2012 Washington Attorney General election
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November 6, 2012
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   Ferguson: 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% 80–90% >90% Dunn: 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% 80–90% >90% Tie: 50% No votes | ||||||||||||||||
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The 2012 Washington Attorney General election was held on November 6, 2012, concurrently with the other statewide elections and the gubernatorial election. Incumbent Republican State Attorney General Rob McKenna retired to run for governor. Democratic King County Councilmember Bob Ferguson won the general election over Republican King County Councilmember Reagan Dunn.[1]
Primary election
[edit]Democratic Party
[edit]Advanced to general
[edit]Democratic Party
[edit]Advanced to general
[edit]- Reagan Dunn, King County Councilmember[3]
Eliminated in primary
[edit]- Stephen Pidgeon, attorney and anti-gay activist[4]
Declined
[edit]- Rob McKenna, incumbent attorney general (2005–2013) (ran for governor)[5]
Endorsements
[edit]Reagan Dunn (R)
Federal officials
- William D. Hyslop, former United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Washington (1991–1993)[3]
- Jim McDevitt, former United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Washington (2001–2010)[3]
- John McKay, former United States Attorney for the Western District of Washington (2001–2006)[3]
- Mike McKay, former United States Attorney for the Western District of Washington (1989–1993)[3]
- Jeff Sullivan, former United States Attorney for the Western District of Washington (2007–2009)[3]
Statewide officials
- Ken Eikenberry, former Washington Attorney General (1981–1993)[3]
- Rob McKenna, incumbent Washington Attorney General (2005–2013)[3]
Newspapers
Bob Ferguson (D)
Statewide officials
- Mike Lowry, former governor of Washington (1993–1997)[2]
Results
[edit]
Ferguson
- 40–50%
- 50–60%
- 60–70%
Dunn
- 40–50%
- 50–60%
Ferguson
- 40–50%
- 50–60%
- 70–80%
Dunn
- 40–50%
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Bob Ferguson | 685,346 | 51.68 | |
| Republican | Reagan Dunn | 506,524 | 38.20 | |
| Republican | Stephen Pidgeon | 134,185 | 10.12 | |
| Total votes | 1,326,055 | 100.00 |
By county
[edit]| County[8] | Reagan Dunn
Republican |
Bob Ferguson
Democratic |
Stephen Pidgeon
Republican |
Margin | Total votes | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| # | % | # | % | # | % | # | % | ||
| Adams | 1,397 | 58.28% | 659 | 27.49% | 341 | 14.23% | -738 | -30.79% | 2,397 |
| Asotin | 1,935 | 41.96% | 1,993 | 43.21% | 684 | 14.83% | 58 | 1.26% | 4,612 |
| Benton | 15,106 | 50.31% | 10,285 | 34.25% | 4,635 | 15.44% | -4,821 | -16.06% | 30,026 |
| Chelan | 8,226 | 51.38% | 5,806 | 36.27% | 1,977 | 12.35% | -2,420 | -15.12% | 16,009 |
| Clallam | 7,380 | 38.73% | 9,121 | 47.87% | 2,552 | 13.39% | 1,741 | 9.14% | 19,053 |
| Clark | 24,809 | 37.63% | 30,667 | 46.51% | 10,461 | 15.87% | 5,858 | 8.88% | 65,937 |
