMP) ...
Outside spending
at the Sunlight Foundation
{{USCongDistStateWI
House
2012
File:2012 Events Collage V3.png, From left, clockwise: The passenger cruise ship Costa Concordia lies capsized after the Costa Concordia disaster; Damage to Casino Pier in Seaside Heights, New Jersey as a result of Hurricane Sandy; People gat ...
Wisconsin
Wisconsin () is a state in the upper Midwestern United States. Wisconsin is the 25th-largest state by total area and the 20th-most populous. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake M ...