2012 North Carolina Senate election

← 2010 November 6, 2012 (2012-11-06) 2014 →
All 50 seats in the North Carolina State Senate
Majority party Minority party   Leader Phil Berger Martin Nesbitt Party Republican Democratic Leader since January 1, 2005 January 1, 2011 Leader's seat District 26 District 49 Seats before 31 19 Seats after 33 17 Seat change 2 2
Results:      Democratic hold      Democratic gain      Republican hold      Republican gain
President pro tempore before election Phil Berger Republican President pro tempore-designate Phil Berger Republican

Elections in North Carolina
Federal government U.S. President 1792 1796 1800 1804 1808 1812 1816 1820 1824 1828 1832 1836 1840 1844 1848 1852 1856 1860 1868 1872 1876 1880 1884 1888 1892 1896 1900 1904 1908 1912 1916 1920 1924 1928 1932 1936 1940 1944 1948 1952 1956 1960 1964 1968 1972 1976 1980 1984 1988 1992 1996 2000 2004 2008 Dem Rep 2012 2016 Dem 2020 Dem Rep 2024 Dem Rep U.S. Senate 1789 1792 1795 1798 1799 1800 1804 1805 (sp) 1806 1810 1812 1814 (sp) 1815 (sp) 1816 1816 (sp) 1818 1822 1825 1846 (sp) 1828 1828 (sp) 1829 1829 (sp) 1830 1835 1836 1836 (sp) 1840 (sp) 1841 1843 1847 1849 1854 (sp) 1855 1858 (sp) 1861 1868 1872 1872 (sp) 1876 1879 1883 1884 1889 1890 1894 1894 (sp) 1897 1901 1903 1907 1909 1913 1914 1918 1920 1924 1926 1930 1932 1932 (sp) 1936 1938 1942 1944 1948 1948 (sp) 1950 1950 (sp) 1954 1954 (sp) 1956 1958 (sp) 1960 1966 1968 1972 1974 1978 1980 1984 1986 1986 (sp) 1990 1992 1996 1998 2002 2004 2008 2010 2014 2016 2020 2022 2026 U.S. House of Representatives 1790 1791 1793 1795 sp:4 1796 sp:4 1798 sp:10 1800 1801 sp:8 1802 sp:8 1803 1804 1805 sp:5 1806 sp:10 1808 sp:7 1810 1813 sp:3 1815 1816 sp:6 sp:8 1817 1818 sp:7 sp:11 1819 1821 sp:4 1823 1825 sp:2 1826 sp:8 1827 1829 sp:5 sp:10 1831 1833 1835 1837 1839 1841 1843 1845 1847 1849 1851 1853 1855 1857 1858 sp:8 1859 1865 1868 1870 1872 1874 1876 1878 1880 1882 1884 1886 1888 1890 1892 1894 1896 1898 1900 1902 1904 1906 1908 1910 1912 1914 1916 1918 1920 1928 1930 1934 1938 1940 1942 1946 1948 1950 1952 1956 1958 1960 sp:12 1968 1972 1980 1984 1986 1990 1992 1994 1996 1998 2000 2002 2004 sp:1 2006 2008 2010 2012 2014 sp:12 2016 2018 9 2019 sp:3 sp:9 2020 11 2022 2024
State executive Gubernatorial elections 1866 1868 1872 1876 1880 1884 1888 1892 1896 1900 1904 1908 1912 1916 1920 1924 1928 1932 1936 1940 1944 1948 1952 1956 1960 1964 1968 1972 1976 1980 1984 1988 1992 1996 2000 2004 2008 2012 2016 2020 2024 Lieutenant Governor elections 1936 1940 1944 1948 1952 1956 1960 1964 1968 1972 1976 1980 1984 1988 1992 1996 2000 2004 2008 2012 2016 2020 2024 Attorney General elections 2008 2012 2016 2020 2024 Council of State elections 1996 2000 2004 2008 2012 2016 2020 2024 Secretary of State elections 1940 1944 2024
State legislature State Senate elections 2000 2002 2004 2006 2008 2010 2012 2014 2016 2018 2020 2022 2024 State House elections 2000 2002 2004 2006 2008 2010 2012 2014 2016 2018 2020 2022 2024
State judiciary Judicial elections 1996 1998 2000 2002 2004 2006 2008 2010 2012 2014 2016 2018 2020 2022 2024
Ballot measures 2012 Amendment 1
Mayoral elections Charlotte mayoral elections 2001 2003 2005 2007 2009 2011 2013 2015 2017 2019 2022 Cary mayoral elections 2011 2015 2019 Durham mayoral elections 1979 1981 1983 1985 1987 1989 1991 1993 1995 1997 1999 2001 2003 2005 2007 2009 2011 2013 2015 2017 2019 2021 2023 Fayetteville mayoral elections 2001 2003 2005 2007 2009 2011 2013 2015 2017 2019 2022 Greensboro mayoral elections 2011 2013 2015 2017 Raleigh mayoral elections 1997 1999 2001 2003 2005 2007 2009 2011 2013 2015 2017 2019 2022 2024 Winston-Salem mayoral elections 1997 2001 2005 2009 2013 2016 2020
v t e

The 2012 North Carolina State Senate elections selected members to serve in the North Carolina Senate for a two-year term commencing in January 2013. Going into the election, the Senate had 31 Republican and 19 Democratic members, which constituted a two-thirds super-majority for the Republican Party. Following the election, the Senate had 33 Republican and 17 Democratic members.

