Delaware lieutenant gubernatorial election, 2012
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Delaware's 2012 elections U.S. Senate • U.S. House • Governor • Other executive offices • State Senate • State House • Candidate ballot access |
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The Delaware lieutenant gubernatorial election took place on November 6, 2012. Primaries were on September 11, 2012. Election day polling hours were from 7 am until 8 pm.
Incumbent Matthew Denn (D), serving in his first term, was not prevented by term limits from seeking a second term in office. He was unopposed in the Democratic primary and defeated two challengers in the November general election: Republican Sher Valenzuela and Libertarian Margie Waite-McKeown.
Along with his gubernatorial running mate, Denn was expected to be "headed for a comfortable re-election."[1]
His opponent, Republican challenger and small business owner Sher Valenzuela made a splash as a relative political newcomer. However, the lieutenant governor race got more attention than usual in 2012 after Valenzuela was invited to speak at the Republican Convention in Tampa.[2] Her convention appearance boosted her name recognition in the state and beyond.[2]
When asked about the possibility of a split-ticket administration, Valenzuela said she would be ready to work in a split administration. “We've got 24 years of one party rule, and 24 years of one party rule, whatever the party is, does not lead to the outcome that is best for the citizens.”[2]
For Denn, the possibility of working in a split administration was not even on the radar. “I have contemplated many things in my life, but me winning and Jack losing is not something I've spent a lot of time thinking about.”[2]
Election results
| Lieutenant Governor of Delaware General Election, 2012 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Democratic |  Matthew Denn Incumbent |
61.6% | 238,959 | |
| Republican | Sher Valenzuela | 37.1% | 143,978 | |
| Libertarian | Margie Waite-McKeown | 1.3% | 5,206 | |
| Total Votes | 388,143 | |||
| Election results via Delaware State Board of Elections | ||||
Background
Key dates
- Administrative deadlines were at close of business (5:00) unless otherwise noted.
| Deadline | Event |
|---|---|
| Jul. 10, Noon | Statewide candidate filing |
| Aug. 18 | Voter registration for the primary election |
| Aug. 27 | Voter registration for military and overseas - primary election |
| Sept. 11 | Primary election |
| Sept. 11, 8pm | Primary absentee ballots due to Department of Elections |
| Oct. 13 | Voter registration for general election |
| Oct. 22 | Voter registration for uniformed service members and overseas citizens - general election |
| Nov. 6 | General election |
| Nov. 6, 8pm | General election absentee ballots due to Department of Elections |
Candidates
Democratic primary candidates
- Matthew Denn (Incumbent)
Republican primary candidates
Libertarian candidates
Campaign media and websites
Campaign media
Interview with Sher Valenzuela on Republican Hour
-
Television ads
Campaign websites
News
Endorsements
Matthew Denn
Matthew Denn was endorsed by the Barbara Gittings Delaware Stonewall Democrats.[3]
See also
External links
Footnotes
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