# 2012 Wisconsin Senate election

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vte :
The 2012 Wisconsin Senate elections were held on Tuesday, November 6, 2012. Sixteen of the 33 seats in the Wisconsin Senate were up for election—the even-numbered districts. This was the first Senate general election to take place after redistricting following the 2010 United States census. Before the election, 17 Senate seats were held by Democrats and 16 seats were held by Republicans. 10 Democratic seats and 6 Republican seats were up in this election. The primary election took place on August 13, 2012.
Republicans flipped two Democratic-held Senate seat and won the chamber majority, entering the 101st Wisconsin Legislature with 18 of 33 State Senate seats.

## Results summary

| Seats | Seats | Party (majority caucus shading) | Party (majority caucus shading) | Total |
| Seats | Seats | Democratic | Republican | Total |
| Last election (2010) | Last election (2010) | 6 | 11 | 17 |
| Total after last election (2010) | Total after last election (2010) | 14 | 19 | 33 |
| Total before this election | Total before this election | 17 | 16 | 33 |
| Up for election | Up for election | 10 | 6 | 16 |
| of which: | Incumbent retiring | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| of which: | Vacated | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| of which: | Unopposed | 3 | 1 | 4 |
| This election | This election | 8 | 8 | 16 |
| Change from last election | Change from last election | 2 | 2 | |
| Total after this election | Total after this election | 15 | 18 | 33 |
| Change in total | Change in total | 2 | 2 | |
Popular vote
Democratic
53.13%
Republican
45.28%
Other
1.59% :
Senate seats won
Democratic
50%
Republican
50% :

### Close races

Seats where the margin of victory was under 10%:
* State Senate district 18, 0.7% (gain)
* State Senate district 30, 8.55%

## Outgoing incumbents
### Retiring

* Jim Holperin (D–Conover), representing district 12 since 2008, announced that he would not run for re-election.

### Seeking other office

* Spencer Coggs (D–Milwaukee), representing district 6 since 2003, was elected Milwaukee Treasurer at the April 2012 election, and then did not seek re-election to the Senate in the fall.

## Predictions

| Source | Ranking | As of |
| Governing | Lean R (flip) | October 24, 2012 |

## Candidates and results

| Dist. | Incumbent | Incumbent | Incumbent | This race | This race | This race |
| Dist. | Member | Party | First elected | Primary election candidates | General election candidates | Result |
| 2 | Robert Cowles | Republican | 1987 (special) | Robert Cowles (Rep.) | Y Robert Cowles (Rep.) 98.54% | Incumbent re-elected. |
| 4 | Lena Taylor | Democratic | 2004 | Lena Taylor (Dem.) | Y Lena Taylor (Dem.) 86.62% David D. King (Ind.) 13.11% | Incumbent re-elected. |
| 6 | Spencer Coggs | Democratic | 2003 (recall) | Nikiya Harris (Dem.) Michael Mayo (Dem.) Allyn Monroe Swan (Dem.) Elizabeth M. Coggs (Dem.) Delta L. Triplett (Dem.) | Y Nikiya Harris (Dem.) 98.72% | Incumbent retired. Democratic hold. |
| 8 | Alberta Darling | Republican | 1992 | Alberta Darling (Rep.) | Y Alberta Darling (Rep.) 95.58% Beth L. Lueck (Dem. write-in) | Incumbent re-elected. |
| 10 | Sheila Harsdorf | Republican | 2000 | Sheila Harsdorf (Rep.) Daniel C. Olson (Dem.) | Y Sheila Harsdorf (Rep.) 59.17% Daniel C. Olson (Dem.) 40.72% | Incumbent re-elected. |
| 12 | Jim Holperin | Democratic | 2008 | Tom Tiffany (Rep.) Susan Sommer (Dem.) Lisa Theo (Dem.) | Y Tom Tiffany (Rep.) 56.24% Susan Sommer (Dem.) 40.45% Paul O. Ehlers (Ind.) 3.26% | Incumbent retired. New member elected. Republican gain. |
| 14 | Luther Olsen | Republican | 2004 | Luther Olsen (Rep.) David Wayne Eiler (Rep.) Margarete Worthington (Dem.) | Y Luther Olsen (Rep.) 57.53% Margarete Worthington (Dem.) 42.4% | Incumbent re-elected. |
| 16 | Mark F. Miller | Democratic | 2004 | Mark F. Miller (Dem.) | Y Mark F. Miller (Dem.) 98.73% | Incumbent re-elected. |
| 18 | Jessica King | Democratic | 2011 (recall) | Rick Gudex (Rep.) Jessica King (Dem.) | Y Rick Gudex (Rep.) 50.3% Jessica King (Dem.) 49.6% | Incumbent lost. New member elected. Republican gain. |
| 20 | Glenn Grothman | Republican | 2004 | Glenn Grothman (Rep.) Tanya Lohr (Dem.) | Y Glenn Grothman (Rep.) 68.63% Tanya Lohr (Dem.) 31.3% | Incumbent re-elected. |
| 22 | Robert Wirch | Democratic | 1996 | Robert Wirch (Dem.) Pam Stevens (Rep.) | Y Robert Wirch (Dem.) 69.57% Pam Stevens (Rep.) 30.29% | Incumbent re-elected. |
| 24 | Julie Lassa | Democratic | 2003 (special) | Julie Lassa (Dem.) Scott Kenneth Noble (Rep.) Steve Abrahamson (Rep.) | Y Julie Lassa (Dem.) 56.59% Scott Kenneth Noble (Rep.) 43.31% | Incumbent re-elected. |
| 26 | Fred Risser | Democratic | 1962 | Fred Risser (Dem.) | Y Fred Risser (Dem.) | Incumbent re-elected. |
| 28 | Mary Lazich | Republican | 1998 | Mary Lazich (Rep.) Jim Ward (Dem.) | Y Mary Lazich (Rep.) 63.38% Jim Ward (Dem.) 36.51% | Incumbent re-elected. |
| 30 | Dave Hansen | Democratic | 2000 | Dave Hansen (Dem.) John Macco (Rep.) Ray Suennen (Rep.) | Y Dave Hansen (Dem.) 54.23% John Macco (Rep.) 45.68% | Incumbent re-elected. |
| 32 | Jennifer Shilling | Democratic | 2011 (recall) | Jennifer Shilling (Dem.) Bill Feehan (Rep.) | Y Jennifer Shilling (Dem.) 58.28% Bill Feehan (Rep.) 41.64% | Incumbent re-elected. |