2012 Washington Insurance Commissioner election
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November 6, 2012 | ||||||||||||||||
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  Kreidler: 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% 80–90% Adams: 50–60% 60–70% | ||||||||||||||||
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| Elections in Washington (state) |
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The 2012 Washington Insurance Commissioner election was held on November 6, 2012, to elect the insurance commissioner of Washington, concurrently with the 2012 U.S. presidential election, as well as elections to the U.S. Senate and various state and local elections, including for U.S. House and governor of Washington. Incumbent Democratic Insurance Commissioner Mike Kreidler was re-elected to a fourth term in a landslide.[1]
Background
[edit]Incumbent Insurance Commissioner Mike Kreidler, first elected in 2000 and re-elected two times, most recently in 2008, ran for re-election to a fourth term in office.[2]
Primary election
[edit]Washington is one of two states that holds a top-two primary, meaning all candidates are listed on the same ballot regardless of party affiliation, and the top two advance to the general election.
Democratic candidates
[edit]Advanced to general
[edit]- Mike Kreidler, incumbent Insurance Commissioner (2001–2025)[2]
Republican candidates
[edit]Advanced to general
[edit]- John Adams, insurance broker[2]
Eliminated in primary
[edit]- Scott Reilly[2]
Third-party and independent candidates
[edit]Eliminated in primary
[edit]- Brian C. Berend (Independent)[3]
Endorsements
[edit]Mike Kreidler (D)
- Newspapers
Results
[edit]
Kreidler
- 30–40%
- 40–50%
- 50–60%
- 60–70%
Adams
- 30–40%
- 40–50%
Reilly
- 30–40%
Kreidler
- 30–40%
- 40–50%
- 50–60%
- 60–70%
- 70–80%
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Mike Kreidler (incumbent) | 712,095 | 54.91 | |
| Republican | John Adams | 279,052 | 21.52 | |
| Republican | Scott Reilly | 241,377 | 18.61 | |
| Independent | Brian C. Berend | 64,303 | 4.96 | |
| Total votes | 1,296,827 | 100.00 | ||
General election
[edit]Results
[edit]| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Mike Kreidler (incumbent) | 1,662,555 | 58.30 | –3.08 | |
| Republican | John Adams | 1,188,926 | 41.70 | +3.08 | |
| Total votes | 2,851,481 | 100.00 | N/A | ||
| Democratic hold | |||||
By county
[edit]| County[7] | Mike Kreidler Democratic | John Adams Republican | Margin | Total votes | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| # | % | # | % | # | % | ||
| Adams | 1,463 | 33.49% | 2,905 | 66.51% | -1,442 | -33.01% | 4,368 |
| Asotin | 3,933 | 43.39% | 5,131 | 56.61% | -1,198 | -13.22% | 9,064 |
| Benton | 28,462 | 39.31% | 43,933 | 60.69% | -15,471 | -21.37% | 72,395 |
| Chelan | 12,400 | 42.40% | 16,846 | 57.60% | -4,446 | -15.20% | 29,246 |
| Clallam | 18,333 | 52.47% | 16,610 | 47.53% | 1,723 | 4.93% | 34,943 |
| Clark | 87,743 | 50.47% | 86,123 | 49.53% | 1,620 | 0.93% | 173,866 |
| Columbia | 677 | 33.50% | 1,344 | 66.50% | -667 | -33.00% | 2,021 |
| Cowlitz | 21,727 | 53.15% | 19,153 | 46.85% | 2,574 | 6.30% | 40,880 |
| Douglas | 5,223 | 38.17% | 8,462 | 61.83% | -3,239 | -23.67% | 13,685 |
| Ferry | 1,300 | 41.71% | 1,817 | 58.29% | -517 | -16.59% | 3,117 |
| Franklin | 8,535 | 40.09% | 12,756 | 59.91% | -4,221 | -19.83% | 21,291 |
| Garfield | 359 | 31.41% | 784 | 68.59% | -425 | -37.18% | 1,143 |
| Grant | 8,977 | 35.33% | 16,431 | 64.67% | -7,454 | -29.34% | 25,408 |
| Grays Harbor | 15,628 | 58.88% | 10,913 | 41.12% | 4,715 | 17.76% | 26,541 |
