2012 United States Senate election in Rhode Island

2012 United States Senate election in Rhode Island
Turnout	58.0% (voting eligible)
	Whitehouse: 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% 80–90%; Hinckley: 50–60%
U.S. senator before election; Sheldon Whitehouse; Democratic	Elected U.S. Senator ; Sheldon Whitehouse; Democratic

The 2012 United States Senate election in Rhode Island was on November 6, 2012, alongside the presidential election, elections to the United States House of Representatives, and various state and local elections.

In the 2006 Senate election, former Attorney General of Rhode Island Sheldon Whitehouse defeated one-term Republican incumbent Lincoln Chafee. Chafee had been appointed to the Senate in 1999 when his father, the incumbent senator John Chafee died. He then won election to a first term in 2000. Whitehouse won 53.52% of the vote in 2006.

Incumbent Democratic Senator Sheldon Whitehouse was reelected to a second term in a landslide by a 30-point margin of 65% - 35%. This election was the first time since 1970 that the election for Rhode Island's Class 1 Senate seat did not feature a member of the Chafee family.

Democratic primary

Candidates

Declared

Sheldon Whitehouse, incumbent U.S. Senator

Unsuccessful

Todd Giroux, contractor and Independent candidate for governor in 2010^[2]

Results

Democratic primary results
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Sheldon Whitehouse (incumbent)	60,223	100.00%
Total votes			60,223	100.00%

Republican primary

Candidates

Declared

Barry Hinckley, president and co-founder of software company Bullhorn^[3]

Declined

Joseph Almond, Lincoln town administrator^[4]
Scott Avedisian, Mayor of Warwick^[5]
Donald Carcieri, former Governor of Rhode Island^[6]
Giovanni Cicione, former chairman of the Rhode Island Republican Party^[7]
Brendan Doherty, former Rhode Island state police superintendent (running for a U.S. House seat)^[8]
Leo Fontaine, Mayor of Woonsocket^[9]
Allan Fung, Mayor of Cranston^[10]
John Robitaille, businessman and nominee for Governor in 2010^[11]^[12]

Polling

Poll source	Date(s) administered	Sample size	Margin of error	Scott Avedisian	Donald Carcieri	Buddy Cianci	Giovanni Cicione	Allan Fung	John Loughlin	John Robitaille	Catherine Taylor	Other/ Undecided
Public Policy Polling^[13]	February 16–22, 2011	250	±6.2%	12%	44%	12%	0%	6%	12%	12%	2%	—

Results

Republican primary results
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Barry Hinckley	6,890	100.00%
Total votes			6,890	100.00%

Independent

Candidates

Declined

Alan Hassenfeld, former Hasbro CEO^[14]

General election

Predictions

Source	Ranking	As of
The Cook Political Report^[15]	Solid D	November 1, 2012
Sabato's Crystal Ball^[16]	Safe D	November 5, 2012
Rothenberg Political Report^[17]	Safe D	November 2, 2012
Real Clear Politics^[18]	Safe D	November 5, 2012

Debates

Complete video of debate, October 24, 2012 - YouTube

Polling

Poll source	Date(s) administered	Sample size	Margin of error	Sheldon Whitehouse (D)	Barry Hinckley (R)	Other	Undecided
Fleming & Associates^[19]	February 20–23, 2012	511	±4.38%	50%	28%	—	20%
Fleming & Associates^[20]	September 26–29, 2012	501	±4.38%	56%	30%	—	11%
Brown University^[21]	September 26 – October 5, 2012	471	±4.4%	59%	30%	—	12%
McLaughlin and Associates^[22]	October 11, 2012	300	±5.6%	49%	41%	—	10%
Fleming & Associates^[23]	October 24–27, 2012	601	±4%	55%	33%	—	10%

Hypothetical polling

Poll source	Date(s) administered	Sample size	Margin of error	Sheldon Whitehouse (D)	Scott Avedisian (R)	Other	Undecided
Public Policy Polling^[24]	February 16–22, 2011	544	±4.2%	47%	37%	—	16%

Poll source	Date(s) administered	Sample size	Margin of error	Sheldon Whitehouse (D)	Donald Carcieri (R)	Other	Undecided
Public Policy Polling^[25]	February 16–22, 2011	544	±4.2%	54%	37%	—	8%

Poll source	Date(s) administered	Sample size	Margin of error	Sheldon Whitehouse (D)	Donald Carcieri (R)	Buddy Cianci (I)	Other	Undecided
Public Policy Polling^[26]	February 16–22, 2011	544	±4.2%	43%	31%	22%	—	4%

