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 U.S. state, state in the Great Lakes region, Great Lakes region of the Upper Midwest of the United States. It borders Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michig ...

, one from each of the state's eight

congressional districts Congressional districts, also known as electoral districts in other nations, are divisions of a larger administrative region that represent the population of a region in the larger congressional body. Countries with congressional districts includ ...

. Representatives are elected for two-year terms; those elected served in the

113th Congress The 113th United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, from January 3, 2013, to January 3, 2015, during the fifth and sixth years of Barack Obama's presidency. It was composed of the ...

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 p ...

and an election to the U.S. Senate.

Primary election Primary elections or primaries are elections held to determine which candidates will run in an upcoming general election. In a partisan primary, a political party selects a candidate. Depending on the state and/or party, there may be an "open pr ...

s were held on August 14, 2012. Wisconsin was one of five states in which the party that won the state's popular vote did not win a majority of seats in 2012, the other states being

Arizona Arizona is a U.S. state, state in the Southwestern United States, Southwestern region of the United States, sharing the Four Corners region of the western United States with Colorado, New Mexico, and Utah. It also borders Nevada to the nort ...

Michigan Michigan ( ) is a peninsular U.S. state, state in the Great Lakes region, Great Lakes region of the Upper Midwest, Upper Midwestern United States. It shares water and land boundaries with Minnesota to the northwest, Wisconsin to the west, ...

North Carolina North Carolina ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered by Virginia to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the east, South Carolina to the south, Georgia (U.S. stat ...

, and

Pennsylvania Pennsylvania, officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a U.S. state, state spanning the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic, Northeastern United States, Northeastern, Appalachian, and Great Lakes region, Great Lakes regions o ...

Overview

District 1

Republican

Paul Ryan Paul Davis Ryan (born January 29, 1970) is an American politician who served as the List of Speakers of the United States House of Representatives, 54th speaker of the United States House of Representatives from 2015 to 2019. A member of the ...

, 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, Wisconsin, Kenosha County, Racine County, Wisconsin, Racine County, and most of ...

since 1999, ran for reelection after deciding not to run for the U.S. Senate or seek the Republican presidential nomination in 2012.

Republican primary

Candidates

=Nominee

= *

, incumbent U.S. Representative

Results

Democratic primary

Candidates

=Nominee

= *Rob Zerban, member of the

Kenosha County Kenosha County () is located in the southeastern corner of the U.S. state of Wisconsin. As of the 2020 census, the population was 169,151, and was estimated to be 168,754 in 2024, making it the eighth-most populous county in Wisconsin. Its co ...

Board and former small business owner

Results

Libertarian primary

Candidates

=Nominee

= *Keith Deschler, factory worker

General election

Campaign

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.

Endorsements

Polling

Results

External links *

District 2

Democrat

Tammy Baldwin Tammy Suzanne Green Baldwin (born February 11, 1962) is an American politician and lawyer serving since 2013 as the Seniority in the United States Senate, junior United States senator from Wisconsin. A member of the Democratic Party (United Stat ...

, 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.

Democratic primary

Candidates

=Nominee

= *

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 t ...

state representative A state legislature is a legislative branch or body of a political subdivision in a federal system. Two federations literally use the term "state legislature": * The legislative branches of each of the fifty state governments of the United St ...

=Eliminated in primary

= *Dennis Hall, former member of Janesville City Council *

Kelda Roys Kelda Helen Roys (born June 24, 1979) is an American attorney and politician. She is a member of the Democratic and Wisconsin Senate, representing the state's 26th Senate district since 2021. She previously served two terms in the Wisconsin St ...

, state representative *Matt Silverman, attorney and decorated combat veteran

=Withdrawn

= *Dave Worzala,

Dane County Dane County is a County (United States), county in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the population was 561,504, making it the second-most populous county in Wisconsin after Milwaukee County, Wiscon ...

Treasurer

=Declined

= *

, incumbent U.S. Representative *

Jon Erpenbach Jon B. Erpenbach (born January 28, 1961) is an American politician currently serving as chairman of the Wisconsin Parole Commission in the administration of Governor Tony Evers. He previously served as a Democratic Party (United States), Democrati ...

state senator A state senator is a member of a State legislature (United States), state's senate in the bicameral legislature of 49 U.S. states, or a member of the unicameral Nebraska Legislature. History There are typically fewer state senators than there ...

Results

Republican primary

Candidates

=Nominee

= *Chad Lee, businessman and nominee for this seat in

2010 The year saw a multitude of natural and environmental disasters such as the 2010 Haiti earthquake, the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, and the 2010 Chile earthquake. The 2009 swine flu pandemic, swine flu pandemic which began the previous year ...

Results

General election

Endorsements

Results

District 3

Democrat

Ron Kind Ronald James Kind (born March 16, 1963) is an American lawyer and politician who served as the U.S. representative for from 1997 to 2023. He is a member of the Democratic Party. His former district is in western Wisconsin, anchored by La Cross ...

, 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, Wisconsin, Eau Claire, La Crosse, Wisconsin, La Crosse, and Stevens Point, Wisconsin, ...

since 1997, did not run for the U.S. Senate and instead ran for re-election.

Democratic primary

Candidates

=Nominee

= *

, incumbent U.S. Representative

Results

Republican primary

Candidates

=Nominee

= *

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 Frien ...

, former state Secretary of Veterans Affairs and former commander at Fort McCoy

=Withdrawn

= *Edward Martin, retired

Army An army, ground force or land force is an armed force that fights primarily on land. In the broadest sense, it is the land-based military branch, service branch or armed service of a nation or country. It may also include aviation assets by ...

sergeant Sergeant (Sgt) is a Military rank, rank in use by the armed forces of many countries. It is also a police rank in some police services. The alternative spelling, ''serjeant'', is used in The Rifles and in other units that draw their heritage f ...