Results summary

† - Incumbent not seeking re-election

Incumbents defeated in primary election

• Chris Carney (R-District 44), defeated by David L. Curtis (R)

Incumbents defeated in general election

• Stan White (D-District 1), defeated by Bill Cook (R)
• Doug Berger (D-District 18), defeated by Chad Barefoot (R)

Open seats that changed parties

• Don Vaughan (D-District 27) did not seek re-election, seat won by Trudy Wade (R)

Newly created seats

• District 5, won by Don Davis (D)
• District 22, won by Mike Woodard (D)
• District 41, won by Jeff Tarte (R)

Seats eliminated by redistricting

• Bob Atwater (D-District 18) did not seek re-election after his seat was merged with 23rd district
• Harris Blake (R-District 22) did not seek re-election after his seat was merged with the 29th district
• Wes Westmoreland (R-District 46) did not seek re-election after his seat was merged with the 44th district

Detailed results

Districts 1–25

District 1

Incumbent Democrat Stan M. White has represented the 1st district since 2011.

District 2

Incumbent Republican Jean Preston has represented the 2nd district since 2007. Preston did not seek re-election. Representative Norman W. Sanderson won the open seat.

District 3

Incumbent Democrat Clark Jenkins has represented the 3rd district since 2003.

District 4

Incumbent Democrat Edward Jones has represented the 4th district since 2007.

District 5

The 5th district is an open seat that includes Democratic leaning areas in Greene, Pitt, Lenoir, and Wayne counties. Democrat Don Davis who represented a different version of the 5th district from 2009 to 2011 won the open seat.

District 6

Incumbent Republican Majority Leader Harry Brown has represented the 6th district since 2004.

District 7

The new 7th district is the successor to the old 5th district, but it has been drawn to be more Republican leaning than its predecessor. It now includes mostly Republican leaning areas in Pitt, Lenoir, and Wayne counties. Incumbent Republican Louis M. Pate Jr., who has represented the 5th district since 2011, successfully sought re-election here.

District 8

Incumbent Republican Bill Rabon has represented the 8th district since 2011.

District 9

Incumbent Republican Thom Goolsby has represented the 9th district since 2011.

District 10

Incumbent Republican Brent Jackson has represented the 10th district since 2011.

District 11

Incumbent Republican Buck Newton has represented the 11th district since 2011.

District 12

The new 12th district is considerably different from its predecessor. Redistricting resulted in it losing its share of Wayne County and most of Johnston County, except for a small section in the western corner where Rouzer's home is located. The new district now includes all of Harnett and Lee counties. Incumbent Republican David Rouzer, who has represented the 12th district since 2009, did not seek re-election. Rouzer instead ran for U.S. House district 7. Republican Ronald Rabin won the open seat.

District 13

Incumbent Democrat Michael Walters has represented the 13th district since 2009. The new 13th district lost its share of Hoke County, but now includes Columbus County.

District 14

Incumbent Democrat Dan Blue has represented the 14th district since 2009.

District 15

Incumbent Republican Neal Hunt has represented the 15th district since 2005.

District 16

Incumbent Democrat Josh Stein has represented the 16th district since 2009.

District 17

Incumbent Republican Richard Y. Stevens has represented the 17th district since 2003. Stevens did not seek re-election.

District 18

The new 18th district is essentially a new district, including constituents in eastern Wake County and also includes all of Franklin County. Democrat Doug Berger, who has represented 7th district since 2005, had most of his constituents drawn into the 4th and 20th districts, but he sought re-election here where is home was located. The district was expected to favor Republicans and, as expected, Berger lost re-election to Republican opponent Chad Barefoot.

District 19

Incumbent Republican Wesley Meredith has represented the 19th district since 2011. The new 19th district lost its share of Bladen County and traded Democratic leaning areas with Republican leaning areas to the 21st district in Cumberland County. The gerrymandered district was designed to protect the incumbent Meredith.

District 20

Incumbent Democrat Floyd McKissick Jr. has represented the 20th district since 2007.

