The 2012 Tennessee State Senate election was held on November 6, 2012, to elect 16 of the 33 seats for the Tennessee's State Senate. The elections coincided with the Presidential, U.S. Senate, U.S. House, and State House elections. The primary elections were held on August 2, 2012.
Republicans gained 6 seats, getting a supermajority in the Senate chamber.
Retirements
Five incumbents (4 Democrats and 1 Republican) did not run for re-election in 2012. Those incumbents are:
Democrats
- District 10: Andy Berke retired to run for mayor of Chattanooga in 2013.
- District 16: Eric Stewart retired to run for Tennessee's 4th congressional district seat in the U.S. House of Representatives.
- District 20: Joe M. Haynes retired.
- District 24: Roy Herron retired.
Republicans
- District 18: Kerry Roberts retired.
Incumbents defeated
In the primary election
Democrats
- District 30: Beverly Marrero lost renomination to Jim Kyle.
In the general election
Democrats
- District 22: Tim Barnes lost to Mark Green
Results summary
Closest races
Three races were decided by a margin of under 10%:
Predictions
Detailed results by State Senate District
District 2
District 4
Republican primary
General election
District 6
Republican primary
Democratic primary
General election
District 8
District 10
Gardenhire became the first Republican to represent District 10 in four decades.
District 12
Republican primary
General election
District 14
District 16
District 18
District 20
District 22
Democratic primary
Republican primary
General election
Results by county
District 24
District 26
Republican primary
Democratic primary
General election
District 28
District 30
District 32
See also
References