# 2012 United States House of Representatives elections in Rhode Island

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Question 1 :
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vte :
The 2012 United States House of Representatives elections in Rhode Island were held on Tuesday, November 6, 2012, to elect the two U.S. representatives from the state of Rhode Island, apportioned according to the 2010 United States census. The elections coincided with the elections of other federal and state offices, including a quadrennial presidential election and an election to the U.S. Senate. Primary elections were held on September 11, 2012.

## Overview

United States House of Representatives elections in Rhode Island, 2012 :
| Party | Party | Votes | Percentage | Seats before | Seats after | +/– |
| | Democratic | 232,679 | 54.39% | 2 | 2 | - |
| | Republican | 161,926 | 37.85% | 0 | 0 | - |
| | Independent | 32,716 | 7.65% | | | - |
| | Write-In | 454 | 0.11% | | | - |
| Totals | Totals | 427,775 | 100% | 2 | 2 | - |

## District 1

The redrawn 1st district represents Barrington, Bristol, Central Falls, Cumberland, East Providence, Jamestown, Lincoln, Little Compton, Middletown, Newport, North Providence, North Smithfield, Pawtucket, Portsmouth, Smithfield, Tiverton, Warren, Woonsocket, and parts of Providence.
Democrat David Cicilline, who had represented the 1st district since January 2011, ran for re-election.

### Democratic primary
#### Candidates
##### Nominee

* David Cicilline, incumbent U.S. Representative

##### Eliminated in primary

* Anthony Gemma, businessman and candidate for this seat in 2010
* Christopher Young, electrical engineer

##### Declined

* Bill Lynch, former chair of the Rhode Island Democratic Committee
* Patrick Lynch, former Attorney General of Rhode Island
* Dan McKee, mayor of Cumberland
* David Segal, former state representative
* Merrill Sherman, president and chief executive officer of the Bank of Rhode Island

#### Polling

| Poll source | Date(s) administered | Sample size | Margin of error | David Cicilline | Anthony Gemma | Undecided |
| WPRI/Fleming & Associates | May 8–12, 2012 | 302 | ± 5.7% | 40% | 36% | 20% |

#### Primary results

Democratic primary results :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | David Cicilline (incumbent) | 30,203 | 62.1 |
| | Democratic | Anthony P. Gemma | 14,702 | 30.2 |
| | Democratic | Christopher F. Young | 3,701 | 7.6 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 48,606 | 100.0 |

### Republican primary
#### Candidates
##### Nominee

* Brendan Doherty, colonel and the retired superintendent of the Rhode Island State Police

##### Declined

* John Loughlin, former state representative and nominee for this seat in 2010

### General election
#### Endorsements

Organizations
* National Republican Congressional Committee "Young Guns" Program

#### Debates

2012 Rhode Island's 1st congressional district debates :
| No. | Date | Host | Moderator | Link | Democratic | Republican | Independent |
| Key: P Participant  A Absent  N Not invited  I Invited W Withdrawn | Key: P Participant  A Absent  N Not invited  I Invited W Withdrawn | Key: P Participant  A Absent  N Not invited  I Invited W Withdrawn | Key: P Participant  A Absent  N Not invited  I Invited W Withdrawn | Key: P Participant  A Absent  N Not invited  I Invited W Withdrawn | | | |
| Key: P Participant  A Absent  N Not invited  I Invited W Withdrawn | Key: P Participant  A Absent  N Not invited  I Invited W Withdrawn | Key: P Participant  A Absent  N Not invited  I Invited W Withdrawn | Key: P Participant  A Absent  N Not invited  I Invited W Withdrawn | Key: P Participant  A Absent  N Not invited  I Invited W Withdrawn | David Cicilline | Brendan Doherty | David Vogel |
| 1 | Oct. 17, 2012 | WPRI | Tim White | YouTube | P | P | N |
| 2 | Nov. 1, 2012 | American Democracy Project Rhode Island College Chapter WJAR-TV | Bill Rappleye | | P | P | P |

