2012 United States House of Representatives elections in Kansas
The 2012 United States House of Representatives elections in Kansas were held on Tuesday, November 6, 2012 to elect the four U.S. Representatives from the state of Kansas. The elections coincided with the elections of other federal and state offices, including a quadrennial presidential election.
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All 4 Kansas seats to the United States House of Representatives | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Elections in Kansas |
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Overview
| United States House of Representatives elections in Kansas, 2012[1] | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Votes | Percentage | Seats | +/– | |
| Republican | 740,981 | 70.05% | 4 | - | |
| Democratic | 195,505 | 18.48% | 0 | - | |
| Libertarian | 121,253 | 11.46% | 0 | - | |
| Totals | 1,057,739 | 100.00% | 4 | — | |
Redistricting
The 2010 United States Census reflected a shift of population "primarily from rural western and northern Kansas to urban and suburban areas in the eastern part of the state."[2]
In spite of Republican political control of the governor's office, the state senate, the state house, and the entire U.S. Congressional delegation, redistricting had to be decided by a federal court.[3] To decide the case, a three-judge panel was appointed by Mary Beck Briscoe, the Chief Judge of the Court of Appeals for the 10th Circuit: Briscoe appointed herself, along with two judges from the District Court for Kansas: Chief District Judge Kathryn Hoefer Vratil, and District Judge John Watson Lungstrum.[2]
According to the Court:[2]
While legislators publicly demurred that they had done the best they could, the impasse resulted from a bitter ideological feud—largely over new Senate districts. The feud primarily pitted GOP moderates against their more conservative GOP colleagues. Failing consensus, the process degenerated into blatant efforts to gerrymander various districts for ideological political advantage and to serve the political ambitions of various legislators.
Once redistricting was finalized in federal court, primary elections were held on August 7, 2012.[4]
District 1
The redrawn 1st district will continue to encompass all or parts of 62 counties in western and central Kansas, and also taking in a sliver of the Flint Hills region. The district will now also include Pottawatomie and Riley counties, including Manhattan and Kansas State University, but will no longer include Barber, Comanche, Edwards, Kiowa, Pratt, and Stafford counties, and parts of Greenwood, Marshall, Nemaha, and Pawnee counties.[5]
Republican Tim Huelskamp, who has represented the 1st district since 2011, is running for re-election.[6] Huelskamp is running without challengers from any party.[7]
Primary results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Tim Huelskamp (incumbent) | 79,633 | 100.0 | |
| Total votes | 79,633 | 100.0 | ||
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Tim Huelskamp (incumbent) | 211,337 | 100.0 | |
| Total votes | 211,337 | 100.0 | ||
| Republican hold | ||||
District 2
The redrawn 2nd district will continue to encompass Allen, Anderson, Atchison, Bourbon, Brown, Cherokee, Coffey, Crawford, Doniphan, Franklin, Jackson, Jefferson, Labette, Leavenworth, Linn, Neosho, Osage, Shawnee, Wilson, and Woodson, and parts of Douglas, Miami, and Nemaha counties. The district will now also include Montgomery County, parts of Marshall County, and the remainder of Douglas and Nemaha counties, but will no longer include Pottawatomie, Riley, and parts of Miami counties.[5] The district lost Kansas State University to the first district, but gained the state's other major college, the University of Kansas.
Republican Lynn Jenkins, who has represented the 2nd district since 2009, is running for re-election.[6]
Dennis Hawver is running as the Libertarian nominee.[9]
- External links
- Lynn Jenkins campaign website
- Tobias Schlingensiepen campaign website
- Jenkins, Schlingensiepen spar in 2nd District forum, The Topeka Capital-Journal, September 30, 2012
Democratic primary
Primary results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Tobias Schlingensiepen | 11,747 | 39.5 | |
| Democratic | Bob Eye | 10,353 | 34.8 | |
| Democratic | Scott Barnhart | 7,627 | 25.6 | |
| Total votes | 29,727 | 100.0 | ||
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Lynn Jenkins (incumbent) | 167,463 | 57.0 | |
| Democratic | Tobias Schlingensiepen | 113,735 | 38.7 | |
| Libertarian | Dennis Hawver | 12,520 | 4.3 | |
| Total votes | 293,718 | 100.0 | ||
| Republican hold | ||||
District 3
