2012 United States House of Representatives elections in Utah


The 2012 United States House of Representatives elections in Utah were held on Tuesday, November 6, 2012 and elected the four U.S. Representatives from the state of Utah, an increase of one seat in reapportionment following the 2010 United States Census. The elections coincided with the elections of other federal and state offices, including a quadrennial presidential election and an election to the U.S. Senate. Primary elections were held on June 26, 2012.

Overview

Redistricting

In Utah, the redistricting process was controlled by members of the Republican Party, who formed a majority on the State Legislature's redistricting committee. The plan passed October 2011 divides Salt Lake County among three districts, which Republicans argued would require Utah's U.S. Representatives focus on both urban and rural issues. Jim Dabakis, the chair of the Utah Democratic Party, argued that the map constituted a gerrymander designed to benefit the Republican Party.

District 1

Republican incumbent Rob Bishop, who has represented Utah's 1st congressional district since 2003, is running for re-election, having decided against running for governor this year. Bishop's opponents for the Republican nomination were Michael Miller, a veteran of the Iraq War, and homemaker and Tea Party activist Jacqueline Smith.
Rob Bishop became the official Republican Candidate April 21, 2012 at the State Republican Convention.
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Democratic incumbent Jim Matheson, who has represented Utah's 2nd congressional district since 2001, will seek re-election in the new 4th district. Democratic candidate is Jay Seegmiller beating out Dean Collinwood and Mike Small at the convention.
Robert Fuehr, former telecommunications executive and Harvard University MBA alumnus; Jason Buck, a former American football player at Brigham Young University and later in the National Football League; Dave Clark, the former speaker of the Utah House of Representatives; Cherilyn Eagar, a business owner who sought the Republican nomination for the U.S. Senate in 2010; Chris Stewart, an author, former U.S. Air Force pilot, and president of an energy consulting firm; Howard Wallack; Chuck Williams, a former Assistant Deputy Under Secretary of Defense for Installations and Environment and retired U.S. Air Force lieutenant colonel; and John Willoughby, an airline pilot, will run for the Republican nomination. State senator Dan Liljenquist may also run. Morgan Philpot, a former state representative and unsuccessful candidate for the 2nd district in 2010, had planned to seek the Republican nomination; however he will instead run for Governor.
Independent candidate Charles Kimball has also filed.
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Three Republicans have announced candidacies for the District: Jason Chaffetz, who is seeking a third term in representing Utah's 3rd congressional district; Leonard "Joe" Fabiano, business entrepreneur and former 2010 U.S. Senate Candidate; and Kurt Bradburn. Soren Simonsen was selected as the Democratic candidate at the party's state convention.
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Democratic U.S. Representative Jim Matheson, who has represented Utah's 2nd congressional district since 2001 and had considered running for governor or for the U.S. Senate, sought re-election to the House in Utah's new 4th congressional district. He narrowly defeated the Republican candidate, Saratoga Springs mayor Mia Love, in the general election.
If Love had won the seat, she would have become the first African-American Republican woman to sit in the House.

Republican primary

Love, attorney Jay Cobb, and state Representative Stephen Sandstrom, and state Rep. Carl Wimmer competed for the Republican nomination. Jason Buck, a former American football player at Brigham Young University and later in the National Football League, had considered running for the Republican nomination in the 4th district; however he announced in January 2012 that he would instead run in the 2nd district.
In the Republican convention, held on April 21, 2012, Love received 70.4% of the vote.

Polling

An early poll published by the Deseret News on Dec 25, 2011 showed Jim Matheson leading all potential opponents.

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Republican primary

General election

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