2012 United States House of Representatives elections in Utah

The 2012 United States House of Representatives elections in Utah were held on Tuesday, November 6, 2012 and elected the four U.S. representatives from the state of Utah, an increase of one seat in reapportionment following the 2010 United States census. The elections coincided with the elections of other federal and state offices, including a quadrennial federal presidential election, a concurrent quadrennial statewide gubernatorial election, all other simulatenous quadrennial statewide executive official election, and an election to the U.S. Senate. Primary elections were held on June 26, 2012.

Redistricting
In Utah, the redistricting process was controlled by members of the Republican Party, who formed a majority on the State Legislature's redistricting committee. The plan passed October 2011 divides Salt Lake County among three districts, which Republicans argued would require Utah's U.S. Representatives focus on both urban and rural issues. Jim Dabakis, the chair of the Utah Democratic Party, argued that the map constituted a gerrymander designed to benefit the Republican Party.

District 1
Republican incumbent Rob Bishop, who has represented Utah's 1st congressional district since 2003, ran for re-election, having decided against running for governor.

Nominee

 * Rob Bishop, incumbent U.S. Representative

Eliminated in primary

 * Leonard "Joe" Fabiano, business entrepreneur and candidate for senate in 2010
 * Jacqueline Smith, homemaker and Tea Party activist

Withdrawn

 * Michael Miller, Iraq War veteran

Results
Rob Bishop became the official Republican candidate April 21, 2012 at the State Republican Convention.

Nominee

 * Donna McAleer, management consultant and West Point graduate

Eliminated in primary

 * Ryan Combe, small business owner

Nominee

 * Sherry Phipps

District 2
Democratic incumbent Jim Matheson, who has represented Utah's 2nd congressional district since 2001, sought re-election in the new 4th district.

Nominee

 * Jay Seegmiller, former state representative

Eliminated in primary

 * Dean Collinwood
 * Mike Small

Nominee

 * Chris Stewart, author, former U.S. Air Force pilot, and president of an energy consulting firm;

Eliminated in primary

 * Jason Buck, former American football player at Brigham Young University and in the National Football League
 * Dave Clark, former speaker of the Utah House of Representatives;
 * Cherilyn Eagar, business owner and candidate for Senate in 2010;
 * Robert Fuehr, former telecommunications executive and Harvard University MBA alumnus
 * Milton Hanks
 * Edward Mayerhofer
 * Jeramey McElhaney, small business owner
 * Howard Wallack
 * Chuck Williams, former Assistant Deputy Under Secretary of Defense for Installations and Environment and retired U.S. Air Force lieutenant colonel;
 * John Willoughby, airline pilot,

Withdrawn

 * Morgan Philpot, former state representative and nominee for this seat in 2010

Declined

 * Dan Liljenquist, state senator

Nominee

 * Jonathan D. Garrard

Independents
Independent candidate Charles Kimball also filed.

District 3
Jason Chaffetz, was seeking a third term in representing Utah's 3rd congressional district;

Nominee

 * Jason Chaffetz, incumbent U.S. Representative

Eliminated in primary

 * Brian Jenkins
 * Lynn D. Wardle

Withdrawn

 * Kurt Bradburn.
 * Leonard "Joe" Fabiano, business entrepreneur and candidate for senate in 2010

Nominee

 * Soren Simonsen, Salt Lake City Council Chair

Eliminated in primary

 * Richard Clark

District 4
Democratic U.S. Representative Jim Matheson, who has represented Utah's 2nd congressional district since 2001 and had considered running for governor or for the U.S. Senate, sought re-election to the House in Utah's new 4th congressional district after his previous seat was split up by the redistricting.

Nominee

 * Jim Matheson, incumbent U.S. Representative for the 2nd district

Nominee

 * Mia Love, Mayor of Saratoga Springs

Eliminated in primary

 * Jay Cobb, attorney
 * Kenneth Gray
 * Stephen Sandstrom, state representative
 * Carl Wimmer, state representative

Declined

 * Jason Buck, former American football player at Brigham Young University and National Football League

Results
In the Republican convention, held on April 21, 2012, Love received 70.4% of the vote (she needed more than 60% to avoid a primary).

Nominee

 * Jim Vein

Withdrawn

 * Ken Larsen, medical researcher

Withdrawn

 * Torin Nelson

Campaign
Despite beginning her campaign at a significant name recognition disadvantage to Matheson, Love was able to mount a strong challenge. This was in part fueled by a prime time speaking slot at the Republican National Convention where she impressed many with her backstory of a being the daughter of Haitian immigrants whose parents "Immigrated to the U.S. with $10 in their pocket" and her themes of self-reliance, small government and fiscal responsibility. However she was later hit by claims that she was technically an Anchor Baby, despite having seemingly backing the deportation of the US-born children of illegal immigrants.

Facing a district largely new to him, Matheson ran ads showcasing his independent credentials and airing clips of Love voicing support for cutting the Department of Education and privatizing Social Security. Despite the NRCC running ads trying to tie him to Nancy Pelosi and Barack Obama, Matheson's favorability rating remained at around 60% throughout the campaign.

Polling
An early poll published by the Deseret News on Dec 25, 2011 showed Jim Matheson leading all potential opponents.

Results
Matheson narrowly defeated the Love in the general election by only 768 votes. If Love had won the seat, she would have become the first African-American Republican woman to sit in the House.