| Island | 20,744 | 53.81% | 17,807 | 46.19% | 2,937 | 7.62% | 38,551 |
| Jefferson | 12,349 | 67.50% | 5,945 | 32.50% | 6,404 | 35.01% | 18,294 |
| King | 613,284 | 70.76% | 253,420 | 29.24% | 359,864 | 41.52% | 866,704 |
| Kitsap | 64,816 | 56.62% | 49,669 | 43.38% | 15,147 | 13.23% | 114,485 |
| Kittitas | 7,437 | 46.15% | 8,679 | 53.85% | -1,242 | -7.71% | 16,116 |
| Klickitat | 4,339 | 46.58% | 4,977 | 53.42% | -638 | -6.85% | 9,316 |
| Lewis | 12,649 | 40.58% | 18,522 | 59.42% | -5,873 | -18.84% | 31,171 |
| Lincoln | 1,802 | 33.33% | 3,604 | 66.67% | -1,802 | -33.33% | 5,406 |
| Mason | 14,714 | 55.88% | 11,619 | 44.12% | 3,095 | 11.75% | 26,333 |
| Okanogan | 6,944 | 45.06% | 8,467 | 54.94% | -1,523 | -9.88% | 15,411 |
| Pacific | 5,531 | 57.06% | 4,162 | 42.94% | 1,369 | 14.12% | 9,693 |
| Pend Oreille | 2,541 | 41.21% | 3,625 | 58.79% | -1,084 | -17.58% | 6,166 |
| Pierce | 180,572 | 56.97% | 136,366 | 43.03% | 44,206 | 13.95% | 316,938 |
| San Juan | 6,642 | 68.64% | 3,035 | 31.36% | 3,607 | 37.27% | 9,677 |
| Skagit | 27,465 | 54.35% | 23,068 | 45.65% | 4,397 | 8.70% | 50,533 |
| Skamania | 2,426 | 49.00% | 2,525 | 51.00% | -99 | -2.00% | 4,951 |
| Snohomish | 177,861 | 58.42% | 126,614 | 41.58% | 51,247 | 16.83% | 304,475 |
| Spokane | 98,790 | 48.14% | 106,411 | 51.86% | -7,621 | -3.71% | 205,201 |
| Stevens | 7,570 | 37.09% | 12,841 | 62.91% | -5,271 | -25.82% | 20,411 |
| Thurston | 74,631 | 63.60% | 42,718 | 36.40% | 31,913 | 27.19% | 117,349 |
| Wahkiakum | 1,051 | 51.70% | 982 | 48.30% | 69 | 3.39% | 2,033 |
| Walla Walla | 9,611 | 42.01% | 13,268 | 57.99% | -3,657 | -15.98% | 22,879 |
| Whatcom | 53,270 | 56.65% | 40,763 | 43.35% | 12,507 | 13.30% | 94,033 |
| Whitman | 7,423 | 48.65% | 7,835 | 51.35% | -412 | -2.70% | 15,258 |
| Yakima | 33,333 | 46.21% | 38,796 | 53.79% | -5,463 | -7.57% | 72,129 |
| Totals | 1,662,555 | 58.30% | 1,188,926 | 41.70% | 473,629 | 16.61% | 2,851,481 |
Counties that flipped from Democratic to Republican
- Kittitas (largest city: Ellensburg)
- Klickitat (largest city: Goldendale)
- Skamania (largest city: Carson)
- Spokane (largest city: Spokane)
- Whitman (largest city: Pullman)
By congressional district
[edit]Kreidler won seven of ten congressional districts, including one that elected a Republican.[8]
| District | Kreidler | Adams | Representative |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | 55% | 45% | Suzan DelBene |
| 2nd | 61% | 39% | Rick Larsen |
| 3rd | 49.9% | 50.1% | Jaime Herrera Beutler |
| 4th | 41% | 59% | Doc Hastings |
| 5th | 46% | 54% | Cathy McMorris Rodgers |
| 6th | 59% | 41% | Derek Kilmer |
| 7th | 81% | 19% | Jim McDermott |
| 8th | 52% | 48% | Dave Reichert |
| 9th | 70% | 30% | Adam Smith |
| 10th | 60% | 40% | Denny Heck |
References
[edit]- ^ https://www.mondaq.com/unitedstates/insurance-laws-and-products/205650/five-insurance-commissioner-elections-all-incumbents-re-elected
- ^ a b c d "2012 Primary Candidates Who Have Filed". eledataweb.votewa.gov. Retrieved October 30, 2025.
- ^ https://www.peninsuladailynews.com/news/statewide-regional-candidates-file/
- ^ Editorial Board, The Seattle Times (July 20, 2012). "Seattle Times editorial board endorsements for 2012 primary". The Seattle Times. Archived from the original on January 7, 2016. Retrieved October 30, 2025.
- ^ Reed, Sam (August 7, 2012). "Insurance Commissioner". Secretary of State of Washington. Archived from the original on March 13, 2025. Retrieved October 30, 2025.
- ^ Reed, Sam (November 6, 2012). "Insurance Commissioner". Secretary of State of Washington. Archived from the original on May 22, 2025. Retrieved October 30, 2025.
