2014 North Carolina's 12th congressional district special election: Difference between revisions

{{Infobox Electionelection

| election_name = 2014 North Carolina's 12th congressional district special election, 2014

| image1 = [[File:Alma Adams.jpg|160x160px]]

| nominee1 = '''[[Alma Adams]]'''

| popular_vote1 = '''127,668'''

| percentage1 = '''75.434%'''

| image2 = [[File:Vince Coakley 2.jpg|160x160px]]

| percentage2 = 24.576%

| map_image = NC-12 Special 2014.svg

| map_caption = County results

A '''[[List of special elections to the United States House of Representatives|special election]] for the [[United States House of Representatives]] in [[North Carolina's 12th congressional district]]''' was held on November 4, 2014, to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of U.S. Rep. [[Mel Watt]] following his appointment to head the Federal Housing Administration.

[[Governor of North Carolina|North Carolina Governor]] [[Pat McCrory]] chose to hold the election concurrently with the regular 2014 general elections,<ref name=observer>{{cite web |last=Morrill |first=Jim |url=http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2013/12/09/4533282/watts-exit-would-leave-scrambled.html |archive-url=https://archive.today/20131212142253/http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2013/12/09/4533282/watts-exit-would-leave-scrambled.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=December 12, 2013 |title=Watt’sWatt's exit will leave scrambled race for Congress |publisher=Charlotte Observer |date=December 9, 2013 |accessdateaccess-date=December 16, 2013 }}</ref> rather than hold a separate special election at an earlier date to fill the vacancy. Party primary elections for the seat would be held May 6. [[two-round system|Primary runoffs]], if needed, were scheduled for July 15 but proved unnecessary, because the only primary winner won more than 40 percent of the vote. According to politician [[Gerry Cohen (politician)|Gerry Cohen]], the primary was the first special primary election in North Carolina history, because in previous special elections, committees or conventions of party leaders selected their nominees.<ref>[{{Cite web |url=http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2014/01/06/4592170/special-house-election-to-overlap.html |title=Charlotte Observer: Special House election for Watt seat to overlap regular schedule] |access-date=January 7, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140107143603/http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2014/01/06/4592170/special-house-election-to-overlap.html |archive-date=January 7, 2014 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

The winner of the special election would serve through the remaining months of the [[113th Congress]], while the winner of the [[United States House of Representatives elections in North Carolina, 2014#District 12|regular general election]] being held the same day would serve in the [[114th United States Congress|114th Congress]]. <ref>[http://www.wral.com/mccrory-calls-special-election-for-watt-seat/13275513/ WRAL.com]</ref> This is essentially the same procedure used in North Carolina in [[United States House of Representatives elections in North Carolina, 1992|1992]] to fill the vacancy in the [[North Carolina's 1st congressional district|First Congressional District]] (other than the addition of a primary election). Because Watt resigned in January and the winner of the special election was not seated until after the November election result is official, the district was without a representative for more than 11 months.

Democratic Congressman [[Mel Watt]] was confirmed by the [[United States Senate]] on December 10, 2013, to head the [[Federal Housing Finance Agency]].<ref>{{cite news |url=httphttps://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/post-politics/wp/2013/12/10/senate-proceeding-as-scheduled-tuesday/ |title=Senate confirms Patricia Millett, Mel Watt using new majority rules |worknewspaper=[[The Washington Post]] |author=Ed O'Keefe and Paul Kane |date=December 10, 2013}}</ref> He resigned from Congress on January 6, 2014, the day he took office as director of FHFA.<ref>[{{Cite web |url=http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2013/12/20/4559479/mel-watt-to-resign-from-congress.html#.UrzEx2-A3IU |title=Charlotte Observer: Mel Watt to resign from Congress Jan. 6] |access-date=December 27, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131227095846/http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2013/12/20/4559479/mel-watt-to-resign-from-congress.html#.UrzEx2-A3IU |archive-date=December 27, 2013 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

* [[Alma Adams]], Statestate Representativerepresentative<ref name=kickoff>{{cite web |last=Cahn |first=Emily |url=http://atr.rollcall.com/watt-confirmation-kicks-off-north-carolina-special-election/ |title=Roll Call: Watt Confirmation Kicks Off North Carolina Special Election |publisher=Atr.rollcall.com |access-date=December 16, 2013 |accessdatearchive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131214024824/http://atr.rollcall.com/watt-confirmation-kicks-off-north-carolina-special-election/ |archive-date=December 1614, 2013 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

* [[Marcus Brandon]], Statestate Representativerepresentative<ref name=kickoff/>

* [[Malcolm Graham (politician)|Malcolm Graham]], Statestate Senatorsenator<ref name=kickoff/>

