| Election Name: | 2012 United States Senate election in West Virginia |
| Country: | West Virginia |
| Type: | presidential |
| Ongoing: | no |
| Previous Election: | 2010 United States Senate special election in West Virginia |
| Previous Year: | 2010 (special) |
| Next Election: | 2018 United States Senate election in West Virginia |
| Next Year: | 2018 |
| Turnout: | 46.3% (voting eligible)[1] |
| Image1: | File:Joe Manchin official portrait 112th Congress.jpg |
| Nominee1: | Joe Manchin |
| Party1: | Democratic Party (United States) |
| Popular Vote1: | 399,908 |
| Percentage1: | 60.57% |
| Nominee2: | John Raese |
| Party2: | Republican Party (United States) |
| Popular Vote2: | 240,787 |
| Percentage2: | 36.47% |
| U.S. Senator | |
| Before Election: | Joe Manchin |
| Before Party: | Democratic Party (United States) |
| After Election: | Joe Manchin |
| After Party: | Democratic Party (United States) |
The 2012 United States Senate election in West Virginia was held on November 6, 2012, to elect one of West Virginia's two members of the U.S. Senate for a six-year term. In a rematch of the 2010 special election, incumbent Democratic U.S. Senator Joe Manchin won re-election to a first full term against the Republican nominee, John Raese. Notably, Manchin outperformed Barack Obama in the concurrent presidential election by 25.06 percentage points in vote share, and by 50.86 percentage points on margin.
Robert Byrd held this seat in the U.S. Senate from 1959 until his death on June 28, 2010, after serving in the U.S. House of Representatives since 1953, making him the longest-serving person in Congress. Byrd led his party in the Senate from 1977 to 1989, as Majority Leader or Minority Leader. Afterward, as the most senior Democrat in the Senate, he served as president pro tempore of the Senate whenever his party was in the majority, including at the time of his death.
After Byrd's death, West Virginia Secretary of State Natalie Tennant initially announced that a special election would not be held until the regular election for the six-year term in 2012. However, that special election was rescheduled to 2010 for it to coincide with the mid-term elections and to avoid having an interim appointee serving more than two years in the seat.
Governor Joe Manchin made a temporary appointment of Carte Goodwin to the vacant seat. Goodwin was later replaced by Manchin who won the 2010 special election.
Raese filed a rematch against Manchin, arguing that he now had more material to criticize Manchin for. One example is how Manchin lost his longtime endorsement from the organization West Virginians for Life because of his vote against defunding Planned Parenthood, the nation's largest abortion provider.[6] Another example is how he is undecided about whether or not to support Obama's re-election campaign.[7] Senior Obama campaign advisor David Axelrod commented in response, "His concern is about his own political well-being."[8] In addition, he voted against U.S. Congressman Paul Ryan's Republican budget.[9]
Raese wrote an op-ed in the Charleston Gazette-Mail, saying about Manchin, "Yes, he'll talk like a conservative and act like he's fiscally responsible to appeal to more moderate voters, but under that outward appearance of a lovable rube is the heart of a tax-and-spend liberal."
Raese continued to make controversial statements. In April 2012, he equated smoking bans with Adolf Hitler's yellow badge. He said "in Monongalia County now, I have to put a huge sticker on my buildings to say this is a smoke-free environment. This is brought to you by the government of Monongalia County. Okay? Remember Hitler used to put Star of David on everybody’s lapel, remember that? Same thing." That same day, he referred to President Franklin D. Roosevelt as "Fidel Roosevelt."[10] Raese didn't apologize for his statements on Hitler saying "I am not going to be intimidated by a bunch of bullshit. I'm not apologizing to anybody or any organization. It's my perfect right to make a speech about meaningful subject matters in this country."[11] He also called rocker Ted Nugent a "patriot" for criticizing President Barack Obama.[12]
