California State Assembly elections, 2012
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California's 2012 elections U.S. Senate • U.S. House • State Senate • State Assembly • State ballot measures • Candidate ballot access |
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Elections for the office of California State Assembly were held in California on November 6, 2012. All 80 seats were up for election.
The signature filing deadline for candidates wishing to run in these elections was March 9, 2012. The primary Election Day was June 5, 2012.
Blanket primary
This was the first election year in which California's Top Two Candidates Open Primary Act was in effect. Because of this, all candidates for a seat competed in one blanket primary. The two candidates who received the most votes then advanced to the general election on November 6.
The proposition's intent was to encourage primary competition, which backers of the act said would lead to more moderate legislators being elected. Despite this intention, only a few centrists successfully advanced to the general election. The primary results did reflect an increase in competition, with California's percentage of contested primaries being much higher than the nationwide average.[1]
However, the increase in competition has also led to an increase in campaign spending, due to the fact that competition within political parties will last for the entire year rather than ending after the primary. Experts predict that this will only increase the power of the special interest groups that fund the campaigns.[1]
Raphael J. Sonenshein, executive director of the Edmund G. "Pat" Brown Institute of Public Affairs at Cal State L.A., said the following, "It's hard to argue it's a better system where the incumbent congressman has a huge war chest and nobody else has any money... At least now we can make him spend it."[1]
There were nineteen same-party races in the state legislature in November. Nine congressional districts also had same-party candidates battling.[2] Of the total 28 same-party contests, a study by the Public Policy Institute of California rated only twelve as actually competitive. Minor party candidates, meanwhile, were only able to make it to the general election in three races.[3]
Incumbents retiring
| Name | Party | Current office |
|---|---|---|
| Alyson Huber | Assembly District 10 | |
| Anthony Portantino, Jr. | Assembly District 44 | |
| Bill Berryhill | Assembly District 26 | |
| Bill Monning | Assembly District 27 | |
| Cameron Smyth | Assembly District 38 | |
| Cathleen Galgiani | Assembly District 17 | |
| Charles Calderon | Assembly District 58 | |
| David G. Valadao | Assembly District 30 | |
| Felipe Fuentes | Assembly District 39 | |
| Fiona Ma | Assembly District 12 | |
| Gerald Hill | Assembly District 19 | |
| Gilbert Cedillo | Assembly District 45 | |
| James Beall Jr. | Assembly District 24 | |
| Jared Huffman | Assembly District 6 | |
| Jeff Miller | Assembly District 71 | |
| Jim Nielsen | Assembly District 2 | |
| Jim Silva | Assembly District 67 | |
| Jose Solorio | Assembly District 69 | |
| Julia Brownley | Assembly District 41 | |
| Kevin Jeffries | Assembly District 66 | |
| Linda Halderman | Assembly District 29 | |
| Martin Block | Assembly District 78 | |
| Martin Garrick | Assembly District 74 | |
| Mary Hayashi | Assembly District 18 | |
| Mike Davis (California) | Assembly District 48 | |
| Mike Eng | Assembly District 49 | |
| Mike Feuer | Assembly District 42 | |
| Nathan Fletcher | Assembly District 75 | |
| Paul Cook | Assembly District 65 | |
| Ricardo Lara | Assembly District 50 | |
| Sandré Swanson | Assembly District 16 | |
| Stephen Knight | Assembly District 36 | |
| Tony Mendoza | Assembly District 56 | |
| Warren Furutani | Assembly District 55 | |
| Wilmer Carter | Assembly District 62 |
Majority control
- See also: Partisan composition of state houses
Heading into the November 6 election, the Democratic Party held the majority in the California State Assembly:
| California State Assembly | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Party | As of November 5, 2012 | After the 2012 Election | |
| Democratic Party | 52 | 56 | |
| Republican Party | 28 | 24 | |
| Total | 80 | 80 | |
Campaign contributions