* Brad Craver, management consultant<ref>{{cite news|last=Dunn|first=Nash|date=January 31, 2014|title=Former Lexington resident announces for 12th District|url=http://www.the-dispatch.com/article/20140131/NEWS/301319974/1005?Title=Former-Lexington-resident-announces-for-12th-District|newspaper=[[The Dispatch (Lexington)|The Dispatch]]|accessdateaccess-date=February 1, 2014}}</ref>

* [[Beverly M. Earle]], Statestate Representativerepresentative and nominee for [[Mayor of Charlotte, North Carolina|Mayor]] of [[Charlotte, North Carolina|Charlotte]] in [[2007 Charlotte mayoral election, 2007|2007]]<ref name=kickoff/>

* James "Smuggie" Mitchell, Jr., former [[List of city council members in Charlotte|Charlotte City Council]] member and candidate for [[Mayor of Charlotte, North Carolina|Mayor]] of [[Charlotte, North Carolina|Charlotte]] in [[2013 Charlotte mayoral election, 2013|2013]]<ref>{{cite news|author=Jen Wilson|date=April 15, 2014|title=James Mitchell drops bid for congressional seat|url=http://www.bizjournals.com/charlotte/blog/morning-edition/2014/04/james-mitchell-drops-bid-for-congressional-seat.html|newspaper=Charlotte Business Journal|accessdateaccess-date=April 17, 2014}}</ref>

* [[Rodney W. Moore]], Statestate Representativerepresentative<ref>{{cite news|last=Cahn|first=Emily|date=January 6, 2014|title=Election Scheduled to Replace Watt in North Carolina|url=http://atr.rollcall.com/election-scheduled-to-replace-watt-in-north-carolina/|newspaper=[[Roll Call]]|accessdateaccess-date=February 1, 2014}}</ref>

! style="width:100px;" class=small| Poll source

! style="width:140px;" class=small| Date(s)<br />administered

! class=small | Sample<br />size

! class=small | <small>Margin of</small><br />error

! style="width:50px;" class=small| Alma<br />Adams

! style="width:50px;" class=small| George<br />Battle

! style="width:50px;" class=small| Marcus<br />Brandon

! style="width:50px;" class=small| Malcolm<br />Graham

! style="width:50px;" class=small| James<br />Mitchell

! style="width:50px;" class=small| Curtis<br />Osborne

! style="width:50px;" class=small| Rajive<br />Patel

| [httphttps://www.scribd.com/doc/212110259/NC-12-Hamilton-Campaigns-for-Alma-Adams-March-2014 Hamilton* (D-Adams)]

| align=center| Feb.February 28–Mar.28 – March 4, 2014

{{Election box begin no change| title=Democratic primary election results<ref name="primaryresults">[httphttps://enrer.ncsbe.gov/ElectionResults/?election_dt=05/06/2014&county_id=0&office=FED&contest=0 NC State Board of Elections website]</ref>}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change

|votes = 14,927967

{{Election box candidate with party link no change

|votes = 7,482495

|percentage = 22.151

{{Election box candidate with party link no change

|votes = 4,426431

{{Election box candidate with party link no change

|votes = 2,974984

|percentage = 8.818

{{Election box candidate with party link no change

|votes = 2,032034

|percentage = 6.020

{{Election box candidate with party link no change

|votes = 1,934939

|percentage = 5.737

{{Election box turnouttotal no change

|votes = 33,775850

|percentage = 100.0

* Vince Coakley, former TV news anchor<ref>{{cite news|last=Morrill|first=Jim|date=January 28, 2014|title=Ex-anchor Vince Coakley enters congressional race|url=http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2014/01/28/4647003/coakley-enters-congressional-race.html|newspaper=[[The Charlotte Observer]]|accessdateaccess-date=February 1, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140130004608/http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2014/01/28/4647003/coakley-enters-congressional-race.html|archive-date=January 30, 2014|url-status=dead|df=mdy-all}}</ref>

* LibertyConservatives.com <ref>{{Cite web |url=http://blog.libertyconservatives.com/vince-coakley-interview-endorsement/ |title=Vince Coakley - Interview and Endorsement - Liberty Conservatives |access-date=August 28, 2014 |archive-date=October 22, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141022120616/http://blog.libertyconservatives.com/vince-coakley-interview-endorsement/ |url-status=dead }}</ref>

{{reflist|30em}}

{{2014 United States elections, 2014}}

[[Category:2014 North Carolina elections, 2014|12th congressional district special election]]

[[Category:2014 United States House of Representatives elections, 2014|North Carolina 12]]

[[Category:November 2014 events in the United States|North Carolina 12]]

[[Category:United States House of Representatives special elections|North Carolina 2014 12]]