The 2012 United States Senate election in California took place on November 6, 2012, concurrently with the 2012 U.S. presidential election as well as other elections to the United States Senate and House of Representatives and various state and local elections.
November 6, 2012 | ||||||||||||||||
| Turnout | 55.2% (voting eligible) | |||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ||||||||||||||||
Feinstein: 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% 80–90% >90% Emken: 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% | ||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||
The primary election on June 5 took place under California's new blanket primary law, where all candidates appear on the same ballot, regardless of party. In the primary, voters voted for any candidate listed, or write-in any other candidate. The top two finishers—regardless of party—advanced to the general election in November, even if a candidate managed to receive a majority of the votes cast in the June primary. In the primary, less than 15% of the total 2010 census population voted. Incumbent Democratic U.S. Senator Dianne Feinstein announced her intention to run for a fourth full term in April 2011 and finished first in the blanket primary with 49.5% of the vote. The second-place finisher was Republican candidate and autism activist Elizabeth Emken, who won 12.7% of the vote.
Feinstein ultimately defeated Emken in the general election on November 6, winning 62.5% of the vote to Emken's 37.5%. Feinstein's total of 7.86 million popular votes was the most ever received by a candidate for U.S. Senate in American history until Adam Schiff won the same seat with over 9 million votes in 2024. For a full decade, Emken was the only Republican candidate to have advanced to a general U.S. Senate election in California, as only Democratic candidates advanced to the general election in 2016 and 2018; however, this streak was broken 10 years later in 2022.
Primary
Candidates
Democratic Party
- Dianne Feinstein, incumbent U.S. senator
- Colleen Shea Fernald
- David Levitt, computer scientist and engineer
- Nak Shah, environmental health consultant
- Diane Stewart, businesswoman
- Mike Strimling, attorney and former U.S. Peace Corps legal adviser
Republican Party
- John Boruff, businessman
- Oscar Alejandro Braun, businessman and rancher
- Greg Conlon, businessman and CPA
- Elizabeth Emken, candidate for the 11th congressional district in 2010
- Rogelio Gloria, U.S. Naval Officer
- Dan Hughes, businessman
- Dennis Jackson
- Dirk Konopik, former congressional aide
- Donald Krampe
- Robert Lauten
- Al Ramirez, businessman
- Nachum Shifren, rabbi and state senate candidate in 2010
- Orly Taitz, dentist, Birther movement activist and candidate for California Secretary of State in 2010
- Rick Williams, business attorney
Libertarian
- Gail Lightfoot, retired nurse
Peace and Freedom
- Kabiruddin Karim Ali, businessman
- Marsha Feinland, retired teacher
American Independent
- Don J. Grundmann, chiropractor
Despite Don J. Grundmann running, the American Independent Party gave their party endorsement to Republican Robert Lauten.
Polling
Open Primary
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Dianne Feinstein (incumbent) | 51 | ||
| Republican | Dan Hughes | 2 | ||
| Republican | Elizabeth Emken | 2 | ||
| Democratic | Diane Stewart | 1 | ||
| Republican | John Boruff | 1 | ||
| Republican | Rick Williams | 1 | ||
| Republican | Al Ramirez | 1 | ||
| Republican | Robert Lauten | 1 | ||
| Republican | Orly Taitz | 1 | ||
| Libertarian | Gail Lightfoot | 1 | ||
| Democratic | David Alex Levitt | 1 | ||
| Republican | Greg Conlon | 1 | ||
| Republican | Dennis Jackson | 1 | ||
| Republican | Donald Krampe | 1 | ||
| American Independent | Don J. Grundmann | 1 | ||
| Republican | Oscar Alejandro Braun | 0 | ||
| Republican | Dirk Allen Konopik | 0 | ||
| Democratic | Mike Strimling | 0 | ||
| Democratic | Nak Shah | 0 | ||
| Democratic | Colleen Shea Fernald | 0 | ||
| Peace and Freedom | Marsha Feinland | 0 | ||
| Republican | Rogelio T. Gloria | 0 | ||
| Peace and Freedom | Kabiruddin Karim Ali | 0 | ||
| Republican | Nachum Shifren | 0 | ||
| n/a | Undecided | 30 | ||
| Total votes | ||||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Dianne Feinstein (incumbent) | 42 | ||
| Republican | Elizabeth Emken | 4 | ||
| Republican | Dan Hughes | 4 | ||
| Republican | Rick Williams | 3 | ||
| Republican | Al Ramirez | 3 | ||
| Republican | Donald Krampe | 2 | ||
