2012 Wisconsin State Assembly election

The 2012 Wisconsin State Assembly elections were held on Tuesday, November 6, 2012. All 99 seats in the Wisconsin State Assembly were up for election. Before the election, 58 Assembly seats were held by Republicans, 38 seats were held by Democrats, 1 was held by an independent, and 2 were vacant. The primary election was held on August 14, 2012.

This was the first Assembly election after the legislative redistricting following the 2010 United States census. The maps were passed into law as 2011 Wisconsin Act 43, and are widely considered one of the most severe Republican gerrymanders in U.S. history.

Republicans flipped the independent-held seat and reclaimed two vacant seats, to enter the 101st Wisconsin Legislature with 60 of 99 State Assembly seats.

Elected members took office on January 7, 2013.

Close races
Seats where the margin of victory was under 10%:
 * 1) State Assembly district 72, 0.39%
 * 2) State Assembly district 70, 0.53%
 * 3) State Assembly district 93, 1.62%
 * 4) State Assembly district 75, 2.17% (gain)
 * 5) State Assembly district 26, 2.60%
 * 6) State Assembly district 1, 2.62%
 * 7) State Assembly district 85, 3.23%
 * 8) State Assembly district 50, 3.51%
 * 9) State Assembly district 51, 3.78%
 * 10) State Assembly district 68, 4.86%
 * 11) State Assembly district 88, 4.93%
 * 12) State Assembly district 62, 6.20% (gain)
 * 13) State Assembly district 67, 6.55%
 * 14) State Assembly district 37, 8.60% (gain)
 * 15) State Assembly district 49, 8.54%

Retiring

 * Tamara Grigsby (D–Milwaukee), representing District 18 since 2004, did not run for re-election due to a difficult battle with cancer.
 * Michelle Litjens (R–Appleton), representing District 56 since 2010, did not run for re-election.
 * Dan Meyer (R–Eagle River), representing District 34 since 2000, did not run for re-election.
 * Donna J. Seidel (D–Wausau), representing District 85 since 2004, did not run for re-election.
 * Richard Spanbauer (R–Oshkosh), representing District 53 since 2008, did not run for re-election.
 * Tony Staskunas (D–West Allis), representing District 15 since 1996, did not run for re-election.
 * Robert L. Turner (D–Racine), representing District 61 since 1990, did not run for re-election due to redistricting which reshaped his district.
 * Karl Van Roy (R–Howard), representing District 90 since 2002, did not run for re-election.
 * Bob Ziegelbauer (I–Manitowoc), representing District 25 since 1992, did not run for re-election.

Seeking other office

 * Elizabeth M. Coggs (D–Milwaukee), representing District 10 since 2010, ran for state Senate in the 4th Senate district, but lost the primary.
 * David Cullen (D–Milwaukee), representing District 13 since 1990, was elected to the Milwaukee County Board of Supervisors in the 2014 Spring election.
 * Jeff Fitzgerald (R–Horicon, representing District 39 since 2000, and the incumbent speaker, ran for U.S. Senate, but lost the primary.
 * Louis Molepske (D–Stevens Point), representing District 71 since 2003, ran for Portage County district attorney, and won the election.
 * Mark Pocan (D–Madison), representing District 78 since 1998, ran for U.S. House of Representatives in Wisconsin's 2nd congressional district, and won the election.
 * Tom Tiffany (R–Hazelhurst), representing District 35 since 2010, ran for state Senate in the 12th Senate district, and won the election.

Vacated

 * Jerry Petrowski (R–Marathon) resigned from District 86 after his election as state senator.
 * Barbara Toles (D–Milwaukee) resigned from District 17 on July 2, 2012.