This chart shows how many candidates ran for state assembly in California in past years and the cumulative amount of campaign contributions in state assembly races, including contributions in both primary and general election contests. All figures come from Follow The Money.[4]
| Year | Number of candidates | Total contributions |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 275 | $77,405,341 |
| 2008 | 236 | $84,386,698 |
| 2006 | 285 | $91,726,959 |
| 2004 | 264 | $94,287,806 |
| 2002 | 279 | $73,822,064 |
In the 2010 elections, the candidates running for the Assembly raised a total of $77,405,341 in campaign funds. Their top 10 contributors were:[5]
| Donor | Amount |
|---|---|
| California Democratic Party | $6,711,171 |
| California Republican Party | $1,759,884 |
| Sacramento County Democratic Central Cmte | $612,026 |
| California Association of Realtors | $585,754 |
| California Teachers Association | $580,141 |
| Los Angeles County Democratic Party | $556,653 |
| AT&T | $519,778 |
| California Dental Association | $499,849 |
| Pechanga Band of Luiseno Mission Indians | $442,300 |
| California State Council of Laborers | $424,500 |
Qualifications
To run for Member of the Assembly, the candidate must be a United States citizen and a registered voter in the district at the time nomination papers are issued and may not have served three terms in the State Assembly since November 6, 1990. According to Article IV of the California Constitution, the candidate must have one year of residency in the legislative district and California residency for three years.
Term limits
The California State Assembly has been a term-limited state house since California voters approved Proposition 140 in 1990. Under the terms of Proposition 140, the members of the state assembly can serve no more than three 2-year terms in the state assembly. This is a lifetime limit, as is the case in five other states with state legislative term limits.
There are 80 members in the state assembly, and 22 of them (27.5%) were termed-out in 2012. Of them, 17 were Democratic and 5 were Republican.
In addition to the 22 California state representatives who left office because of term limits, 6 California state senators were also termed-out.
California state representatives whose seats were up for election in 2012 but who were unable to run because of the state's term limits were:
Democrats (17):
Republicans (5):
Impact of redistricting
New legislative maps were approved by the California Citizens Redistricting Commission on August 15, 2011.[6] Public Policy Institute of California predicted that partisan gains as a result of redistricting would be "minimal in most cases, and difficult to attribute to the new district lines." The new maps created an additional six Latino majority-minority districts, bringing the total number to 14.[7]
List of candidates
District 1
Note: Incumbent Wesley Chesbro (D) won re-election in District 2.
- June 5 primary candidates:
Robert Meacher: 31,120
Rick Bosetti: 34,457
Charley Hooper: 6,503
David Edwards: 7,381
November 6 General election candidates:
District 2
Note: Incumbent Jim Nielsen (R) did not run for re-election.
- June 5 primary candidates:
Incumbent Chesbro first assumed office in 2008.
November 6 General election candidates:
District 3
- June 5 primary candidates:
November 6 General election candidates:
District 4
Note: Incumbent Beth Gaines (R) won re-election in District 6.
- June 5 primary candidates:
November 6 General election candidates:
District 5
Note: Incumbent Richard Pan (D) won re-election in District 9.
- June 5 primary candidates:
Mark Belden: 4,158
November 6 General election candidates:
District 6
Note: Incumbent Jared Huffman (D) was ineligible to run for re-election due to term limits. He won election to the U.S. House in California's 2nd Congressional District.
- June 5 primary candidates:
November 6 General election candidates:
District 7
Note: Incumbent Michael Allen (D) ran for re-election in District 10.
- June 5 primary candidates:
November 6 General election candidates:
District 8
Note: Incumbent Mariko Yamada (D) won re-election in District 4.
- June 5 primary candidates:
- Note: Chris Parker (D) initially filed to run for the seat, but he withdrew before the primary election.
November 6 General election candidates:
District 9
Note: Incumbent Roger Dickinson (D) won re-election in District 7.