| Democratic | Diane Stewart | 2 | ||
| Democratic | David Alex Levitt | 2 | ||
| Libertarian | Gail Lightfoot | 2 | ||
| Republican | Orly Taitz | 1 | ||
| Republican | Greg Conlon | 1 | ||
| Republican | Robert Lauten | 1 | ||
| Republican | Nachum Shifren | 1 | ||
| Republican | Dennis Jackson | 1 | ||
| Republican | John Boruff | 1 | ||
| Republican | Dirk Allen Konopik | 1 | ||
| Democratic | Colleen Shea Fernald | 1 | ||
| Democratic | Mike Strimling | 1 | ||
| Peace and Freedom | Marsha Feinland | 1 | ||
| American Independent | Don J. Grundmann | 1 | ||
| Republican | Oscar Alejandro Braun | 0 | ||
| Peace and Freedom | Kabiruddin Karim Ali | 0 | ||
| Democratic | Nak Shah | 0 | ||
| Republican | Rogelio T. Gloria | 0 | ||
| n/a | Undecided | 24 | ||
| Total votes | ||||
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Dianne Feinstein (incumbent) | 2,392,822 | 49.3% | |
| Republican | Elizabeth Emken | 613,613 | 12.6% | |
| Republican | Dan Hughes | 323,840 | 6.7% | |
| Republican | Rick Williams | 157,946 | 3.3% | |
| Republican | Orly Taitz | 154,781 | 3.2% | |
| Republican | Dennis Jackson | 137,120 | 2.8% | |
| Republican | Greg Conlon | 135,421 | 2.8% | |
| Republican | Al Ramirez | 109,399 | 2.3% | |
| Libertarian | Gail Lightfoot | 101,648 | 2.1% | |
| Democratic | Diane Stewart | 97,782 | 2.0% | |
| Democratic | Mike Strimling | 97,024 | 2.0% | |
| Democratic | David Levitt | 76,482 | 1.6% | |
| Republican | Oscar Braun | 75,842 | 1.6% | |
| Republican | Robert Lauten | 57,720 | 1.2% | |
| Peace and Freedom | Marsha Feinland | 54,129 | 1.2% | |
| Democratic | Colleen Shea Fernald | 51,623 | 1.1% | |
| Republican | Donald Krampe | 39,035 | 0.8% | |
| American Independent | Don J. Grundmann | 33,037 | 0.7% | |
| Republican | Dirk Allen Konopik | 29,997 | 0.6% | |
| Republican | John Boruff | 29,357 | 0.6% | |
| Democratic | Nak Shah | 27,203 | 0.6% | |
| Republican | Rogelio T. Gloria | 22,529 | 0.5% | |
| Republican | Nachum Shifren | 21,762 | 0.4% | |
| Peace and Freedom | Kabiruddin Karim Ali | 12,269 | 0.3% | |
| Republican | Linda R. Price (write-in) | 25 | 0.0% | |
| Total votes | 4,852,406 | 100.0% | ||
Election contest
In July 2012, Taitz sued to block the certification of the primary election results, alleging "rampant election fraud", but her suit was denied.
General election
Fundraising
| Candidate (party) | Receipts | Disbursements | Cash on hand | Debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dianne Feinstein (D) | $12,673,306 | $12,105,960 | $865,541 | $373,734 |
| Elizabeth Emken (R) | $1,114,350 | $1,110,209 | $4,140 | $4,479 |
| Source: Federal Election Commission | ||||
Top contributors
| Dianne Feinstein | Contribution | Elizabeth Emken | Contribution | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pacific Gas and Electric Company | $120,700 | Thomas H. Lee Partners | $10,000 | |
| JStreetPAC | $82,171 | DevicePharm, Inc. | $7,500 | |
| General Atomics | $56,750 | Troy Group | $7,500 | |
| Edison International | $54,250 | Jelly Belly | $5,500 | |
| General Dynamics | $43,500 | Autism Advocate | $5,000 | |
| BAE Systems | $40,000 | Geier Group | $5,000 | |
| Diamond Foods | $31,599 | Generations Healthcare | $5,000 | |
| Northrop Grumman | $30,800 | Gingery Development | $4,000 | |
| International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees | $30,000 | MIR3, Inc. | $3,000 | |
| Wells Fargo | $27,250 | Northrop Grumman | $2,800 | |
| Source: OpenSecrets | ||||
Top industries
| Dianne Feinstein | Contribution | Elizabeth Emken | Contribution | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lawyers/Law Firms | $565,129 | Retired | $63,849 | |
| Retired | $463,058 | Republican/Conservative | $35,800 | |
| Agribusiness | $367,132 | Financial Institutions | $26,100 | |
| Real Estate | $334,321 | Real Estate | $19,200 | |
| Lobbyists | $324,196 | Business Services | $16,000 | |
| Financial Institutions | $321,744 | Misc Finance | $12,750 | |
| Electric Utilities | $313,450 | Printing & Publishing | $8,000 | |
| Entertainment Industry | $300,321 | Food & Beverage | $6,000 | |
| Women's Issues | $207,449 | Petroleum Industry | $6,000 | |
| High-Tech Industry | $205,789 | Lawyers/Law Firms | $5,458 | |
| Source: OpenSecrets | ||||
Candidates
- Dianne Feinstein (D), incumbent U.S. Senator
- Elizabeth Emken (R), former Vice President of Autism Speaks
Debates
No debates were scheduled. Senator Feinstein decided to focus on her own campaign rather than debate her challenger.