#### Polling

| Poll source | Date(s) administered | Sample size | Margin of error | David Cicilline (D) | Brendan Doherty (R) | David Vogel (I) | Undecided |
| WPRI/Fleming & Assoc. | October 24–27, 2012 | 300 (LV) | ± 5.7% | 43% | 42% | 6% | 8% |
| OnMessage, Inc. | October 24–25, 2012 | 400 (LV) | ± 4.9% | 39% | 45% | 6% | 10% |
| Brown University | September 26–October 5, 2012 | 236 (LV) | ± 6.3% | 46% | 40% | 7% | 7% |
| WPRI/Fleming & Assoc. | September 26–29, 2012 | 501 (LV) | ± 6.2% | 44% | 38% | 6% | 10% |
| Feldman (D-Cicilline) | September 13–17, 2012 | 500 (LV) | ± 4.4% | 46% | 36% | 7% | 11% |
| Benenson (D-DCCC) | September 13–16, 2012 | 400 (LV) | ± 4.9% | 46% | 45% | 8% | 11% |
| DCCC (D) | September 10, 2012 | 578 (LV) | ± 5.6% | 49% | 43% | — | 8% |
| WPRI/Fleming & Assoc. | February 20–23, 2012 | 250 (RV) | ± 6.2% | 33% | 49% | — | 16% |
| WPRI/Fleming & Assoc. | May 13–15, 2011 | 300 (RV) | ± 5.7% | 33% | 46% | — | 20% |
| Poll source | Date(s) administered | Sample size | Margin of error | Anthony Gemma (D) | Brendan Doherty (R) | Other | Undecided |
| WPRI/Fleming & Assoc. | February 20–23, 2012 | 250 | ± 6.2% | 28% | 41% | 4% | 27% |

#### Predictions

| Source | Ranking | As of |
| The Cook Political Report | Tossup | November 5, 2012 |
| Rothenberg | Tilt D | November 2, 2012 |
| Roll Call | Tossup | November 4, 2012 |
| Sabato's Crystal Ball | Lean D | November 5, 2012 |
| NY Times | Lean D | November 4, 2012 |
| RCP | Lean D | November 4, 2012 |
| The Hill | Tossup | November 4, 2012 |

#### Results

Rhode Island's 1st congressional district, 2012 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | David Cicilline (incumbent) | 108,612 | 53.0 |
| | Republican | Brendan Doherty | 83,737 | 40.8 |
| | Independent | David S. Vogel | 12,504 | 6.1 |
| | n/a | Write-ins | 262 | 0.1 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 205,115 | 100.0 |
| | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold |

## District 2

The redrawn 2nd district will represent Burrillville, Charlestown, Coventry, Cranston, East Greenwich, Exeter, Foster, Glocester, Hopkinton, Johnston, Narragansett, New Shoreham, North Kingstown, Richmond, Scituate, South Kingstown, Warwick, West Greenwich, West Warwick, Westerly, and parts of Providence.
Democrat James Langevin, who had represented Rhode Island's 2nd congressional district since 2001, ran for re-election.
Abel Collins, an environmental activist, mounted an independent campaign in the general election.

### Democratic primary
#### Candidates
##### Nominee

* James Langevin, incumbent U.S. Representative

##### Eliminated in primary

* John Matson, carpenter and perennial candidate

##### Primary results

Democratic primary results :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | James Langevin (incumbent) | 22,161 | 74.1 |
| | Democratic | John O. Matson | 7,748 | 25.9 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 29,909 | 100.0 |

### Republican primary
#### Candidates
##### Nominee

* Michael Riley, hedge fund manager

##### Eliminated in primary

* Michael Gardiner, attorney and candidate for this seat in 2010
* Donald Rubbio
* Kara Russo

##### Primary results

Republican primary results :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Michael G. Riley | 5,283 | 65.6 |
| | Republican | Kara D. Russo | 1,488 | 18.5 |
| | Republican | Michael J. Gardiner | 825 | 10.2 |
| | Republican | Donald F. Robbio | 454 | 4.6 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 8,050 | 100.0 |

### General election
#### Polling

| Poll source | Date(s) administered | Sample size | Margin of error | Jim Langevin (D) | Michael Riley (R) | Abel Collins (I) | Undecided |
| WPRI/Fleming & Assoc. | October 24–27, 2012 | 300 | ± 5.7% | 48% | 31% | 9% | 10% |
| Aqua Opinion and Policy Research Group | October 5–11, 2012 | 536 | ± 4.2% | 48% | 22% | 17% | 13% |
| Brown University | September 26–October 5, 2012 | 235 (LV) | ± 6.3% | 49% | 32% | 5% | 14% |
| WPRI 12 | September 26–29, 2012 | 251 | ± 6.2% | 53% | 29% | 10% | 8% |

#### Results

Rhode Island's 2nd congressional district, 2012 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | James Langevin (incumbent) | 124,067 | 55.7 |
| | Republican | Michael G. Riley | 78,189 | 35.1 |
| | Independent | Abel G. Collins | 20,212 | 9.1 |
| | n/a | Write-ins | 192 | 0.1 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 222,660 | 100.0 |
| | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold |