Here is the comparison of my 2012 predictions against the results. I know that not all the results have been finalized, but it doesn’t seem likely that any result will change at this point.
Most of my predictions were really close, though there were some surprising results where my prediction was way off, and some of the safe races had no polls at all, including some states with presidential polls (ie. Alaska).
State |
My Prediction |
Actual Result |
Alabama |
Romney by 19.23 |
Romney by 22.24 |
Alaska |
Romney by 20.43 |
Romney by 13.95 |
Arizona |
Romney by 6.84 |
Romney by 9.09 |
Arkansas |
Romney by 22.87 |
Romney by 23.88 |
California |
Obama by 19.92 |
Obama by 21.76 |
Colorado |
Obama by 2.59 |
Obama by 4.98 |
Connecticut |
Obama by 15.74 |
Obama by 17.58 |
Delaware |
Obama by 26.09 |
Obama by 18.63 |
District of Columbia |
Obama by 87.03 |
Obama by 84.01 |
Florida |
Romney by 0.26 |
Obama by 0.86 |
Georgia |
Romney by 6.71 |
Romney by 7.82 |
Hawaii |
Obama by 36.69 |
Obama by 42.7 |
Idaho |
Romney by 24.19 |
Romney by 31.87 |
Illinois |
Obama by 18.81 |
Obama by 16.69 |
Indiana |
Romney by 5.43 |
Romney by 10.59 |
Iowa |
Obama by 2.79 |
Obama by 5.8 |
Kansas |
Romney by 13.81 |
Romney by 22.26 |
Kentucky |
Romney by 14.55 |
Romney by 22.7 |
Louisiana |
Romney by 17.52 |
Romney by 17.2 |
Maine |
Obama by 15.29 |
Obama by 15.1 |
Maryland |
Obama by 22.39 |
Obama by 25.55 |
Massachusetts |
Obama by 21.84 |
Obama by 23.12 |
Michigan |
Obama by 5.18 |
Obama by 9.5 |
Minnesota |
Obama by 8.34 |
Obama by 7.69 |
Mississippi |
Romney by 12.06 |
Romney by 12.04 |
Missouri |
Romney by 8.3 |
Romney by 9.62 |
Montana |
Romney by 5.11 |
Romney by 13.66 |
Nebraska |
Romney by 13.41 |
Romney by 22.36 |
Nevada |
Obama by 3.64 |
Obama by 6.57 |
New Hampshire |
Obama by 3.01 |
Obama by 5.56 |
New Jersey |
Obama by 14.33 |
Obama by 16.9 |
New Mexico |
Obama by 11.66 |
Obama by 9.88 |
New York |
Obama by 26.87 |
Obama by 26.64 |
North Carolina |
Romney by 0.46 |
Romney by 2.07 |
North Dakota |
Romney by 19.11 |
Romney by 19.62 |
Ohio |
Obama by 2.96 |
Obama by 2 |
Oklahoma |
Romney by 29.59 |
Romney by 33.54 |
Oregon |
Obama by 9.78 |
Obama by 12.14 |
Pennsylvania |
Obama by 6.09 |
Obama by 5.02 |
Rhode Island |
Obama by 22.98 |
Obama by 27.42 |
South Carolina |
Romney by 7.87 |
Romney by 10.45 |
South Dakota |
Romney by 6.65 |
Romney by 18.02 |
Tennessee |
Romney by 13.95 |
Romney by 19.41 |
Texas |
Romney by 14.9 |
Romney by 15.83 |
Utah |
Romney by 33.45 |
Romney by 47.9 |
Vermont |
Obama by 37.56 |
Obama by 35.6 |
Virginia |
Obama by 2.05 |
Obama by 3.73 |
Washington |
Obama by 12.05 |
Obama by 14.47 |
West Virginia |
Romney by 12.99 |
Romney by 26.86 |
Wisconsin |
Obama by 5.8 |
Obama by 6.71 |
Wyoming |
Romney by 31.23 |
Romney by 40.82 |
2012 Governor |
My Prediction |
Actual Result |
Delaware |
Safe Markell (D) |
Markell (D) by 40.75 |
Indiana |
Pence (R) by 7.87 |
Pence (R) by 3.13 |
Missouri |
Nixon (D) by 13 |
Nixon (D) by 12.06 |
Montana |
Daines (R) by 0.5 |
Bullock (D) by 3.32 |
New Hampshire |