- June 5 primary candidates:
C.T. Weber: 1,950
November 6 General election candidates:
District 10
Note: Incumbent Alyson Huber did not run for re-election.
- June 5 primary candidates:
November 6 General election candidates:
District 11
Note: Incumbent Susan Bonilla (D) won re-election in District 14.
- June 5 primary candidates:
November 6 General election candidates:
District 12
Note: Incumbent Fiona Ma (D) was ineligible to run for re-election due to term limits.
- June 5 primary candidates:
November 6 General election candidates:
District 13
Note: Incumbent Tom Ammiano (D) ran for re-election in District 17.
- June 5 primary candidates:
November 6 General election candidates:
District 14
Note: Incumbent Nancy Skinner (D) won re-election in District 15.
- June 5 primary candidates:
November 6 General election candidates:
District 15
Note: Incumbent Joan Buchanan (D) won re-election in District 16.
- June 5 primary candidates:
November 6 General election candidates:
District 16
Note: Incumbent Sandre Swanson (D) was ineligible to run for re-election due to term limits.
- June 5 primary candidates:
November 6 General election candidates:
District 17
Note: Incumbent Cathleen Galgiani (D) was ineligible to run for re-election due to term limits. She ran for election to District 5 of the Senate.
- June 5 primary candidates:
November 6 General election candidates:
District 18
Note: Incumbent Mary Hayashi (D) was ineligible to run for re-election due to term limits.
- June 5 primary candidates:
November 6 General election candidates:
District 19
Note: Incumbent Gerald Hill (D) won election to District 13 of the Senate.
- June 5 primary candidates:
November 6 General election candidates:
District 20
Note: Incumbent Bob Wieckowski (D) won re-election in District 25.
- June 5 primary candidates:
November 6 General election candidates:
District 21
Note: Incumbent Rich Gordon (D) won re-election in District 24.
- June 5 primary candidates:
November 6 General election candidates:
District 22
Note: Incumbent Paul Fong (D) won re-election in District 28.
- June 5 primary candidates:
November 6 General election candidates:
District 23
Note: Incumbent Nora Campos (D) won re-election in District 27.
- June 5 primary candidates:
November 6 General election candidates:
District 24
Note: Incumbent James Beall Jr. (D) was ineligible to run for re-election due to term limits. He won election to District 15 of the Senate.
- June 5 primary candidates:
November 6 General election candidates:
District 25
Note: Incumbent Kristin Olsen (R) won re-election in District 12.
- June 5 primary candidates:
November 6 General election candidates:
District 26
Note: Incumbent Bill Berryhill (R) ran for election to District 5 of the Senate.
- June 5 primary candidates:
November 6 General election candidates:
District 27
Note: Incumbent Bill Monning (D) won election to District 17 of the Senate.
- June 5 primary candidates:
November 6 General election candidates:
District 28
Note: Incumbent Luis Alejo (D) won re-election in District 30.
- June 5 primary candidates:
November 6 General election candidates:
District 29
Note: Incumbent Linda Halderman (R) did not run for re-election.
- June 5 primary candidates:
November 6 General election candidates:
District 30
Note: Incumbent David G. Valadao (R) won election to the U.S. House in California's 21st Congressional District.
- June 5 primary candidates:
November 6 General election candidates:
District 31
- June 5 primary candidates:
November 6 General election candidates:
District 32
Note: Incumbent Shannon Grove (R) won re-election in District 34.
- June 5 primary candidates:
November 6 General election candidates:
District 33
Note: Incumbent K.H. Achadjian (R) won re-election in District 35.
- June 5 primary candidates:
November 6 General election candidates:
District 34
Note: Incumbent Connie Conway (R) won re-election in District 26.
- June 5 primary candidates:
November 6 General election candidates:
District 35
Note: Incumbent Das Williams (D) won re-election in District 37.
- June 5 primary candidates:
November 6 General election candidates:
District 36
Note: Incumbent Stephen Knight (R) won election to District 21 of the Senate.
