2012 United States House of Representatives elections in Florida

In November 2010, Florida voters passed two amendments to the Florida Constitution which would require congressional and state legislative districts to be compact and follow geographical boundaries, thereby preventing gerrymandering. Shortly after the amendments were passed, U.S. Representatives Corrine Brown and Mario Diaz-Balart filed a lawsuit asking that the amendment concerning congressional districts be declared invalid. Brown and Diaz-Balart alleged that the power to change rules for congressional redistricting lies exclusively with the state legislature, and as such cannot be changed through a referendum; however, in January 2012 a three-judge panel of the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals rejected their arguments. Redistricting legislation which would create one new district each in North Florida and Central Florida was passed by a committee of the Florida House of Representatives on January 27, by the full House of Representatives on February 3, and by the Florida Senate on February 9. Shortly after, the Florida Democratic Party announced it would file a lawsuit, alleging that the map violated the Fair Districts provision, which requires that maps do not intentionally favor parties or incumbents. Separately, a coalition of groups including Common Cause, the League of Women Voters and the National Council of La Raza announced it would file its own challenge on the legislation's being signed into law. ==Overview==

The table below shows the total number and percentage of votes, as well as the number of seats gained and lost by each political party in the election for the United States House of Representatives in Florida. All vote totals come from the Florida Secretary of State's website along with the individual counties' election department websites. ==District 1==

Florida's new 1st district voting age population was 77.6% White (single race), 12.9% Black (includes multirace), 4.3% Hispanic (excludes Hispanic Black), 0.3% Hispanic Black (includes multirace), and 5% other races. Republican incumbent Jeff Miller, who had represented Florida's 1st congressional district since 2001, ran for re-election and secured the Republican nomination unopposed. Republican primary Candidates Nominee • Jeff Miller, incumbent U.S. representative Democratic primary Candidates Nominee • James Bryan, Army veteran Libertarian primary Candidates Nominee • Calen Fretts, vice chair of the Libertarian Party of Okaloosa County Independents William Cleave Drummond, II ran for election as a write-in candidate. General election Endorsements Predictions Results ==District 2==

Florida's new 2nd district voting age population was 68.5% non-Hispanic White (single race), 23.5% non-Hispanic Black (includes multirace), 4.4% Hispanic (excludes Hispanic Black), 0.3% Hispanic Black (includes multirace), and 3.3% other races (non-Hispanic). Candidates Nominee • Al Lawson, state senator and candidate for this seat in 2010 Eliminated in primary • Leonard Bembry, state representative • Alvin Peters, attorney and former chairman of the Bay County Democratic Party • Mark Schlakman Withdrawn • Nancy Argenziano, former Republican state senator • Jay Liles, activist Primary results General election Endorsements Polling Predictions Results Southerland defeated Lawson for re-election to a second term, 53% to 47%, on November 6, 2012. ==District 3==

Florida's new 3rd district voting age population was 75.8% non-Hispanic White (single race), 12.9% non-Hispanic Black (includes multirace), 6.7% Hispanic (excludes Hispanic Black), 0.3% Hispanic Black (includes multirace), and 4.3% other races (non-Hispanic). Republican Cliff Stearns, who had represented the 6th district since 1989, had his home in Ocala drawn into the neighboring 11th district. However, he opted to seek reelection in the 3rd, which contained more than two-thirds of his former territory. Republican primary Stearns was upset in the primary by Ted Yoho, a large-animal veterinarian from Gainesville. Candidates Nominee • Ted Yoho, veterinarian Eliminated in primary • James Jett, police officer • Steve Oelrich, state senator • Cliff Stearns, incumbent U.S. representative Primary results Democratic primary Candidates Nominee • J.R. Gaillot, policy consultant General election Endorsements Polling Predictions Results ==District 4==

Florida's new 4th district voting age population was 74.9% non-Hispanic White (single race), 12.5% non-Hispanic Black (includes multirace), 6.3% Hispanic (excludes Hispanic Black), 0.4% Hispanic Black (includes multirace), and 5.9% other races (non-Hispanic). Republican primary Candidates Nominee • Ander Crenshaw, incumbent U.S. representative Eliminated in primary • Bob Black • Deborah Pueschel Primary results Democratic primary Candidates Withdrawn • Gary Koniz General election Endorsements Predictions Results ==District 5==