- ^ Reed, Sam (November 6, 2012). "Insurance Commissioner - County Results". Secretary of State of Washington. Archived from the original on June 16, 2025. Retrieved October 30, 2025.
- ^ "2012 General Data". sos.wa.gov. Archived from the original on September 10, 2024.
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November 6, 2012 | ||||||||||||||||
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Kreidler: 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% 80–90% Adams: 50–60% 60–70% | ||||||||||||||||
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| Elections in Washington (state) |
|---|
 |
The 2012 Washington Insurance Commissioner election was held on November 6, 2012, to elect the insurance commissioner of Washington, concurrently with the 2012 U.S. presidential election, as well as elections to the U.S. Senate and various state and local elections, including for U.S. House and governor of Washington. Incumbent Democratic Insurance Commissioner Mike Kreidler was re-elected to a fourth term in a landslide.[1]
Background
Incumbent Insurance Commissioner Mike Kreidler, first elected in 2000 and re-elected two times, most recently in 2008, ran for re-election to a fourth term in office.[2]
Primary election
Washington is one of two states that holds a top-two primary, meaning all candidates are listed on the same ballot regardless of party affiliation, and the top two advance to the general election.
Democratic candidates
Advanced to general
- Mike Kreidler, incumbent Insurance Commissioner (2001–2025)[2]
Republican candidates
Advanced to general
- John Adams, insurance broker[2]
Eliminated in primary
- Scott Reilly[2]
Third-party and independent candidates
Eliminated in primary
- Brian C. Berend (Independent)[3]
Endorsements
Mike Kreidler (D)
- Newspapers
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Mike Kreidler (incumbent) | 712,095 | 54.91 | |
| Republican | John Adams | 279,052 | 21.52 | |
| Republican | Scott Reilly | 241,377 | 18.61 | |
| Independent | Brian C. Berend | 64,303 | 4.96 | |
| Total votes | 1,296,827 | 100.00 | ||
General election
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Mike Kreidler (incumbent) | 1,662,555 | 58.30 | –3.08 | |
| Republican | John Adams | 1,188,926 | 41.70 | +3.08 | |
| Total votes | 2,851,481 | 100.00 | N/A | ||
| Democratic hold | |||||
By county
| County[7] | Mike Kreidler Democratic | John Adams Republican | Margin | Total votes | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| # | % | # | % | # | % | ||
| Adams | 1,463 | 33.49% | 2,905 | 66.51% | -1,442 | -33.01% | 4,368 |
| Asotin | 3,933 | 43.39% | 5,131 | 56.61% | -1,198 | -13.22% | 9,064 |
| Benton | 28,462 | 39.31% | 43,933 | 60.69% | -15,471 | -21.37% | 72,395 |
| Chelan | 12,400 | 42.40% | 16,846 | 57.60% | -4,446 | -15.20% | 29,246 |
| Clallam | 18,333 | 52.47% | 16,610 | 47.53% | 1,723 | 4.93% | 34,943 |
| Clark | 87,743 | 50.47% | 86,123 | 49.53% | 1,620 | 0.93% | 173,866 |
| Columbia | 677 | 33.50% | 1,344 | 66.50% | -667 | -33.00% | 2,021 |
| Cowlitz | 21,727 | 53.15% | 19,153 | 46.85% | 2,574 | 6.30% | 40,880 |
| Douglas | 5,223 | 38.17% | 8,462 | 61.83% | -3,239 | -23.67% | 13,685 |
| Ferry | 1,300 | 41.71% | 1,817 | 58.29% | -517 | -16.59% | 3,117 |
| Franklin | 8,535 | 40.09% | 12,756 | 59.91% | -4,221 | -19.83% | 21,291 |
| Garfield | 359 | 31.41% | 784 | 68.59% | -425 | -37.18% | 1,143 |
| Grant | 8,977 | 35.33% | 16,431 | 64.67% | -7,454 | -29.34% | 25,408 |
| Grays Harbor | 15,628 | 58.88% | 10,913 | 41.12% | 4,715 | 17.76% | 26,541 |
| Island | 20,744 | 53.81% | 17,807 | 46.19% | 2,937 | 7.62% | 38,551 |
| Jefferson | 12,349 | 67.50% | 5,945 | 32.50% | 6,404 | 35.01% | 18,294 |