Predictions
| Source | Ranking | As of |
|---|---|---|
| The Cook Political Report | Solid D | November 1, 2012 |
| Sabato's Crystal Ball | Safe D | November 5, 2012 |
| Rothenberg Political Report | Safe D | November 2, 2012 |
| Real Clear Politics | Safe D | November 5, 2012 |
Polling
| Poll source | Date(s) administered | Sample size | Margin of error | Dianne Feinstein (D) | Elizabeth Emken (R) | Other | Undecided |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SurveyUSA | May 27–29, 2012 | 1,575 | ±2.5% | 50% | 34% | — | 15% |
| The Field Poll | June 21 – July 2, 2012 | 848 | ±3.5% | 51% | 32% | — | 17% |
| CBRT Pepperdine | July 30 – August 1, 2012 | 873 | ±3.3% | 46% | 34% | — | 21% |
| SurveyUSA | September 9–11, 2012 | 524 | ±4.2% | 55% | 37% | — | 9% |
| The Field Poll | September 6–18, 2012 | 902 | ±3.4% | 57% | 31% | — | 12% |
| SurveyUSA | October 7–9, 2012 | 539 | ±4.3% | 54% | 35% | — | 10% |
| Reason-Rupe | October 11–15, 2012 | 508 | ±5.1% | 60% | 34% | 2% | 5% |
| LA Times/USC | October 15–21, 2012 | 1,440 | ±n/a | 55% | 38% | 1% | 6% |
| The Field Poll | October 17–24, 2012 | 815 | ±3.6% | 56% | 32% | — | 12% |
| The Field Poll | October 25–30, 2012 | 751 | ±3.6% | 54% | 33% | — | 13% |
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Dianne Feinstein (incumbent) | 7,864,624 | 62.52% | +3.09% | |
| Republican | Elizabeth Emken | 4,713,887 | 37.48% | +2.46% | |
| Total votes | 12,578,511 | 100.00% | N/A | ||
| Democratic hold | |||||
By county
| County | Dianne Feinstein Democratic | Elizabeth Emken Republican | Margin | Total votes cast | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| # | % | # | % | # | % | ||
| Alameda | 468,456 | 81.93% | 103,313 | 18.07% | 365,143 | 63.86% | 571,769 |
| Alpine | 409 | 64.11% | 229 | 35.89% | 180 | 28.21% | 638 |
| Amador | 7,051 | 40.80% | 10,232 | 59.20% | -3,181 | -18.41% | 17,283 |
| Butte | 43,681 | 49.27% | 44,981 | 50.73% | -1,300 | -1.47% | 88,662 |
| Calaveras | 8,878 | 41.57% | 12,479 | 58.43% | -3,601 | -16.86% | 21,357 |
| Colusa | 2,482 | 43.28% | 3,253 | 56.72% | -771 | -13.44% | 5,735 |
| Contra Costa | 300,194 | 70.06% | 128,310 | 29.94% | 171,884 | 40.11% | 428,504 |
| Del Norte | 4,065 | 47.45% | 4,502 | 52.55% | -437 | -5.10% | 8,567 |
| El Dorado | 35,776 | 41.31% | 50,820 | 58.69% | -15,044 | -17.37% | 86,596 |
| Fresno | 129,267 | 51.14% | 123,499 | 48.86% | 5,768 | 2.28% | 252,766 |
| Glenn | 3,520 | 38.96% | 5,515 | 61.04% | -1,995 | -22.08% | 9,035 |
| Humboldt | 36,162 | 65.04% | 19,437 | 34.96% | 16,725 | 30.08% | 55,599 |
| Imperial | 25,342 | 67.24% | 12,346 | 32.76% | 12,996 | 34.48% | 37,688 |
| Inyo | 3,333 | 42.58% | 4,494 | 57.42% | -1,161 | -14.83% | 7,827 |
| Kern | 92,252 | 42.29% | 125,906 | 57.71% | -33,654 | -15.43% | 218,158 |
| Kings | 13,304 | 42.61% | 17,916 | 57.39% | -4,612 | -14.77% | 31,220 |