Florida's new 5th district voting age population was 49% non-Hispanic Black (includes multirace), 36.2% non-Hispanic White (single race), 10% Hispanic (excludes Hispanic Black), 1.1% Hispanic Black (includes multirace), and 3.7% other races (non-Hispanic). Democratic primary Candidates Nominee • Corrine Brown, incumbent U.S. representative Republican primary Candidates Nominee • LeAnne Kolb Withdrawn • Mike Yost, nominee for this seat in 2010 Libertarian primary Gerald Nyren announced plans to run as a Libertarian Party candidate. General election Endorsements Predictions Results ==District 6==

In redistricting, most of the old 7th district was renumbered as the new 6th district. John Mica, who had represented the 7th district since 1993, had his home drawn into the neighboring 7th district, and opted to seek re-election there. Florida's new 6th district voting age population was 82.8% non-Hispanic White (single race), 8.8% non-Hispanic Black (includes multirace), 5.4% Hispanic (excludes Hispanic Black), 0.3% Hispanic Black (includes multirace), and 2.7% other races (non-Hispanic). Eliminated in primary • Richard Clark, member of the Jacksonville City Council • Fred Costello, state representative • William Billy Kogut • Craig Miller, businessman and Vietnam War veteran • Alec Pueschel • Beverly Slough, chairman of St. Johns County School District Board Declined • John Mica, incumbent U.S. representative Primary results Democratic primary Candidates Nominee • Heather Beaven, former Navy cryptologist and nominee for the 7th district in 2010 Eliminated in primary • Vipin Verma, attorney Primary results General election Endorsements Predictions Results ==District 7==

The new 7th district is the successor to the old 24th district, represented by Republican Sandy Adams since 2011. John Mica, who had represented the old 7th district since 1993, had his home drawn into the new 7th. The new 7th district voting age population was 70.2% non-Hispanic White (single race), 8.1% non-Hispanic Black (includes multirace), 8.1 percent Hispanic (excludes Hispanic Black), 0.9 percent Hispanic Black (includes multirace) and 4.7% other races (non-Hispanic). Republican primary Candidates Nominee • John Mica, incumbent U.S. representative from the 6th district Eliminated in primary • Sandy Adams, incumbent U.S. representative from the 24th district Endorsements Primary results Mica defeated Adams in the Republican primary with 61 percent of the vote. Democratic primary Candidates Nominee • Jason Kendall, social media consultant and sales manager Eliminated in primary • Nicholas Ruiz Primary results General election Endorsements Predictions Results ==District 8==

The new 8th district was the successor to the 15th district, represented by Republican Bill Posey since 2009. The voting age population was 80.4% non-Hispanic White (single race), 8.7% non-Hispanic Black (includes multirace), 7.3% Hispanic (excludes Hispanic Black), 0.4% Hispanic Black (includes multirace), and 3.2% other races (non-Hispanic). General election Endorsements Predictions Results ==District 9==

The new 9th district, an open seat located south of Orlando, was expected to favor Democrats. It contains all of Osceola County, part of Orange County (including the Orlando International Airport), and part of Polk County. The district's inhabitants voted overwhelmingly for President Barack Obama, preferring him to John McCain 60-39%. The new 9th district voting age population was 42.9% non-Hispanic White (single race), 39.1% Hispanic (excludes Hispanic Black), 10.1% non-Hispanic Black (includes multirace), 2.3% Hispanic Black (includes multirace), and 5.6% other races (non-Hispanic). Democratic primary Candidates Nominee • Alan Grayson, former U.S. representative Republican primary Candidates Nominee • Todd Long, attorney, conservative radio show host and candidate for the 8th district in 2008 & 2010 Eliminated in primary • Julius Melendez • Mark Oxner, businessman • John Quinones Primary results General election Endorsements Polling Predictions Results ==District 10==

In redistricting, the 8th district was renumbered as the 10th district. Republican Daniel Webster, who had represented the 8th district since January 2011, sought re-election. Declined • Alan Grayson, former U.S. representative General election Endorsements Polling Predictions Results ==District 11==

In redistricting, most of the old 5th district became the 11th district. Rich Nugent, who had represented the 5th since 2011, ran for re-election in the 11th. The new 11th district voting age population was 83.1% non-Hispanic White (single race), 7.3% non-Hispanic Black (includes multirace), 7% Hispanic (excludes Hispanic Black), 0.4% Hispanic Black (includes multirace), and 2.2% other races (non-Hispanic). Republican primary Candidates Nominee • Rich Nugent, incumbent U.S. representative Democratic primary Candidates Nominee • David Werder General election Endorsements Predictions Results ==District 12==