| Columbia | 568 | 53.58% | 335 | 31.60% | 157 | 14.81% | -233 | -21.98% | 1,060 |
| Cowlitz | 6,461 | 36.06% | 9,207 | 51.39% | 2,247 | 12.54% | 2,746 | 15.33% | 17,915 |
| Douglas | 3,763 | 53.16% | 2,328 | 32.89% | 987 | 13.94% | -1,435 | -20.27% | 7,078 |
| Ferry | 743 | 45.89% | 635 | 39.22% | 241 | 14.89% | -108 | -6.67% | 1,619 |
| Franklin | 4,617 | 51.99% | 2,973 | 33.48% | 1,290 | 14.53% | -1,644 | -18.51% | 8,880 |
| Garfield | 302 | 54.81% | 170 | 30.85% | 79 | 14.34% | -132 | -23.96% | 551 |
| Grant | 5,852 | 50.15% | 3,832 | 32.84% | 1,985 | 17.01% | -2,020 | -17.31% | 11,669 |
| Grays Harbor | 4,844 | 35.17% | 7,595 | 55.14% | 1,336 | 9.70% | 2,751 | 19.97% | 13,775 |
| Island | 9,300 | 41.51% | 10,959 | 48.92% | 2,145 | 9.57% | 1,659 | 7.40% | 22,404 |
| Jefferson | 3,332 | 29.38% | 7,221 | 63.67% | 788 | 6.95% | 3,889 | 34.29% | 11,341 |
| King | 133,783 | 32.93% | 251,097 | 61.81% | 21,334 | 5.25% | 117,314 | 28.88% | 406,214 |
| Kitsap | 21,727 | 37.72% | 29,227 | 50.74% | 6,643 | 11.53% | 7,500 | 13.02% | 57,597 |
| Kittitas | 3,795 | 47.35% | 3,283 | 40.96% | 937 | 11.69% | -512 | -6.39% | 8,015 |
| Klickitat | 1,620 | 41.54% | 1,708 | 43.79% | 572 | 14.67% | 88 | 2.26% | 3,900 |
| Lewis | 7,872 | 52.04% | 5,278 | 34.89% | 1,976 | 13.06% | -2,594 | -17.15% | 15,126 |
| Lincoln | 1,548 | 52.90% | 883 | 30.18% | 495 | 16.92% | -665 | -22.73% | 2,926 |
| Mason | 5,590 | 38.36% | 7,297 | 50.07% | 1,686 | 11.57% | 1,707 | 11.71% | 14,573 |
| Okanogan | 3,625 | 45.97% | 3,241 | 41.10% | 1,020 | 12.93% | -384 | -4.87% | 7,886 |
| Pacific | 2,137 | 36.37% | 3,197 | 54.42% | 541 | 9.21% | 1,060 | 18.04% | 5,875 |
| Pend Oreille | 1,435 | 43.20% | 1,379 | 41.51% | 508 | 15.29% | -56 | -1.69% | 3,322 |
| Pierce | 58,655 | 41.07% | 69,662 | 48.77% | 14,516 | 10.16% | 11,007 | 7.71% | 142,833 |
| San Juan | 1,455 | 27.68% | 3,306 | 62.89% | 496 | 9.44% | 1,851 | 35.21% | 5,257 |
| Skagit | 10,775 | 41.03% | 12,878 | 49.04% | 2,607 | 9.93% | 2,103 | 8.01% | 26,260 |
| Skamania | 829 | 38.08% | 1,040 | 47.77% | 308 | 14.15% | 211 | 9.69% | 2,177 |
| Snohomish | 51,592 | 38.35% | 67,703 | 50.32% | 15,238 | 11.33% | 16,111 | 11.98% | 134,533 |
| Spokane | 37,924 | 39.44% | 43,074 | 44.80% | 15,156 | 15.76% | 5,150 | 5.36% | 96,154 |
| Stevens | 4,920 | 47.57% | 3,515 | 33.99% | 1,907 | 18.44% | -1,405 | -13.59% | 10,342 |
| Thurston | 19,169 | 34.59% | 31,413 | 56.68% | 4,843 | 8.74% | 12,244 | 22.09% | 55,425 |
| Wahkiakum | 405 | 34.91% | 590 | 50.86% | 165 | 14.22% | 185 | 15.95% | 1,160 |
| Walla Walla | 6,018 | 50.02% | 4,596 | 38.20% | 1,418 | 11.79% | -1,422 | -11.82% | 12,032 |
| Whatcom | 15,596 | 36.07% | 22,714 | 52.54% | 4,924 | 11.39% | 7,118 | 16.46% | 43,234 |
| Whitman | 2,927 | 43.23% | 2,950 | 43.57% | 893 | 13.19% | 23 | 0.34% | 6,770 |
| Yakima | 14,492 | 48.12% | 11,529 | 38.28% | 4,097 | 13.60% | -2,963 | -9.84% | 30,118 |
| Totals | 506,524 | 38.20% | 685,346 | 51.68% | 134,185 | 10.12% | 178,822 | 13.49% | 1,326,055 |
| Elections in Washington (state) |
|---|
 |
General election
[edit]Polling
[edit]Graphical summary
View source data.