District 21

Incumbent Democrat Eric Mansfield has represented the 21st district since 2011. The new district was made heavily Democratic by gaining Hoke County and losing Republican leaning areas in Cumberland County to the 19th district. Mansfield did not seek re-election, instead he ran Lieutenant Governor. Democrat Ben Clark won the open seat.

District 22

The new 22nd district is a newly created constituency with no incumbent. The new district includes all of Caswell and Person counties as well as parts of Durham County, though most of the city of Durham remains in the heavily Democratic 20th district. Democrat Mike Woodard won the open seat.

District 23

The new 23rd district loses its share of Person County and gains Chatham County. Incumbent Democrats Eleanor Kinnaird, who has represented the 23rd district and its predecessors since 1997, and Bob Atwater, who has represented the 18th district since 2005, were both redistricted here. Atwater retired and Kinnaird ran for re-election.

District 24

Incumbent Republican Rick Gunn has represented the 24th district since 2011.

District 25

Incumbent Democrat William R. Purcell has represented the 25th district and its predecessors since 1997. Purcell did not seek re-election. Gene McLaurin won the open seat.

Districts 26–50

District 26

Incumbent Republican president pro tempore Phil Berger has represented the 26th district since and its predecessors since 2001.

District 27

The new 27th district is still based in Guilford County but has been drawn to be more Republican than its predecessor. Incumbent Republican Don Vaughan has represented the 27th district since 2009. Vaughan did not seek re-election.

District 28

Incumbent Democrat Gladys A. Robinson has represented the 28th district since 2011.

District 29

The new 29th district lost its share of Montgomery County and the eastern half of Randolph County. It gained all of Moore County. Incumbent Republicans Jerry W. Tillman, who has represented the 29th district since 2003, and Harris Blake, who has represented the 22nd district since 2003, were both redistricted here. Blake retired and Tillman was successfully re-elected here.

District 30

Incumbent Republican Don W. East has represented the 30th district since 2005. East died before the election, so all votes cast for him were given to Shirley B. Randleman, who took the seat at the beginning of the 2013–2014 session.

District 31

Incumbent Republican Pete Brunstetter has represented the 31st district since 2006.

District 32

Incumbent Democrat Linda Garrou has represented the 32nd district and its predecessors since 1999. Garrou did not seek re-election. Representative Earline Parmon won the open seat.

District 33

The new 33rd district gained Montgomery County. Incumbent Republican Stan Bingham has represented the 33rd district and its predecessors since 2001.

District 34

Incumbent Republican Andrew C. Brock has represented the 34th district since 2003.

District 35

Incumbent Republican Tommy Tucker has represented the 35th district since 2011.

District 36

Incumbent Republican Fletcher L. Hartsell Jr. has represented the 36th district and its predecessors since 1991.

District 37

Incumbent Democrat Dan Clodfelter has represented the 37th district and its predecessors since 1999.

District 38

Incumbent Democrat Charlie Dannelly has represented the 38th district and its predecessors since 1995. Dannelly initially ran for re-election but later withdrew. Democrat Joel Ford won the open seat.

District 39

Incumbent Republican Bob Rucho has represented the 39th district and its predecessors since 2008 and previously from 1997 to 2005.

District 40

Incumbent Democrat Maclom Graham has represented the 40th district since 2005.

District 41

The new 41st district is based in Mecklenburg County and includes Republican leaning areas in the Northern and Southeastern sections of the county connected by a narrow strip of land that runs along the county's border with Cabarrus County. The district, which has now incumbent, is expected to favor Republicans. Republican Jeff Tarte won the open seat.

District 42

Incumbent Republican Austin M. Allran has represented the 42nd district and its predecessors since 1986.

District 43

Incumbent Republican Kathy Harrington has represented the 43rd district since 2011.

District 44

The new 44th district overlaps with much of the former 41st district represented by Republican Chris Carney since December 20, 2011. Carney sought re-election here but was defeated in the Republican primary by David L. Curtis. Curtis won the general election.

District 45

Incumbent Republican Dan Soucek has represented the 45th district since 2011.

District 46

The new 46th district lost its share Caldwell County but gained Cleveland County. Incumbent Republicans Wes Westmoreland, who has represented the 46th district since 2012 and Warren Daniel, who has represented the 44th district since 2011 were both redistricted here. Westmoreland did not seek re-election and Daniel successfully sought re-election here.

District 47

The new 48th district lost its share of Haywood and Avery counties but gained all of Polk and Rutherford counties. Incumbent Republican Ralph Hise has represented the 47th district since 2011.

District 48

The new 48th District lost Polk County but gained Transylvania County. Incumbent Republican Tom Apodaca has represented the 48th district since 2003.

District 49

Incumbent Democrat Martin Nesbitt has represented the 49th district since 2004.

District 50

The new 50th district lost Transylvania County but gained all of Haywood County. Incumbent Republican Jim Davis has represented the 50th district since 2011.