In redistricting, most of the old 9th district became the 12th district. Republican Gus Bilirakis, who had represented the 9th district since 2007, ran for re-election in the 12th. The new 12th district voting age population was 82.6% non-Hispanic White (single race), 9.6% Hispanic (excludes Hispanic Black), 4% non-Hispanic Blacs (includes multirace), 0.4% Hispanic Black (includes multirace), and 3.5% other races (non-Hispanic). However, after he was drawn into the 12th, he opted to seek election there. General election Endorsements Polling Predictions Results ==District 13==

In redistricting, most of the old 10th district became the 13th district. Bill Young, who had represented the 10th and its predecessors since 1971, ran for re-election. The new 13th district voting age population was 83.5% non-Hispanic White (single race), 7% Hispanic (excludes Hispanic Black), 5% non-Hispanic Black (includes multirace), 0.3% Hispanic Black (includes multirace), and 4.2% other races (non-Hispanic). Withdrawn • Nina Hayden Declined • Charlie Justice, former state senator and nominee for this seat in 2010 • Rick Kriseman, state representative • Janet Long, former state representative • Kenneth Welch, Pinellas County commissioner Independent Declined • Charlie Crist, former governor and candidate for Senate in 2010 General election Endorsements Polling Predictions Results ==District 14==

In redistricting, the 11th district was renumbered as the 14th district. Democrat Kathy Castor, who had represented the 11th since 2007, ran for re-election here. • Shawn Harrison, state representative • Mark Sharpe, Hillsborough County commissioner and nominee for the 11th district in 1994 and 1996 Primary results General election Endorsements Polling Predictions Results ==District 15==

In redistricting, the 12th district was renumbered as the 15th district. Dennis Ross, who had represented the 12th district since 2011, ran for re-election. The new 15th district voting age population was 68.6% non-Hispanic White (single race), 14.2% Hispanic (excludes Hispanic Black), 12% non-Hispanic Black (includes multirace), 0.7% Hispanic Black (includes multirace), and 4.5% other races (non-Hispanic). Republican primary Candidates Nominee • Dennis Ross, incumbent U.S. representative General election No other party put up a candidate. Endorsements Predictions Results ==District 16==

In redistricting, the Florida's 13th congressional district was renumbered as the 16th district. Republican Vern Buchanan, who had represented the 13th since 2007, ran for re-election in the 16th after deciding against running for the U.S. Senate. The new 16th district voting age population was 83.5% non-Hispanic White (single race), 8.5% Hispanic (excludes Hispanic Black), 5.6% non-Hispanic Black (includes multirace), 0.3% Hispanic Black (includes multirace), and 2.2% other races (non-Hispanic). Candidates Nominee • Keith Fitzgerald, former state representative General election Endorsements Polling Predictions Results ==District 17==

The new 17th district, an open seat for a large district comprising parts of 10 South and Central Florida counties as well as parts of the Everglades watershed, was expected to favor Republicans. Republican Tom Rooney, who had represented the 16th district since 2009, ran for re-election in the new 17th district. The new 17th district voting age population was 75.4% non-Hispanic White (single race), 13.9% Hispanic (excludes Hispanic Black), 7.9% non-Hispanic Black (includes multirace), 0.4% Hispanic Black (includes multirace), and 2.3% other races (non-Hispanic). Primary results Democratic primary Candidates Nominee • William Bronson, retired Delta Air Lines pilot (formerly an unsuccessful Republican candidate in Massachusetts and Georgia) Minor parties 26-year-old Tom Baumann from Miami (who ran unsuccessful campaigns in Minnesota and in the Borough of Manhattan) ran as a write-in candidate for the Socialist Workers Party. General election Campaign As of the September FEC financial reporting deadline, Rooney had collected $930,248 in campaign contributions and had $564,716 on hand; the FEC had no reports on Bronson or Baumann. Endorsements Predictions Results ==District 18==

Allen West, who was first elected to represent Florida's 22nd congressional district in 2010, ran for re-election in the new 18th district. Primary results Democratic primary Patrick Murphy, an environmental services executive, had planned to seek the Democratic nomination in the 22nd district, but announced in February 2012 that he would continue to challenge West in the 18th district. Candidates Nominee • Patrick Murphy, environmental services executive Eliminated in primary • Jerry Buechler • Jim Horn Primary results Independents Marilyn Davis Holloman qualified to run as a write-in. Everett Wilkinson, the chair of the South Florida Tea Party and registered to vote with no party affiliation, decided not to run. General election Endorsements Debates • Complete video of debate, October 19, 2012 Polling Predictions Results ==District 19==