| Poll source | Date(s) administered |
Sample size |
Margin of error |
Reagan Dunn (R) |
Bob Ferguson (D) |
Undecided |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Washington Poll[9] | October 18–31, 2012 | 632 (LV) | ± 3.9% | 34% | 45% | 21% |
| Elway Research[10] | October 18–21, 2012 | 451 (RV) | ± 4.5% | 36% | 38% | 25% |
| Elway Research[11] | September 9–12, 2012 | 405 (RV) | ± 5.0% | 27% | 40% | 33% |
| SurveyUSA[12] | September 7–9, 2012 | 524 (RV) | ± 4.4% | 33% | 42% | 24% |
| Elway Research[13] | June 13–16, 2012 | 408 (RV) | ± 5.0% | 28% | 26% | 46% |
| Public Policy Polling (D)[14] | February 22, 2012 | 1,264 (RV) | ± 2.8% | 34% | 32% | 34% |
| SurveyUSA[15] | September 26, 2011 | 529 (RV) | ± 4.3% | 34% | 39% | 26% |
Results
[edit]| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Bob Ferguson | 1,564,443 | 53.48 | +12.94 | |
| Republican | Reagan Dunn | 1,361,010 | 46.52 | –12.94 | |
| Total votes | 2,925,453 | 100.00 | N/A | ||
| Democratic gain from Republican |
By county
[edit]| County[17] | Reagan Dunn
Republican |
Bob Ferguson
Democratic |
Margin | Total votes | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| # | % | # | % | # | % | ||
| Adams | 3,130 | 69.37% | 1,382 | 30.63% | -1,748 | -38.74% | 4,512 |
| Asotin | 5,433 | 58.32% | 3,883 | 41.68% | -1,550 | -16.64% | 9,316 |
| Benton | 50,660 | 68.08% | 23,756 | 31.92% | -26,904 | -36.15% | 74,416 |
| Chelan | 18,195 | 60.23% | 12,014 | 39.77% | -6,181 | -20.46% | 30,209 |
| Clallam | 18,094 | 50.40% | 17,810 | 49.60% | -284 | -0.79% | 35,904 |
| Clark | 94,162 | 53.42% | 82,101 | 46.58% | -12,061 | -6.84% | 176,263 |
| Columbia | 1,496 | 71.14% | 607 | 28.86% | -889 | -42.27% | 2,103 |
| Cowlitz | 20,499 | 49.33% | 21,056 | 50.67% | 557 | 1.34% | 41,555 |
| Douglas | 9,111 | 64.33% | 5,052 | 35.67% | -4,059 | -28.66% | 14,163 |
| Ferry | 1,972 | 61.28% | 1,246 | 38.72% | -726 | -22.56% | 3,218 |
| Franklin | 14,216 | 65.44% | 7,508 | 34.56% | -6,708 | -30.88% | 21,724 |
| Garfield | 804 | 68.37% | 372 | 31.63% | -432 | -36.73% | 1,176 |
| Grant | 17,530 | 67.26% | 8,534 | 32.74% | -8,996 | -34.52% | 26,064 |
| Grays Harbor | 12,203 | 44.67% | 15,116 | 55.33% | 2,913 | 10.66% | 27,319 |
| Island | 19,992 | 50.51% | 19,587 | 49.49% | -405 | -1.02% | 39,579 |
| Jefferson | 6,722 | 35.97% | 11,968 | 64.03% | 5,246 | 28.07% | 18,690 |
| King | 312,409 | 34.83% | 584,503 | 65.17% | 272,094 | 30.34% | 896,912 |
| Kitsap | 54,999 | 47.12% | 61,733 | 52.88% | 6,734 | 5.77% | 116,732 |
| Kittitas | 10,071 | 59.93% | 6,733 | 40.07% | -3,338 | -19.86% | 16,804 |
| Klickitat | 5,242 | 54.75% | 4,333 | 45.25% | -909 | -9.49% | 9,575 |
| Lewis | 19,831 | 61.72% | 12,301 | 38.28% | -7,530 | -23.43% | 32,132 |
| Lincoln | 3,915 | 70.57% | 1,633 | 29.43% | -2,282 | -41.13% | 5,548 |
| Mason | 13,048 | 48.57% | 13,817 | 51.43% | 769 | 2.86% | 26,865 |
| Okanogan | 9,119 | 57.54% | 6,729 | 42.46% | -2,390 | -15.08% | 15,848 |
| Pacific | 4,537 | 45.72% | 5,386 | 54.28% | 849 | 8.56% | 9,923 |
| Pend Oreille | 3,865 | 61.19% | 2,451 | 38.81% | -1,414 | -22.39% | 6,316 |
| Pierce | 157,121 | 48.60% | 166,160 | 51.40% | 9,039 | 2.80% | 323,281 |
| San Juan | 3,392 | 34.09% | 6,559 | 65.91% | 3,167 | 31.83% | 9,951 |
| Skagit | 25,820 | 49.57% | 26,264 | 50.43% | 444 | 0.85% | 52,084 |
| Skamania | 2,624 | 52.22% | 2,401 | 47.78% | -223 | -4.44% | 5,025 |
| Snohomish | 142,285 | 45.72% | 168,912 | 54.28% | 26,627 | 8.56% | 311,197 |
| Spokane | 118,707 | 56.60% | 91,030 | 43.40% | -27,677 | -13.20% | 209,737 |
