2012 United States Senate Election In Pennsylvania

The 2012 United States Senate election in Pennsylvania was held on November 6, 2012, alongside a presidential election, other elections to the United States Senate in other states, as well as elections to the United States House of Representatives and various state and local elections. Incumbent Democratic U.S. Senator Bob Casey, Jr. ran for and won re-election to a second term, defeating Republican nominee Tom Smith, and Libertarian nominee Rayburn Smith.

The requisite primary elections occurred on April 24, 2012, during which the Republicans and Democrats selected nominees for the general election. The Republican primary was a five-way contest. Tom Smith, the eventual nominee, faced David A. Christian, Sam Rohrer, Marc Scaringi, and Steve Welch. The Democratic primary was not heavily contested. Incumbent Bob Casey, Jr., defeated Joseph Vodvarka by a wide margin. The Libertarian Party nominated Rayburn Smith.

Casey led most pre-election polls and eventually defeated his opponents to win re-election to a second term in the U.S. Senate. In so doing, Casey became the first Democratic senator from Pennsylvania elected to a second term in 50 years.

Background

On November 7, 2006, Bob Casey, Jr., the State Treasurer and son of former Governor Bob Casey, Sr., defeated two-term incumbent Republican Senator Rick Santorum with 58.64% of votes cast. Santorum's margin of defeat was the largest for an incumbent Republican Senator in Pennsylvania history; it was also the first time a Democrat was elected to a full Senate term from Pennsylvania since Joseph Clark was re-elected in 1962. The 2012 election would also become the first time a Democrat won re-election to the U.S. Senate from Pennsylvania since the 1962 election.

Pennsylvania is considered a battleground state; since the 1970 election of Governor Milton Shapp, partisan control of the governorship has alternated between Democratic and Republican. Additionally, Republicans have controlled the State Senate since 1995, while Democrats assumed control of the State House following the 2006 election, only to lose control in the 2010 election. Democrats had won the state in every presidential election from 1992 to 2012.

As of 2021, this is the last time that Fayette County and Luzerne County voted Democratic in a Senate election.

Democratic primary

Candidates

* Bob Casey, Jr., incumbent U.S. Senator
* Joseph Vodvarka, spring maker

Results

Republican primary

Candidates

On ballot

* David Christian, businessman and veterans' advocate
* John Kensinger, pharmacist
* Sam Rohrer, former state representative
* Marc Scaringi, attorney and former legislative aide to Rick Santorum
* Tom Smith, farmer and businessman and candidate for governor in 2010
* Steve Welch, businessman

Withdrew

* Tim Burns, businessman and unsuccessful candidate for the 12th district in the 2010 special and general elections
* Laureen Cummings, Tea Party activist
* John Vernon, retired Army colonel

Declined

* Jake Corman, state senator
* Charlie Dent, U.S. representative
* Jim Gerlach, U.S. representative
* Keith Loiselle, businessman
* Glen Meakem, radio host
* Pat Meehan, U.S. representative
* Tim Murphy, U.S. representative
* Dominic Pileggi, State Senate Majority Leader
* Mark Schweiker, former Pennsylvania governor
* Bill Shuster, U.S. representative
* Mike Turzai, State House Majority Leader
* Kim Ward, state senator
* Joe Watkins, MSNBC contributor

Campaign

In January 2012, the Pennsylvania Republican Party officially endorsed Steve Welch for U.S. Senate. The largest state newspaper, ''The Philadelphia Inquirer,'' also endorsed Welch. He was also endorsed by the ''Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.'' However, he was criticized for changing his party registration. In 2008, he became a Democrat so he could vote for Barack Obama in the 2008 Democratic presidential primary. In 2006, he donated money to Democratic Congressman Joe Sestak.

Tom Smith spent nearly $3 million in the first three months of 2012, outspending Welch 2-1. Smith has spent a wide majority of it in television advertising. Like Welch, Smith has also registered as a Democrat. However, unlike Welch who was a registered Democrat for only a few years, Smith was a Democrat for 42 years. Smith was a Plumcreek Township Supervisor and allegedly raised taxes 9 times (including the real estate, earned income, and per capita taxes). Over the past decade, he donated over $185,000 to Republican candidates. The only Democrat he donated to was Congressman Jason Altmire, a moderate Blue Dog.

Sam Rohrer, a former State Representative, ran for statewide office again after losing to State Attorney General Tom Corbett in the 2010 Republican primary for Pennsylvania Governor. Rohrer was endorsed by various tea party organizations, as well as U.S. Congresswoman Michele Bachmann and 2012 Republican presidential candidate Herman Cain.

David Christian, a Vietnam war veteran and businessman, also ran. He previously ran for congress in 1984 and 1986. He was endorsed by the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review.

Polling

Results

General election

Candidates

* Bob Casey, Jr. (Democratic), incumbent U.S. Senator
* Tom Smith (Republican), businessman
* Rayburn Smith (Libertarian)

Debates

Complete video of debate
October 26, 2012 - C-SPAN

Fundraising

Top contributors

Top industries

Predictions

Polling

;Republican primary

;General election

Results

Despite many predictions of a close race, the election was not close. Casey, despite being seen as somewhat vulnerable, went into election night with most analysts thinking he could win. Casey did win by more than expected, which can be traced to several factors. Casey trounced Smith in Philadelphia County, home of Philadelphia. Casey also won the surrounding collar counties of Bucks, Chester, Delaware, and Montgomery, which are seen as vital in statewide elections in Pennsylvania. Casey also performed well in Allegheny County, home of Pittsburgh. Casey also performed well in Erie. Casey also performed strongly in the Scranton area. Smith did well in rural counties, but it wasn't enough to overcome the lead Casey had built in the huge population centers. Casey was sworn in for his second term beginning at noon on January 3, 2013.

See also

* 2012 United States Senate elections
* 2012 United States House of Representatives elections in Pennsylvania

References

External links

Pennsylvania Department of State

Campaign contributions
at OpenSecrets.org

Outside spending
at Sunlight Foundation

Issue positions
at On the Issues

;Official campaign websites (Archived)

Bob Casey, Jr. for U.S. Senate

Tom Smith for U.S. Senate

{{2012 United States elections

United States Senate
Pennsylvania
2012