| Lake | 13,543 | 58.97% | 9,424 | 41.03% | 4,119 | 17.93% | 22,967 |
| Lassen | 3,150 | 29.89% | 7,390 | 70.11% | -4,240 | -40.23% | 10,540 |
| Los Angeles | 2,183,654 | 71.53% | 868,924 | 28.47% | 1,314,730 | 43.07% | 3,052,578 |
| Madera | 15,997 | 41.08% | 22,942 | 58.92% | -6,945 | -17.84% | 38,939 |
| Marin | 105,153 | 80.11% | 26,105 | 19.89% | 79,048 | 60.22% | 131,258 |
| Mariposa | 3,551 | 40.27% | 5,268 | 59.73% | -1,717 | -19.47% | 8,819 |
| Mendocino | 24,254 | 70.35% | 10,224 | 29.65% | 14,030 | 40.69% | 34,478 |
| Merced | 32,955 | 54.97% | 27,000 | 45.03% | 5,955 | 9.93% | 59,955 |
| Modoc | 1,188 | 30.08% | 2,761 | 69.92% | -1,573 | -39.83% | 3,949 |
| Mono | 2,600 | 51.96% | 2,404 | 48.04% | 196 | 3.92% | 5,004 |
| Monterey | 84,585 | 69.61% | 36,930 | 30.39% | 47,655 | 39.22% | 121,515 |
| Napa | 37,122 | 66.52% | 18,682 | 33.48% | 18,440 | 33.04% | 55,804 |
| Nevada | 25,495 | 50.41% | 25,078 | 49.59% | 417 | 0.82% | 50,573 |
| Orange | 515,902 | 47.48% | 570,574 | 52.52% | -54,672 | -5.03% | 1,086,476 |
| Placer | 68,599 | 41.39% | 97,139 | 58.61% | -28,540 | -17.22% | 165,738 |
| Plumas | 4,162 | 42.81% | 5,560 | 57.19% | -1,398 | -14.38% | 9,722 |
| Riverside | 327,698 | 51.90% | 303,651 | 48.10% | 24,047 | 3.81% | 631,349 |
| Sacramento | 302,078 | 60.72% | 195,412 | 39.28% | 106,666 | 21.44% | 497,490 |
| San Benito | 11,389 | 61.09% | 7,255 | 38.91% | 4,134 | 22.17% | 18,644 |
| San Bernardino | 298,067 | 54.05% | 253,433 | 45.95% | 44,634 | 8.09% | 551,500 |
| San Diego | 622,781 | 54.41% | 521,884 | 45.59% | 100,897 | 8.81% | 1,144,665 |
| San Francisco | 305,126 | 88.52% | 39,589 | 11.48% | 265,537 | 77.03% | 344,715 |
| San Joaquin | 113,706 | 57.00% | 85,787 | 43.00% | 27,919 | 13.99% | 199,493 |
| San Luis Obispo | 62,216 | 50.80% | 60,262 | 49.20% | 1,954 | 1.60% | 122,478 |
| San Mateo | 213,503 | 77.22% | 62,979 | 22.78% | 150,524 | 54.44% | 276,482 |
| Santa Barbara | 93,921 | 59.62% | 63,599 | 40.38% | 30,322 | 19.25% | 157,520 |
| Santa Clara | 454,647 | 72.93% | 168,722 | 27.07% | 285,925 | 45.87% | 623,369 |
| Santa Cruz | 91,109 | 78.16% | 25,463 | 21.84% | 65,646 | 56.31% | 116,572 |
| Shasta | 27,155 | 36.53% | 47,184 | 63.47% | -20,029 | -26.94% | 74,339 |
| Sierra | 677 | 38.58% | 1,078 | 61.42% | -401 | -22.85% | 1,755 |
| Siskiyou | 8,196 | 41.97% | 11,334 | 58.03% | -3,138 | -16.07% | 19,530 |
| Solano | 98,251 | 65.99% | 50,634 | 34.01% | 47,617 | 31.98% | 148,885 |
| Sonoma | 154,892 | 73.71% | 55,256 | 26.29% | 99,636 | 47.41% | 210,148 |
| Stanislaus | 78,470 | 51.79% | 73,060 | 48.21% | 5,410 | 3.57% | 151,530 |
| Sutter | 12,395 | 41.17% | 17,715 | 58.83% | -5,320 | -17.67% | 30,110 |
| Tehama | 8,349 | 36.96% | 14,241 | 63.04% | -5,892 | -26.08% | 22,590 |
| Trinity | 2,658 | 47.46% | 2,943 | 52.54% | -285 | -5.09% | 5,601 |
| Tulare | 42,395 | 42.87% | 56,499 | 57.13% | -14,104 | -14.26% | 98,894 |