The redrawn 3rd district will continue to encompass Johnson and Wyandotte counties. The district will now also include the northeastern part of Miami County, but will no longer include the eastern part of Douglas County.[5]
Republican Kevin Yoder, who has represented the 3rd district since 2011, is running for re-election.[6] Joel Balam, a college professor, ran as the Libertarian nominee. Even though he lost, Balam's 31.5% set a new record for the highest percentage a Libertarian candidate ever received in any U.S. House election, mostly because Yoder had no Democratic opponent running against him.[14][15]
Primary results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Kevin Yoder (incumbent) | 50,270 | 100.0 | |
| Total votes | 50,270 | 100.0 | ||
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Kevin Yoder (incumbent) | 201,087 | 68.5 | |
| Libertarian | Joel Balam | 92,675 | 31.5 | |
| Total votes | 293,762 | 100.0 | ||
| Republican hold | ||||
District 4
The redrawn 4th district will continue to encompass Butler, Chautauqua, Cowley, Elk, Harper, Harvey, Kingman, Sedgwick, and Sumner counties, as well as the southern part of Greenwood county. The district will now also include Barber, Comanche, Edwards, Kiowa, Pratt, and Stafford counties, the remainder of Greenwood County, and the southwestern part of Pawnee County, but will no longer include Montgomery County.[5]
Republican Mike Pompeo, who has represented the 4th district since 2011, is running for re-election.[6] Thomas Jefferson, a computer technician formerly known as Jack Talbert, is running as the Libertarian nominee.[16]
Democratic primary
- Candidates
- Robert Tillman, retired court officer and 2010 candidate for KS-04
- Esau Freeman, painter[11]
Primary results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Robert Tillman | 11,224 | 70.8 | |
| Democratic | Esau Freeman | 4,618 | 29.1 | |
| Total votes | 15,842 | 100.0 | ||
Primary results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Mike Pompeo (incumbent) | 60,195 | 100.0 | |
| Total votes | 60,195 | 100.0 | ||
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Mike Pompeo (incumbent) | 161,094 | 62.2 | |
| Democratic | Robert Tillman | 81,770 | 31.6 | |
| Libertarian | Thomas Jefferson | 16,058 | 6.2 | |
| Total votes | 258,922 | 100.0 | ||
| Republican hold | ||||
References
- http://clerk.house.gov/member_info/electionInfo/2012election.pdf
- Toeplitz, Shira (June 8, 2012). "Robyn Renee Essex v. Kris W. Kobach, Kansas Secretary of State" (PDF). At the Races (blog). Roll Call. Retrieved 2012-10-12.
- Toeplitz, Shira (June 8, 2012). "Kansas: Court Issues Map, Redistricting Over". At the Races (blog). Roll Call. Retrieved 2012-10-12.
- "2012 Election Calendar" (PDF). Office of the Kansas Secretary of State. Retrieved March 24, 2012.
- "State of Kansas with 2002 Overlay" (PDF). U.S. District Court-District of Kansas. Archived from the original (PDF) on June 19, 2012. Retrieved June 15, 2012.
- Carpenter, Tim (April 17, 2012). "Redistricting delays favor incumbents". The Topeka Capital-Journal. Retrieved May 24, 2012.
- Clarkin, Mary (June 11, 2012). "No challengers for Huelskamp in 1st District". The Hutchinson News. Archived from the original on January 26, 2013. Retrieved June 13, 2012.
- "2012 General Election Results" (PDF). Kansas Secretary of State. Retrieved March 29, 2013.
- Marso, Andy (July 20, 2012). "Jenkins makes pitch to local tea party". The Topeka Capital-Journal. Retrieved October 6, 2012.
- "2 Kan. Republicans seek re-election to Congress". Associated Press. The El Dorado Times. June 5, 2012. Retrieved June 8, 2012.
- Hanna, John (June 11, 2012). "Deadline causes filing scramble". Associated Press. The Hutchinson News. Archived from the original on January 25, 2013. Retrieved June 13, 2012.
- Rothschild, Scott (August 7, 2012). "Schlingensiepen over Eye in Democratic battle in Congressional District 2; will now face Jenkins". Lawrence Journal-World. Retrieved October 6, 2012.
- "2012 Primary Election Official Vote Totals" (PDF). Secretary of State of Kansas. Retrieved October 6, 2012.
- Helling, Dave (June 12, 2012). "Coast is clear for Yoder in Kansas' 3rd District". The Kansas City Star. Retrieved June 13, 2012.
- Celock, John (August 20, 2012). "Kevin Yoder, Kansas Congressman, Likely To Survive Skinny-Dipping Scandal". The Huffington Post. Retrieved October 6, 2012.
- Marso, Andy (July 23, 2012). "House hopeful changes name to Thomas Jefferson". The Topeka Capital-Journal. Retrieved October 6, 2012.
External links
- Robyn Renee Essex v. Kris W. Kobach, Kansas Secretary of State from the U.S. District Court for Kansas
- United States House of Representatives elections in Kansas, 2012 at Ballotpedia
- Kansas U.S. House at OurCampaigns.com
- Campaign contributions for U.S. Congressional races in Kansas at OpenSecrets.org
- Outside spending at the Sunlight Foundation