The 2012 Iowa State Senate elections took place as part of the biennial 2012 United States elections. Iowa voters elected state senators in 26 of the state senate's 50 districts—the 25 even-numbered state senate districts and the 49th district.[2] State senators serve four-year terms in the Iowa State Senate, with half of the seats up for election each cycle. This was the first election cycle following the 2010 census and 2011 redistricting process.
As a result of redistricting, many state senators were redrawn into new seats. This explains some incumbents being reelected, but into districts with new numbers following the redistricting process.
The primary election on June 5, 2012, determined which candidates appeared on the November 6, 2012 general election ballot. Primary election results can be obtained here.[3]
To reclaim control of the chamber from Democrats, the Republicans needed to net 2 Senate seats.
Democrats kept control of the Iowa State Senate following the 2012 general election as the chamber's partisan composition remained unchanged with 26 Democrats to 24 Republicans.
State Senator Pat Ward was running in district 22 when she died on October 15, 2012, less than a month before the general election.[4] A special election on Dec. 11, 2012 saw her seat retained by the Republicans.[5]
Summary of Results
NOTE: Only even-numbered Iowa Senate seats were up for regularly-scheduled election in 2012, so most of the odd-numbered seats are not included here. District 49 had a special election to fill a vacancy created by Senator Bacon's resignation.[2]
Also note, an asterisk (*) after a senator's name indicates they were an incumbent re-elected, but to a new district number due to redistricting.
Note: If a district does not list a primary, then that district did not have a competitive primary (i.e., there may have only been one candidate file for that district).
Senator Ward died less than a month before the 2012 general election and, since the ballots had already been printed, won this election after having already deceased. A special election was held due to these circumstances.
^Incumbent Democratic Leader Jack Kibbie retired and did not seek re-election. Iowa Senate Democrats selected Pam Jochum to be their new leader following the 2012 elections.[1]
^ abIncumbent Republican Robert Bacon resigned halfway through his term, opening up an additional seat for election in 2012.[2] Typically, only the 25 even-numbered seats would have been up for regularly scheduled elections in the 2012 cycle.
^Pat Ward (District 30), an incumbent Republican, had been redistricted from district 30 to district 22 and was re-elected to district 22 posthumously.[3]
^Dick Dearden redistricted from district 34 to district 16.
^Brad Zaun redistricted from district 32 to district 20.
^Republican Pat Ward, incumbent state senator from district 30, had been redistricted to district 22. She died in October, but, as her name was already on the printed ballots, she 'won' the general election for district 22. A special election in December saw the seat retained by Republicans and assumed by new member, Senator Schneider.
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