Hassan (D) by 3 |
Hassan (D) by 12.09 |
North Carolina |
McCrory (R) by 14.25 |
McCrory (R) by 11.49 |
North Dakota |
Dalrymple (R) by 35 |
Dalrymple (R) by 28.79 |
Utah |
Safe Herbert (R) |
Herbert (R) by 40.62 |
Vermont |
Shumlin (D) by 34.00 |
Shumlin (D) by 17.38 |
Washington |
Inslee (D) by 0.5 |
Inslee (D) by 2.26 |
West Virginia |
Tomblin (D) by 21 |
Tomblin (D) by 4.75 |
2012 Senate |
My Prediction |
Actual Result |
Arizona |
Carmona (D) by 0.5 |
Flake (R) by 4.81 |
California |
Feinstein (D) by 19 |
Feinstein (D) by 22.78 |
Connecticut |
Murphy (D) by 4.67 |
Murphy (D) by 12.2 |
Delaware |
Safe Carper (D) |
Carper (D) by 37.46 |
Florida |
Nelson (D) by 7.43 |
Nelson (D) by 12.83 |
Hawaii |
Hirono (D) by 18.5 |
Hirono (D) by 15.2 |
Indiana |
Donnelly (D) by 3 |
Donnelly (D) by 5.16 |
Maine |
King (I) by 18 |
King (I) by 12.18 |
Maryland |
Cardin (D) by 26.09 |
Cardin (D) by 28.67 |
Massachusetts |
Warren (D) by 4.67 |
Warren (D) by 7.32 |
Michigan |
Stabenow (D) by 13.5 |
Stabenow (D) by 20.82 |
Minnesota |
Klobuchar (D) by 30 |
Klobuchar (D) by 34.62 |
Mississippi |
Safe Wicker (R) |
Wicker (R) by 16.99 |
Missouri |
McCaskill (D) by 6.25 |
McCaskill (D) by 15.52 |
Montana |
Rehberg (R) by 1.13 |
Tester (D) by 3.5 |
Nebraska |
Fischer (R) by 13 |
Fischer (R) by 16.34 |
Nevada |
Heller (R) by 5.14 |
Heller (R) by 1.22 |
New Jersey |
Menendez (D) by 18 |
Menendez (D) by 18.43 |
New Mexico |
Heinrich (D) by 9.67 |
Heinrich (D) by 5.49 |
New York |
Gillibrand (D) by 43 |
Gillibrand (D) by 45.43 |
North Dakota |
Berg (R) by 5 |
Heitkamp (D) by 0.94 |
Ohio |
Brown (D) by 6.14 |
Brown (D) by 5.31 |
Pennsylvania |
Casey (D) by 5.14 |
Casey (D) by 9.01 |
Rhode Island |
Whitehouse (D) by 25.5 |
Whitehouse (D) by 29.8 |
Tennessee |
Safe Corker (R) |
Corker (R) by 34.51 |
Texas |
Cruz (R) by 21.5 |
Cruz (R) by 16.18 |
Utah |
Safe Hatch (R) |
Hatch (R) by 35.02 |
Vermont |
Safe Sanders (I) |
Sanders (I) by 44.31 |
Virginia |
Kaine (D) by 1.57 |
Kaine (D) by 5.14 |
Washington |
Cantwell (D) by 16.5 |
Cantwell (D) by 19.28 |
West Virginia |
Manchin (D) by 39 |
Manchin (D) by 22.98 |
Wisconsin |
Baldwin (D) by 2.67 |
Baldwin (D) by 5.57 |
Wyoming |
Safe Barrasso (R) |
Barrasso (R) by 54.07 |
2012 U.S. House |
My Prediction |
Actual Result |
AZ-01 |
Paton (R) by 1.88 |
Kirkpatrick (D) by 3.7 |
AZ-02 |
Barber (D) by 5.63 |
Barber (D) by ? |
AZ-09 |
Sinema (D) by 2.56 |
Sinema (D) by 3.7 |
CA-03 |
Garamendi (D) by 15 |
Garamendi (D) by 7.4 |
CA-07 |
Bera (D) by 1.25 |
Bera (D) by 2.2 |
CA-09 |
McNerney (D) by 1.25 |
McNerney (D) by 8.2 |
CA-10 |
Denham (R) by 1.13 |
Denham (R) by 7.6 |
CA-24 |
Capps (D) by 2.5 |
Capps (D) by 9.6 |
CA-26 |
Brownley (D) by 0.5 |
Brownley (D) by 3.4 |
CA-36 |
Bono Mack (R) by 0.63 |
Ruiz (D) by 2.8 |
CA-41 |
Takano (D) by 6.25 |
Takano (D) by 12.8 |
CA-47 |
Lowenthal (D) by 15 |
Lowenthal (D) by 10.2 |
CA-52 |
Peters (D) by 0.31 |
Peters (D) by 0.4 |
CO-03 |
Tipton (R) by 5 |
Tipton (R) by 12.4 |
CO-06 |
Coffman (R) by 4.38 |
Coffman (R) by 3.6 |
CO-07 |
Perlmutter (D) by 7.5 |