| Candidate (party) | Receipts | Disbursements | Cash on hand | Debt | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Joe Manchin (D) | $9,467,003 | $7,678,708 | $1,788,297 | $0 | |
| John Raese (R) | $1,607,740 | $1,610,493 | $4,679 | $0 | |
| Source: Federal Election Commission[13] | |||||
| Joe Manchin | Contribution | John Raese | Contribution | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lawyers/Law Firms | $670,553 | Entertainment industry | $176,025 | ||
| Mining industry | $647,548 | Leadership PACs | $143,190 | ||
| Electric Utilities | $392,100 | Retired | $109,513 | ||
| Leadership PACs | $366,000 | Lawyers/Law Firms | $62,069 | ||
| Health Professionals | $287,498 | Special Trade Contractors | $59,450 | ||
| Retired | $275,750 | Health Professionals | $54,300 | ||
| Pharmaceuticals/Health Products | $272,900 | Financial Institutions | $52,695 | ||
| Petroleum Industry | $256,150 | Real Estate | $45,875 | ||
| Real Estate | $228,350 | Petroleum Industry | $35,900 | ||
| Lobbyists | $200,689 | Republican/Conservative | $35,357 | ||
| Source: OpenSecrets[14] | |||||
| Joe Manchin | Contribution | John Raese | Contribution | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FirstEnergy Corporation | $136,950 | Greer Industries | $124,754 | ||
| Mylan Laboratories Inc. | $127,500 | Mountaineer Contractors Inc. | $40,900 | ||
| Mepco LLC | $64,400 | Senate Conservatives Fund | $37,690 | ||
| Dominion Resources | $58,900 | Frankovitch, Anetakis, Colantonio & Simon | $25,650 | ||
| Centene Corporation | $55,900 | Wv Radio | $22,550 | ||
| American Electric Power | $55,750 | West Virginia Radio Corporation | $16,821 | ||
| Jackson Kelly PLLC | $50,825 | Polino Contracting | $15,500 | ||
| Drummond Company | $49,100 | Cleveland Brothers | $10,800 | ||
| Patriot Coal Corporation | $48,400 | American Financial Group | $10,200 | ||
| Boich Companies | $44,200 | Senate Majority Fund | $10,000 | ||
| Source: OpenSecrets[15] | |||||
| Source | Ranking | As of | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| align=left | The Cook Political Report[16] | November 1, 2012 | ||
| align=left | Sabato's Crystal Ball[17] | November 5, 2012 | ||
| align=left | Rothenberg Political Report[18] | November 2, 2012 | ||
| align=left | Real Clear Politics[19] | November 5, 2012 |
| Poll source | Joe Manchin (D) | John Raese (R) | Other | Undecided | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| align=left | Public Policy Polling[20] | January 20–23, 2011 | 1,105 | ±2.9% | 60% | 31% | — | 9% | ||
| align=left | Public Policy Polling[21] | April 21–24, 2011 | 850 | ±3.4% | 61% | 29% | — | 10% | ||
| align=left | Public Policy Polling[22] | September 1–4, 2011 | 708 | ±3.7% | 62% | 23% | — | 14% | ||
| align=left | R.L. Repass[23] | April 25–28, 2012 | 410 | ±4.8% | 74% | 22% | — | 4% | ||
| align=left | R.L. Repass[24] | August 22–25, 2012 | 401 | ±4.9% | 66% | 27% | — | 7% |
| Poll source | Joe Manchin (D) | David McKinley (R) | Other | Undecided | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| align=left | Public Policy Polling | January 9–10, 2011 | 1,058 | ± | 53% | 41% | — | 3% | ||
| align=left | Public Policy Polling | April 21–24, 2011 | 850 | ±3.4% | 63% | 25% | — | 12% | ||
| align=left | Public Policy Polling | September 1–4, 2011 | 708 | ±3.7% | 60% | 24% | — | 16% |
| Poll source | Joe Manchin (D) | Shelley Moore Capito (R) | Other | Undecided | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| align=left | Public Policy Polling | January 20–23, 2011 | 1,105 | ±2.9% | 50% | 41% | — | 10% | ||
| align=left | Public Policy Polling | April 21–24, 2011 | 850 | ±3.4% | 48% | 40% | — | 12% | ||
| align=left | Public Policy Polling | September 1–4, 2011 | 708 | ±3.7% | 52% | 36% | — | 13% | ||
| align=left | Public Policy Polling | September 30 – October 2, 2011 | 932 | ±3.2% | 49% | 38% | — | 13% |
In spite of the Republicans winning every county in the presidential election, Manchin carried 52 of West Virginia's 55 counties.[26]
Manchin won all 3 congressional districts, including two held by Republicans.[27]
| District | Manchin | Raese | Representative | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 58.31% | 38.94% | David McKinley | ||||
| 58.48% | 38.2% | Shelley Moore Capito | ||||
| 65.42% | 31.82% | Nick Rahall |
Official campaign websites