| Tuolumne | 10,336 | 42.78% | 13,823 | 57.22% | -3,487 | -14.43% | 24,159 |
| Ventura | 171,483 | 54.42% | 143,603 | 45.58% | 27,880 | 8.85% | 315,086 |
| Yolo | 49,148 | 67.68% | 23,468 | 32.32% | 25,680 | 35.36% | 72,616 |
| Yuba | 7,896 | 40.97% | 11,376 | 59.03% | -3,480 | -18.06% | 19,272 |
| Totals | 7,864,624 | 62.52% | 4,713,887 | 37.48% | 3,150,737 | 25.05% | 12,578,511 |
- Counties that flipped from Democratic to Republican
- Butte (largest city: Chico)
- Del Norte (largest community: Crescent City)
- Trinity (largest community: Weaverville)
By congressional district
Feinstein won 41 of the 53 congressional districts, including three held by Republicans.
| District | Feinstein | Emken | Representative |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | 42% | 58% | Doug LaMalfa |
| 2nd | 73% | 27% | Jared Huffman |
| 3rd | 56% | 44% | John Garamendi |
| 4th | 41% | 59% | Tom McClintock |
| 5th | 72% | 28% | Mike Thompson |
| 6th | 71% | 29% | Doris Matsui |
| 7th | 53% | 47% | Ami Bera |
| 8th | 43% | 57% | Paul Cook |
| 9th | 60% | 40% | Jerry McNerney |
| 10th | 52% | 48% | Jeff Denham |
| 11th | 72% | 28% | George Miller |
| 12th | 89% | 11% | Nancy Pelosi |
| 13th | 91% | 9% | Barbara Lee |
| 14th | 79% | 21% | Jackie Speier |
| 15th | 71% | 29% | Eric Swalwell |
| 16th | 59% | 41% | Jim Costa |
| 17th | 75% | 25% | Mike Honda |
| 18th | 72% | 28% | Anna Eshoo |
| 19th | 74% | 26% | Zoe Lofgren |
| 20th | 73% | 27% | Sam Farr |
| 21st | 56% | 44% | David Valadao |
| 22nd | 43% | 57% | Devin Nunes |
| 23rd | 38% | 62% | Kevin McCarthy |
| 24th | 56% | 44% | Lois Capps |
| 25th | 49% | 51% | Buck McKeon |
| 26th | 56% | 44% | Julia Brownley |
| 27th | 65% | 35% | Judy Chu |
| 28th | 73% | 27% | Adam Schiff |
| 29th | 78% | 22% | Tony Cárdenas |
| 30th | 69% | 31% | Brad Sherman |
| 31st | 59% | 41% | Gary Miller |
| 32nd | 67% | 33% | Grace Napolitano |
| 33rd | 65% | 35% | Henry Waxman |
| 34th | 85% | 15% | Xavier Becerra |
| 35th | 68% | 32% | Gloria Negrete McLeod |
| 36th | 54% | 46% | Raul Ruiz |
| 37th | 86% | 14% | Karen Bass |
| 38th | 67% | 33% | Linda Sánchez |
| 39th | 49% | 51% | Ed Royce |
| 40th | 81% | 19% | Lucille Roybal-Allard |
| 41st | 63% | 37% | Mark Takano |
| 42nd | 43% | 57% | Ken Calvert |
| 43rd | 78% | 22% | Maxine Waters |
| 44th | 85% | 15% | Janice Hahn |
| 45th | 44% | 56% | John B. T. Campbell III |
| 46th | 63% | 37% | Loretta Sánchez |
| 47th | 61% | 39% | Alan Lowenthal |
| 48th | 45% | 55% | Dana Rohrabacher |
| 49th | 47% | 53% | Darrell Issa |
| 50th | 40% | 60% | Duncan Hunter |
| 51st | 70% | 30% | Juan Vargas |
| 52nd | 54% | 46% | Scott Peters |
| 53rd | 63% | 37% | Susan Davis |
See also
- 2012 United States Senate elections
- 2012 United States House of Representatives elections in California
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