- June 5 primary candidates:
November 6 General election candidates:
Note: Smith was the presumed winner, but on December 2, 2012 the vote total put Fox ahead of Smith by 145 votes. Smith did not seek a recount.[9]
District 37
Note: Incumbent Jeff Gorell (R) won re-election in District 44.
- June 5 primary candidates:
November 6 General election candidates:
District 38
Note: Incumbent Cameron Smyth (R) was ineligible to run for re-election due to term limits.
- June 5 primary candidates:
November 6 General election candidates:
District 39
Note: Incumbent Felipe Fuentes (D) was ineligible to run for re-election due to term limits.
- June 5 primary candidates:
November 6 General election candidates:
District 40
Note: Incumbent Bob Blumenfield (D) won re-election in District 45.
- June 5 primary candidates:
November 6 General election candidates:
District 41
Note: Incumbent Julia Brownley (D) was ineligible to run for re-election due to term limits. She won election to the U.S. House in California's 26th Congressional District.
- June 5 primary candidates:
November 6 General election candidates:
District 42
Note: Incumbent Mike Feuer (D) was ineligible to run for re-election due to term limits.
- June 5 primary candidates:
November 6 General election candidates:
District 43
- June 5 primary candidates:
November 6 General election candidates:
District 44
Note: Incumbent Anthony Portantino, Jr. (D) was ineligible to run for re-election due to term limits.
- June 5 primary candidates:
November 6 General election candidates:
District 45
Note: Incumbent Gilbert Cedillo (D) was ineligible to run for re-election due to term limits.
- June 5 primary candidates:
November 6 General election candidates:
District 46
Note: Incumbent John Perez (D) won re-election in District 53.
- June 5 primary candidates:
November 6 General election candidates:
District 47
Note: Incumbent Holly J. Mitchell (D) won re-election in District 54.
- June 5 primary candidates:
November 6 General election candidates:
District 48
Note: Incumbent Mike Davis (California) (D) was ineligible to run for re-election due to term limits.
- June 5 primary candidates:
November 6 General election candidates:
District 49
Note: Incumbent Mike Eng (D) was ineligible to run for re-election due to term limits.
- June 5 primary candidates:
November 6 General election candidates:
District 50
Note: Incumbent Ricardo Lara (D) won election to District 33 of the Senate.
- June 5 primary candidates:
November 6 General election candidates:
District 51
Note: Incumbent Steve Bradford (D) won re-election in District 62.
- June 5 primary candidates:
November 6 General election candidates:
District 52
Note: Incumbent Isadore Hall, III (D) won re-election in District 64.
- June 5 primary candidates:
November 6 General election candidates:
District 53
Note: Incumbent Betsy Butler (D) ran for re-election in District 50.
- June 5 primary candidates:
November 6 General election candidates:
District 54
Note: Incumbent Bonnie Lowenthal (D) won re-election in District 70.
- June 5 primary candidates:
November 6 General election candidates:
District 55
Note: Incumbent Warren Furutani (D) did not run for re-election.
- June 5 primary candidates:
November 6 General election candidates:
District 56
Note: Incumbent Tony Mendoza (D) was ineligible to run for re-election due to term limits.
- June 5 primary candidates:
November 6 General election candidates:
District 57
Note: Incumbent Roger Hernandez (D) ran for re-election in District 48.
- June 5 primary candidates:
November 6 General election candidates:
District 58
Note: Incumbent Charles Calderon (D) was ineligible to run for re-election due to term limits.
- June 5 primary candidates:
November 6 General election candidates:
District 59
Note: Incumbent Tim Donnelly (R) won re-election in District 33.
- June 5 primary candidates:
November 6 General election candidates:
District 60
Note: Incumbent Curt Hagman (R) won re-election in District 55.
- June 5 primary candidates:
November 6 General election candidates:
District 61
Note: Incumbent Norma Torres (D) won re-election in District 52.