| Stevens | 13,856 | 65.72% | 7,226 | 34.28% | -6,630 | -31.45% | 21,082 |
| Thurston | 52,151 | 43.87% | 66,732 | 56.13% | 14,581 | 12.27% | 118,883 |
| Wahkiakum | 1,049 | 50.70% | 1,020 | 49.30% | -29 | -1.40% | 2,069 |
| Walla Walla | 15,149 | 64.44% | 8,358 | 35.56% | -6,791 | -28.89% | 23,507 |
| Whatcom | 43,606 | 45.20% | 52,872 | 54.80% | 9,266 | 9.60% | 96,478 |
| Whitman | 8,701 | 55.45% | 6,991 | 44.55% | -1,710 | -10.90% | 15,692 |
| Yakima | 45,294 | 61.54% | 28,307 | 38.46% | -16,987 | -23.08% | 73,601 |
| Totals | 1,361,010 | 46.52% | 1,564,443 | 53.48% | 203,433 | 6.95% | 2,925,453 |
Counties that flipped from Republican to Democratic
- Cowlitz (largest city: Longview)
- Grays Harbor (largest city: Aberdeen)
- King (largest city: Seattle)
- Kitsap (largest city: Bremerton)
- Mason (largest city: Shelton)
- Pacific (largest city: Raymond)
- Pierce (largest city: Tacoma)
- Skagit (largest city: Mount Vernon)
- Snohomish (largest city: Everett)
- Thurston (largest city: Lacey)
- Whatcom (largest city: Bellingham)
By congressional district
[edit]Ferguson won six of ten congressional districts.[18]
| District | Dunn | Ferguson | Representative |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | 49% | 51% | Suzan DelBene |
| 2nd | 43% | 57% | Rick Larsen |
| 3rd | 53% | 47% | Jaime Herrera Beutler |
| 4th | 65% | 35% | Doc Hastings |
| 5th | 58% | 42% | Cathy McMorris Rodgers |
| 6th | 45% | 55% | Norm Dicks |
| Derek Kilmer | |||
| 7th | 23% | 77% | Jim McDermott |
| 8th | 54% | 46% | Dave Reichert |
| 9th | 36% | 64% | Adam Smith |
| 10th | 46% | 54% | Denny Heck |
References
[edit]- ↑ Young, Bob (November 6, 2012). "Ferguson pulls in strong support over Dunn". The Seattle Times. Archived from the original on September 27, 2021. Retrieved November 18, 2025.
- 1 2 Schrader, Jordan (February 14, 2011). "King County Councilman Bob Ferguson to run for attorney general". Tacoma News Tribune. The News Tribune. Archived from the original on February 1, 2012. Retrieved February 11, 2026.
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Ervin, Keith (June 14, 2011). "Reagan Dunn will run for attorney general". The Seattle Times. Archived from the original on March 26, 2016. Retrieved November 18, 2025.
- ↑ "Snub claim a sign of discord among gay-marriage foes". February 20, 2012.
- ↑ https://www.king5.com/article/news/politics/rob-mckenna-to-run-for-governor-of-washington/281-331792186
- ↑ Editorial Board, The Seattle Times (July 21, 2012). "The Times endorses Reagan Dunn for state attorney general". The Seattle Times. Archived from the original on July 8, 2024. Retrieved October 22, 2025.
- ↑ Reed, Sam (August 7, 2012). "Attorney General". Secretary of State of Washington. Archived from the original on April 20, 2025. Retrieved October 21, 2025.
- ↑ Reed, Sam (August 7, 2012). "Attorney General - County Results". Secretary of State of Washington. Retrieved July 15, 2026.
- ↑ Washington Poll
- ↑ Elway Research
- ↑ Elway Research
- ↑ SurveyUSA
- ↑ Elway Research
- ↑ Public Policy Polling (D)
- ↑ SurveyUSA
- ↑ Reed, Sam (November 6, 2012). "Attorney General". Secretary of State of Washington. Archived from the original on May 2, 2025. Retrieved October 18, 2025.
- ↑ Reed, Sam (November 6, 2012). "Attorney General - County Results". Secretary of State of Washington. Archived from the original on August 31, 2021. Retrieved August 8, 2025.
- ↑ "2012 General Data". sos.wa.gov. Archived from the original on September 10, 2024.