Poll source	Date(s) administered	Sample size	Margin of error	Sheldon Whitehouse (D)	Buddy Cianci (R)	Other	Undecided
Public Policy Polling^[27]	February 16–22, 2011	544	±4.2%	51%	35%	—	14%

Poll source	Date(s) administered	Sample size	Margin of error	Sheldon Whitehouse (D)	John Loughlin (R)	Other	Undecided
Public Policy Polling^[28]	February 16–22, 2011	544	±4.2%	51%	34%	—	15%

Poll source	Date(s) administered	Sample size	Margin of error	Sheldon Whitehouse (D)	John Robitaille (R)	Other	Undecided
Public Policy Polling^[29]	February 16–22, 2011	544	±4.2%	49%	38%	—	13%

Poll source	Date(s) administered	Sample size	Margin of error	Sheldon Whitehouse (D)	John Robitaille (R)	Buddy Cianci (I)	Other	Undecided
Public Policy Polling^[30]	February 16–22, 2011	544	±4.2%	44%	28%	24%	—	4%

Results

United States Senate election in Rhode Island, 2012^[31]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Democratic	Sheldon Whitehouse (incumbent)	271,034	64.81%	+11.29%
	Republican	Barry Hinckley	146,222	34.97%	−11.51%
	Write-in		933	0.22%	N/A
Total votes			418,189	100.00%	N/A
	Democratic hold

Counties that flipped from Republican to Democratic

Bristol (largest municipality: Bristol)
Kent (largest city: Warwick)
Newport (largest municipality: Newport)
Washington (largest municipality: South Kingstown)

By congressional district

Whitehouse won both congressional districts.^[32]

District	Whitehouse	Hinckley	Representative
1st	68.5%	31.5%	David Cicilline
2nd	61.71%	38.29%	James Langevin

References

^ Dr. Michael McDonald (February 9, 2013). "2012 General Election Turnout Rates". George Mason University. Archived from the original on April 24, 2013. Retrieved April 6, 2013.
^ Arditi, Lynn (April 21, 2012). "Todd Giroux announces bid for U.S. Senate". The Providence Journal. Archived from the original on April 23, 2012. Retrieved May 7, 2012.
^ McGowan, Dan (May 28, 2011). "Senate Battle Heats Up: Hinckley Blasts Whitehouse". GoLocalProv. Retrieved May 7, 2012.
^ Peoples, Steve (November 9, 2010). "GOPer Giovanni Cicione Considering Bid Against Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse". Roll Call. Retrieved November 14, 2010.
^ Nesi, Ted (October 28, 2011). "Warwick Mayor Scott Avedisian". WPRI-TV. Twitter. Retrieved May 7, 2012.
^ "Carcieri says he's decided against running for U.S. Senate". Providence Journal. November 16, 2011. Archived from the original on December 23, 2011. Retrieved November 18, 2011.
^ Donnis, Ian (February 25, 2011). "Rhode Island Tip Sheet: National exposure for RI penches". WRNI-FM. Retrieved February 25, 2011.
^ Catanese, David (May 10, 2011). "Former police superintendent to challenge Cicilline". Politico. Retrieved May 7, 2012.
^ Nesi, Ted (November 10, 2010). "Carcieri, Avedisian, Cicione may take on Whitehouse". WPRI-TV. Archived from the original on July 18, 2011. Retrieved November 17, 2010.
^ Nesi, Ted (February 22, 2011). "Fung 'not considering' $5M run against Whitehouse". WPRI-TV. Archived from the original on March 1, 2011. Retrieved February 22, 2011.
^ Nesi, Ted (December 2, 2010). "Robitaille: I may run for Senate in '12". WPRI-TV. Archived from the original on December 4, 2010. Retrieved December 2, 2010.
^ Silverman, Bradley (January 19, 2011). "Robitaille Likely to Run for Governor Again". WBRU. Archived from the original on January 21, 2011. Retrieved January 22, 2011.
^ Public Policy Polling
^ Maxon, Jake (January 21, 2011). "2012 Senate Run a Possibility for Former Hasbro CEO". WBRU. Archived from the original on January 31, 2011. Retrieved January 23, 2011.
^ "2012 Senate Race Ratings for November 1, 2012". The Cook Political Report. Archived from the original on August 29, 2018. Retrieved September 20, 2018.
^ "2012 Senate". Sabato's Crystal Ball. Retrieved September 20, 2018.
^ "2012 Senate Ratings". Senate Ratings. The Rothenberg Political Report. Retrieved September 20, 2018.
^ "2012 Elections Map - Battle for the Senate 2012". Real Clear Politics. Retrieved September 20, 2018.
^ Fleming & Associates Archived March 4, 2012, at the Wayback Machine
^ Fleming & Associates Archived October 4, 2012, at the Wayback Machine
^ Brown University
^ McLaughlin and Associates ^{[permanent dead link]}
^ Fleming & Associates Archived November 4, 2012, at the Wayback Machine
^ Public Policy Polling
^ Public Policy Polling
^ Public Policy Polling
^ Public Policy Polling
^ Public Policy Polling
^ Public Policy Polling
^ Public Policy Polling
^ "RI.gov: Election Results". www.ri.gov.
^ "Daily Kos Elections' statewide election results by congressional and legislative districts". Daily Kos. Retrieved August 11, 2020.