=Declined

= *Bruce Evers, financial adviser and candidate for this seat in

Results

General election

Endorsements

Results

District 4

Democrat

Gwen Moore Gwendolynne Sophia Moore (born April 18, 1951) is an American politician serving as the U.S. representative for since 2005. In 2016, Moore was elected to serve as caucus whip of the Congressional Black Caucus for the 115th United States Congre ...

, who had 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, ran for re-election.

Democratic primary

Candidates

=Nominee

= *

, incumbent U.S. Representative

Results

Republican primary

Candidates

=Nominee

= *Dan Sebring, automobile repair shop owner and nominee for this seat in

Results

Independents

*Robert R. Raymond, perennial candidate

General election

Endorsements

Results

District 5

Republican

Jim Sensenbrenner Frank James Sensenbrenner Jr. (; born June 14, 1943) is an American politician who represented in the United States House of Representatives from 1979 to 2021 (numbered as the 9th district until 2003). He is a member of the Republican Party. ...

, 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 County, Wisconsin, W ...

since 2003 (and previously represented Wisconsin's 9th congressional district from 1979 to 2003), ran for re-election.

Republican primary

Candidates

=Nominee

= *

, incumbent U.S. Representative

Results

Democratic primary

Candidates

=Nominee

= *Dave Heaster, technology employee at the

Kohler Company Kohler Co., is an American manufacturing company founded in 1873 by John Michael Kohler, based in Kohler, Wisconsin. Kohler is best known for its plumbing products, but the company also manufactures furniture, cabinetry, tile, engines, and El ...

Results

General election

Results

District 6

Republican

Tom Petri Thomas Evert Petri (born May 28, 1940) is an American politician who was the United States House of Representatives, U.S. representative for from 1979 to 2015; he is a member of the Republican Party (United States), Republican Party. Early lif ...

, 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, ran for re-election.

Republican primary

Candidates

=Nominee

= *

, incumbent U.S. Representative

=Eliminated in primary

= *Lauren Stephens, founder of a conservative political action committee.

Results

Democratic primary

Candidates

=Nominee

= *Joe Kallas, former member of the Green Lake County Board and nominee for this seat in

Results

General election

Results

District 7

Republican

Sean Duffy Sean Patrick Duffy (born October 3, 1971) is an American politician, lawyer, former prosecutor, and former television personality who has served as the 20th United States Secretary of Transportation, United States secretary of transportation sinc ...

, 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, ran for re-election.

Republican primary

Candidates

=Nominee

= *

, incumbent U.S. Representative

Results

Democratic primary

Candidates

=Nominee

= *

Pat Kreitlow Patrick J. Kreitlow (born July 3, 1964) is an American politician, former broadcaster, and communications consultant. A Democratic Party of Wisconsin, Democrat, Kreitlow was a member of the Wisconsin State Senate, representing Wisconsin's 23rd Se ...

, former

state Senator A state senator is a member of a State legislature (United States), state's senate in the bicameral legislature of 49 U.S. states, or a member of the unicameral Nebraska Legislature. History There are typically fewer state senators than there ...

=Declined

= * Janet Bewley,

Results

General election

Endorsements

Polling

Predictions

Results

District 8

Republican

Reid Ribble Reid James Ribble (born April 5, 1956) is an American businessman and Republican politician from the Fox Cities region of Wisconsin. He served three terms in the United States House of Representatives, representing Wisconsin's 8th congress ...

, who has represented

Wisconsin's 8th congressional district Wisconsin's 8th congressional district is a congressional district of the United States House of Representatives in northeastern Wisconsin. It has been represented by Republican Tony Wied since November 12, 2024. It was previously vacant from ...

since 2011, ran for re-election.

Republican primary

Candidates

=Nominee

= *

, incumbent U.S. Representative

Results

Democratic primary

Candidates

=Nominee

= *

Jamie Wall Jamie Wall may refer to: * Jamie Wall (racing driver) * Jamie Wall (politician) James Richard "Jamie" Wall Jr. (born September 1971) is an American business consultant and Democratic politician from Green Bay, Wisconsin. He is a member o ...

, business consultant and candidate for this seat in

2006 2006 was designated as the International Year of Deserts and Desertification. Events January * January 1– 4 – Russia temporarily cuts shipment of natural gas to Ukraine during a price dispute. * January 12 – A stampede during t ...

Results

General election

Polling

Endorsements

Predictions

Results

External links

References

External links

Elections & Voting
at the Wisconsin Government Accountability Board
Candidate listUnited States House of Representatives elections in Wisconsin, 2012
at

Ballotpedia Ballotpedia is a nonprofit and nonpartisan online political encyclopedia that covers federal, state, and local politics, elections, and public policy in the United States. The website was founded in 2007. Ballotpedia is sponsored by the Lucy Bur ...

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 and publishes data on campaign finance and lobbying, including a revolving door database which documents the individuals who have worked in both the public sector an ...

Outside spending
at the

Sunlight Foundation The Sunlight Foundation was an American 501(c)(3) nonpartisan, nonprofit organization that advocated for open government. The organization was founded in April 2006 with the goal of increasing transparency and accountability in the United States ...

{{USCongDistStateWI

House A house is a single-unit residential building. It may range in complexity from a rudimentary hut to a complex structure of wood, masonry, concrete or other material, outfitted with plumbing, electrical, and heating, ventilation, and air c ...

2012 2012 was designated as: *International Year of Cooperatives *International Year of Sustainable Energy for All Events January *January 4 – The Cicada 3301 internet hunt begins. * January 12 – Peaceful protests begin in the R ...