| King | 613,284 | 70.76% | 253,420 | 29.24% | 359,864 | 41.52% | 866,704 |
| Kitsap | 64,816 | 56.62% | 49,669 | 43.38% | 15,147 | 13.23% | 114,485 |
| Kittitas | 7,437 | 46.15% | 8,679 | 53.85% | -1,242 | -7.71% | 16,116 |
| Klickitat | 4,339 | 46.58% | 4,977 | 53.42% | -638 | -6.85% | 9,316 |
| Lewis | 12,649 | 40.58% | 18,522 | 59.42% | -5,873 | -18.84% | 31,171 |
| Lincoln | 1,802 | 33.33% | 3,604 | 66.67% | -1,802 | -33.33% | 5,406 |
| Mason | 14,714 | 55.88% | 11,619 | 44.12% | 3,095 | 11.75% | 26,333 |
| Okanogan | 6,944 | 45.06% | 8,467 | 54.94% | -1,523 | -9.88% | 15,411 |
| Pacific | 5,531 | 57.06% | 4,162 | 42.94% | 1,369 | 14.12% | 9,693 |
| Pend Oreille | 2,541 | 41.21% | 3,625 | 58.79% | -1,084 | -17.58% | 6,166 |
| Pierce | 180,572 | 56.97% | 136,366 | 43.03% | 44,206 | 13.95% | 316,938 |
| San Juan | 6,642 | 68.64% | 3,035 | 31.36% | 3,607 | 37.27% | 9,677 |
| Skagit | 27,465 | 54.35% | 23,068 | 45.65% | 4,397 | 8.70% | 50,533 |
| Skamania | 2,426 | 49.00% | 2,525 | 51.00% | -99 | -2.00% | 4,951 |
| Snohomish | 177,861 | 58.42% | 126,614 | 41.58% | 51,247 | 16.83% | 304,475 |
| Spokane | 98,790 | 48.14% | 106,411 | 51.86% | -7,621 | -3.71% | 205,201 |
| Stevens | 7,570 | 37.09% | 12,841 | 62.91% | -5,271 | -25.82% | 20,411 |
| Thurston | 74,631 | 63.60% | 42,718 | 36.40% | 31,913 | 27.19% | 117,349 |
| Wahkiakum | 1,051 | 51.70% | 982 | 48.30% | 69 | 3.39% | 2,033 |
| Walla Walla | 9,611 | 42.01% | 13,268 | 57.99% | -3,657 | -15.98% | 22,879 |
| Whatcom | 53,270 | 56.65% | 40,763 | 43.35% | 12,507 | 13.30% | 94,033 |
| Whitman | 7,423 | 48.65% | 7,835 | 51.35% | -412 | -2.70% | 15,258 |
| Yakima | 33,333 | 46.21% | 38,796 | 53.79% | -5,463 | -7.57% | 72,129 |
| Totals | 1,662,555 | 58.30% | 1,188,926 | 41.70% | 473,629 | 16.61% | 2,851,481 |
Counties that flipped from Democratic to Republican
- Kittitas (largest city: Ellensburg)
- Klickitat (largest city: Goldendale)
- Skamania (largest city: Carson)
- Spokane (largest city: Spokane)
- Whitman (largest city: Pullman)
By congressional district
Kreidler won seven of ten congressional districts, including one that elected a Republican.[8]
| District | Kreidler | Adams | Representative |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | 55% | 45% | Suzan DelBene |
| 2nd | 61% | 39% | Rick Larsen |
| 3rd | 49.9% | 50.1% | Jaime Herrera Beutler |
| 4th | 41% | 59% | Doc Hastings |
| 5th | 46% | 54% | Cathy McMorris Rodgers |
| 6th | 59% | 41% | Derek Kilmer |
| 7th | 81% | 19% | Jim McDermott |
| 8th | 52% | 48% | Dave Reichert |
| 9th | 70% | 30% | Adam Smith |
| 10th | 60% | 40% | Denny Heck |
References
- ^ https://www.mondaq.com/unitedstates/insurance-laws-and-products/205650/five-insurance-commissioner-elections-all-incumbents-re-elected
- ^ a b c d "2012 Primary Candidates Who Have Filed". eledataweb.votewa.gov. Retrieved October 30, 2025.
- ^ https://www.peninsuladailynews.com/news/statewide-regional-candidates-file/
- ^ Editorial Board, The Seattle Times (July 20, 2012). "Seattle Times editorial board endorsements for 2012 primary". The Seattle Times. Archived from the original on January 7, 2016. Retrieved October 30, 2025.
- ^ Reed, Sam (August 7, 2012). "Insurance Commissioner". Secretary of State of Washington. Archived from the original on March 13, 2025. Retrieved October 30, 2025.
- ^ Reed, Sam (November 6, 2012). "Insurance Commissioner". Secretary of State of Washington. Archived from the original on May 22, 2025. Retrieved October 30, 2025.
- ^ Reed, Sam (November 6, 2012). "Insurance Commissioner - County Results". Secretary of State of Washington. Archived from the original on June 16, 2025. Retrieved October 30, 2025.
- ^ "2012 General Data". sos.wa.gov. Archived from the original on September 10, 2024.