- June 5 primary candidates:
November 6 General election candidates:
District 62
Note: Incumbent Wilmer Carter (D) was ineligible to run for re-election due to term limits.
- June 5 primary candidates:
November 6 General election candidates:
District 63
Note: Incumbent Mike Morrell (D) won for re-election in District 40.
- June 5 primary candidates:
November 6 General election candidates:
District 64
Note: Incumbent Brian Nestande (R) won re-election in District 42.
- June 5 primary candidates:
November 6 General election candidates:
District 65
Note: Incumbent Paul Cook (R) was ineligible to run for re-election due to term limits. He won election to the U.S. House in California's 8th Congressional District.
- June 5 primary candidates:
November 6 General election candidates:
District 66
Note: Incumbent Kevin Jeffries (R) was ineligible to run for re-election due to term limits.
- June 5 primary candidates:
November 6 General election candidates:
District 67
Note: Incumbent Jim Silva (R) was ineligible to run for re-election due to term limits.
- June 5 primary candidates:
November 6 General election candidates:
District 68
Note: Incumbent Allan Mansoor (R) won re-election in District 74.
- June 5 primary candidates:
November 6 General election candidates:
District 69
Note: Incumbent Jose Solorio (D) was ineligible to run for re-election due to term limits.
- June 5 primary candidates:
November 6 General election candidates:
District 70
Note: Incumbent Donald P. Wagner (R) won re-election in District 68.
- June 5 primary candidates:
November 6 General election candidates:
District 71
Note: Incumbent Jeff Miller (R) ran for election to District 31 of the Senate.
- June 5 primary candidates:
November 6 General election candidates:
District 72
Note: Incumbent Chris Norby (R) ran for re-election in District 65.
- June 5 primary candidates:
November 6 General election candidates:
District 73
- June 5 primary candidates:
November 6 General election candidates:
District 74
Note: Incumbent Martin Garrick (R) was ineligible to run for re-election due to term limits.
- June 5 primary candidates:
November 6 General election candidates:
District 75
Note: Incumbent Nathan Fletcher (R) did not run for re-election.
- June 5 primary candidates:
November 6 General election candidates:
District 76
Note: Incumbent Toni Atkins (D) won re-election in District 78.
- June 5 primary candidates:
November 6 General election candidates:
District 77
Note: Incumbent Brian Jones (R) won re-election in District 71.
- June 5 primary candidates:
November 6 General election candidates:
District 78
Note: Incumbent Martin Block (D) won election to District 39 of the Senate.
- June 5 primary candidates:
November 6 General election candidates:
District 79
Note: Incumbent Ben Hueso (D) won re-election in District 80.
- June 5 primary candidates:
November 6 General election candidates:
District 80
Note: Incumbent Manuel Perez (D) won re-election in District 56.
- June 5 primary candidates:
November 6 General election candidates:
See also
External links
- Unofficial general election results (dead link)
- List of candidates who submitted signatures to appear on ballot
- California Secretary of State - Official 2012 Primary Results
- California Secretary of State - 2012 General Election Candidates
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Los Angeles Times, "Few centrists advance in California's new primary system," June 7, 2012
- ↑ Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; no text was provided for refs namedreuters - ↑ The Tribune, "California's top-two voting system changes campaigns, but will it alter governance?" October 8, 2012
- ↑ Follow the Money, California
- ↑ Follow the Money: "California Assembly 2010 Campaign Contributions"
- ↑ State of California, Citizens Redistricting Commission, Final Report on 2011 Redistricting, August 15, 2011. Retrieved August 24, 2012
- ↑ Public Policy Institute of California, "California’s 2011 Redistricting: Challenges and Controversy," accessed April 2, 2024
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 8.3 8.4 California Secretary of State, "Candidate List," accessed July 31, 2012
- ↑ Sacramento Bee, "L.A. County ballot count upsets results, gives Assembly seat to Democrat" accessed December 4, 2012
