2012 United States House of Representatives elections in Georgia
The 2012 United States House of Representatives elections in Georgia were held on Tuesday, November 6, 2012, and elected the 14 U.S. Representatives from the state, one from each of the state's 14 congressional districts, an increase of one seat following the 2010 United States Census. The elections coincided with the elections of other federal and state offices, including a quadrennial presidential election. The party primary elections were held July 31, 2012, and the run-off on August 21, 2012.
The new congressional map, drawn and passed by the Republican-controlled Georgia General Assembly, was signed into law by Governor Nathan Deal on September 7, 2011. The new district, numbered the 9th, is based in Hall County. The map also makes the 12th district, currently represented by Democrat John Barrow, much more favorable to Republicans.
Overview
District 1
Republican incumbent Jack Kingston, who has represented Georgia's 1st congressional district since 1993, is running for re-election.Democratic primary
;Candidates- Lesli Rae Messinger, businesswoman,
- Nathan Russo, retired businessman
Primary results
Republican primary
Primary results
General election
Results
District 2
Democratic incumbent Sanford Bishop, who has represented Georgia's 2nd congressional district since 1993, is running for re-election. In redistricting, the 2nd district was made majority-African American and Macon was moved from the 8th district to the 2nd.Democratic primary
Primary results
Republican primary
;Candidates- Rick Allen, GA-02 candidate in 2010
- Ken DeLoach, pastor and Christian school dean and GA-08 candidate in 2010
- John House, Army veteran
Primary results
Runoff results
General election
Results
District 3
Republican incumbent Lynn Westmoreland, who has represented Georgia's 3rd congressional district since 2007, and had previously represented the 8th district from 2005 to 2007, is running for re-election.Republican primary
- Chip Flanegan
- Kent Kingsley, former chairman of the Lamar County Commission and retired Army lieutenant colonel
- Lynn Westmoreland, incumbent
Primary results
General election
Results
District 4
Democratic incumbent Hank Johnson, who has represented Georgia's 4th congressional district since 2007, is running for re-election.Democratic primary
;Candidates- Courtney Dillard, 2010 candidate for Rockdale County Board of Commissioners
- Hank Johnson, incumbent
- Lincoln Nunnally, business consultant,
Primary results
Republican primary
;Candidates- Greg Pallen, businessman
- Chris Vaughn, pastor and motivational speaker
Primary results
General election
Results
District 5
Democratic incumbent John Lewis, who has represented Georgia's 5th congressional district since 1987, is running for re-election.Democratic primary
;Candidates- Michael Johnson, former Fulton County superior court judge
- John Lewis, incumbent
Primary results
Republican primary
Howard Stopeck, a retired attorney, won the Republican nomination without opposition.Primary results
General election
Results
District 6
Republican incumbent Tom Price, who has represented Georgia's 6th congressional district since 2005, is running for re-election. In redistricting, the 6th district was made slightly less favorable to Republicans: Cherokee County was removed from the district, while parts of DeKalb County were added to it.Democratic primary
;Candidates- Jeff Kazanow, business consultant
- Robert Montigel, businessman
Primary results
Republican primary
Primary results
General election
Results
District 7
Republican incumbent Rob Woodall, who has represented Georgia's 7th congressional district since January 2011, is running for re-election.Democratic primary
Steve Reilly, an attorney, won the Democratic nomination without opposition.Primary results
Republican primary
;Candidates- David Hancock, software company executive
- Rob Woodall, incumbent
Primary results
General election
Results
District 8
Republican incumbent Austin Scott, who was first elected to represent Georgia's 8th congressional district in 2010, is running unopposed in the primary as well as the general election. In redistricting, most of Macon—the heart of the 8th and its predecessors for over a century—was shifted to the neighboring 2nd, thereby making the 8th district more favorable to Republicans.Republican primary
Primary results
General election
Results
District 9
In redistricting, the new 9th district is centered around Gainesville and has no incumbent.Democratic primary
Jody Cooley, an attorney, won the Democratic nomination unopposed.Primary results
Republican primary
Collins defeated Zoller in an August runoff election.; Candidates
- Doug Collins, State representative
- Roger Fitzpatrick, school principal
- Martha Zoller, radio personality
Primary results
Runoff results
General election
Results
District 10
Republican incumbent Paul Broun, who has represented Georgia's 10th congressional district since 2007, ran for re-election.In a leaked video of a speech given at Liberty Baptist Church Sportsman's Banquet on September 27, Broun is heard telling supporters that, "All that stuff I was taught about evolution and embryology and the Big Bang Theory, all that is lies straight from the pit of Hell." Broun also believes that the world is less than 9000 years old and that it was created in six literal days. In response to this, and as Broun is also on the House Science Committee, libertarian radio talk show host Neil Boortz spearheaded a campaign to run deceased biologist Charles Darwin against Broun as the Democratic candidate, with the intention of drawing attention to these comments from the scientific community and having him removed from his post on the House Science Committee. Darwin received nearly 4,000 write-in votes in the election, which Broun won.
Republican primary
;Candidates- Paul Broun, incumbent
- Stephen Simpson, businessman and retired Army officer
Primary results
General election
Results
District 11
Republican incumbent Phil Gingrey, who has represented Georgia's 11th congressional district since 2003, is running for re-election.Democratic primary
Patrick Thompson won the Democratic nomination unopposed.Primary results
Republican primary
; Candidates- Phil Gingrey, incumbent
- William Llop, certified public accountant
- Michael Opitz
Primary results
General election
Results
District 12
In redistricting, Savannah was removed from Georgia's 12th congressional district and replaced with the Augusta area, thereby making the district more favorable to Republicans. The former 12th district gave 55 per cent of its vote in the 2008 presidential election to Democratic nominee, whereas only 40 per cent of the new district's voters voted for Obama. Democratic incumbent John Barrow, who has represented the 12th district since 2005, is running for re-election.Democratic primary
Primary results
Republican primary
Anderson defeated Allen in an August runoff election, winning the Republican nomination.;Candidates
- Rick Allen, businessman
- Lee Anderson, State representative
- Wright McLeod, real estate lawyer and retired Navy commander
- Maria Sheffield, an attorney and 2010 Republican candidate for State Insurance Commissioner
Primary results