External links

Official campaign websites (Archived)

[VEP12-1] Dr. Michael McDonald (February 9, 2013). "2012 General Election Turnout Rates". George Mason University. Archived from the original on April 24, 2013. Retrieved April 6, 2013.

[2] Arditi, Lynn (April 21, 2012). "Todd Giroux announces bid for U.S. Senate". The Providence Journal. Archived from the original on April 23, 2012. Retrieved May 7, 2012.

[3] McGowan, Dan (May 28, 2011). "Senate Battle Heats Up: Hinckley Blasts Whitehouse". GoLocalProv. Retrieved May 7, 2012.

[rc-4] Peoples, Steve (November 9, 2010). "GOPer Giovanni Cicione Considering Bid Against Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse". Roll Call. Retrieved November 14, 2010.

[5] Nesi, Ted (October 28, 2011). "Warwick Mayor Scott Avedisian". WPRI-TV. Twitter. Retrieved May 7, 2012.

[6] "Carcieri says he's decided against running for U.S. Senate". Providence Journal. November 16, 2011. Archived from the original on December 23, 2011. Retrieved November 18, 2011.

[7] Donnis, Ian (February 25, 2011). "Rhode Island Tip Sheet: National exposure for RI penches". WRNI-FM. Retrieved February 25, 2011.

[8] Catanese, David (May 10, 2011). "Former police superintendent to challenge Cicilline". Politico. Retrieved May 7, 2012.

[9] Nesi, Ted (November 10, 2010). "Carcieri, Avedisian, Cicione may take on Whitehouse". WPRI-TV. Archived from the original on July 18, 2011. Retrieved November 17, 2010.

[10] Nesi, Ted (February 22, 2011). "Fung 'not considering' $5M run against Whitehouse". WPRI-TV. Archived from the original on March 1, 2011. Retrieved February 22, 2011.

[11] Nesi, Ted (December 2, 2010). "Robitaille: I may run for Senate in '12". WPRI-TV. Archived from the original on December 4, 2010. Retrieved December 2, 2010.

[12] Silverman, Bradley (January 19, 2011). "Robitaille Likely to Run for Governor Again". WBRU. Archived from the original on January 21, 2011. Retrieved January 22, 2011.

[13] Public Policy Polling

[14] Maxon, Jake (January 21, 2011). "2012 Senate Run a Possibility for Former Hasbro CEO". WBRU. Archived from the original on January 31, 2011. Retrieved January 23, 2011.

[15] "2012 Senate Race Ratings for November 1, 2012". The Cook Political Report. Archived from the original on August 29, 2018. Retrieved September 20, 2018.

[16] "2012 Senate". Sabato's Crystal Ball. Retrieved September 20, 2018.

[17] "2012 Senate Ratings". Senate Ratings. The Rothenberg Political Report. Retrieved September 20, 2018.

[18] "2012 Elections Map - Battle for the Senate 2012". Real Clear Politics. Retrieved September 20, 2018.

[19] Fleming & Associates Archived March 4, 2012, at the Wayback Machine

[20] Fleming & Associates Archived October 4, 2012, at the Wayback Machine

[21] Brown University

[22] McLaughlin and Associates ^{[permanent dead link]}

[23] Fleming & Associates Archived November 4, 2012, at the Wayback Machine

[24] Public Policy Polling

[25] Public Policy Polling

[26] Public Policy Polling

[27] Public Policy Polling

[28] Public Policy Polling

[29] Public Policy Polling

[30] Public Policy Polling

[apresults-31] "RI.gov: Election Results". www.ri.gov.

[32] "Daily Kos Elections' statewide election results by congressional and legislative districts". Daily Kos. Retrieved August 11, 2020.

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Democratic primary

Candidates

Declared

Unsuccessful

Results

Republican primary

Candidates

Declared

Declined

Polling

Results

Independent

Candidates

Declined

General election

Predictions

Debates

Polling

Results

Counties that flipped from Republican to Democratic

By congressional district

See also

References

External links