Perlmutter (D) by 12.1 |
CT-05 |
Esty (D) by 3.13 |
Esty (D) by 3 |
FL-02 |
Southerland (R) by 6.25 |
Southerland (R) by 5.4 |
FL-10 |
Webster (R) by 5 |
Webster (R) by 3.6 |
FL-16 |
Buchanan (R) by 10 |
Buchanan (R) by 7.2 |
FL-18 |
West (R) by 4.59 |
Murphy (D) by 0.8 |
FL-22 |
Frankel (D) by 3.89 |
Frankel (D) by 9.2 |
FL-26 |
Rivera (R) by 2 |
Garcia (D) by 10.6 |
GA-12 |
Barrow (D) by 4.25 |
Barrow (D) by 7.4 |
IL-08 |
Duckworth (D) by 8.75 |
Duckworth (D) by 9.4 |
IL-10 |
Dold (R) by 1.88 |
Schneider (D) by 1 |
IL-11 |
Foster (D) by 2.81 |
Foster (D) by 16.2 |
IL-12 |
Enyart (D) by 4.94 |
Enyart (D) by 8.6 |
IL-13 |
Gill (D) by 0.63 |
Davis (R) by 0.4 |
IL-17 |
Bustos (D) by 0.63 |
Bustos (D) by 6.6 |
IN-02 |
Walorski (R) by 12.5 |
Walorski (R) by 1.4 |
IN-08 |
Bucshon (R) by 10 |
Bucshon (R) by 10.3 |
IA-01 |
Braley (D) by 15 |
Braley (D) by 15.2 |
IA-02 |
Loebsack (D) by 10 |
Loebsack (D) by 12.9 |
IA-03 |
Latham (R) by 3.75 |
Latham (R) by 8.7 |
IA-04 |
King (R) by 3.44 |
King (R) by 8.6 |
KY-06 |
Chandler (D) by 5.19 |
Barr (R) by 3.9 |
MD-06 |
Delaney (D) by 5.5 |
Delaney (D) by 20.5 |
MA-06 |
Tisei (R) by 5.5 |
Tierney (D) by 1 |
MI-01 |
McDowell (D) by 1.31 |
Benishek (R) by 0.7 |
MI-03 |
Amash (R) by 11.25 |
Amash (R) by 8.6 |
MI-11 |
Bentivolio (R) by 6.25 |
Bentivolio (R) by 6.3 |
MN-02 |
Kline (R) by 15 |
Kline (R) by 8.2 |
MN-06 |
Bachmann (R) by 6.25 |
Bachmann (R) by 1.2 |
MN-08 |
Nolan (D) by 2.56 |
Nolan (D) by 9 |
MT-AL |
Daines (R) by 8.67 |
Daines (R) by 10.3 |
NV-03 |
Heck (R) by 9 |
Heck (R) by 14.2 |
NV-04 |
Tarkanian (R) by 0.56 |
Horsford (D) by 7.9 |
NH-01 |
Guinta (R) by 5.31 |
Shea-Porter (D) by 3.7 |
NH-02 |
Kuster (D) by 4.85 |
Kuster (D) by 5.1 |
NJ-03 |
Runyan (R) by 10.63 |
Runyan (R) by 9 |
NY-01 |
Bishop (D) by 8.69 |
Bishop (D) by 4.4 |
NY-11 |
Grimm (R) by 13.38 |
Grimm (R) by 6.6 |
NY-18 |
Hayworth (R) by 4.75 |
Maloney (D) by 3.4 |
NY-19 |
Gibson (R) by 3.75 |
Gibson (R) by 6.8 |
NY-21 |
Owens (D) by 2.06 |
Owens (D) by 2 |
NY-24 |
Maffei (D) by 1.56 |
Maffei (D) by 3.6 |
NY-25 |
Slaughter (D) by 9.38 |
Slaughter (D) by 14.4 |
NY-27 |
Collins (R) by 2.06 |
Collins (R) by 1.4 |
NC-07 |
Rouzer (R) by 0.63 |
McIntyre (D) by 0.2 |
NC-08 |
Hudson (R) by 10 |
Hudson (R) by 8.2 |
NC-11 |
Meadows (R) by 12.5 |
Meadows (R) by 14.8 |
ND-AL |
Cramer (R) by 12.25 |
Cramer (R) by 13.2 |
OH-06 |
Johnson (R) by 4.38 |
Johnson (R) by 6.6 |
OH-16 |
Renacci (R) by 1.88 |
Renacci (R) by 4.4 |
OK-02 |
Mullin (R) by 11.63 |
Mullin (R) by 19.1 |
PA-06 |
Gerlach (R) by 15 |
Gerlach (R) by 14.2 |
PA-08 |
Fitzpatrick (R) by 11.25 |
Fitzpatrick (R) by 13.3 |
PA-12 |
Critz (D) by 1.88 |
Rothfus (R) by 3 |
RI-01 |
Cicilline (D) by 2.83 |
Cicilline (D) by 10.9 |
SD-AL |
Noem (R) by 12 |
Noem (R) by 15 |
TN-04 |
DesJarlais (R) by 5 |
DesJarlais (R) by 11.6 |
TX-14 |
Weber (R) by 6.25 |
Weber (R) by 8.9 |
TX-23 |
Gallego (D) by 1 |
Gallego (D) by 4.8 |
UT-04 |
Love (R) by 8.19 |
Matheson (D) by 1.2 |
VA-02 |
Rigell (R) by 10 |
Rigell (R) by 7.6 |
WA-01 |
DelBene (D) by 5.25 |
DelBene (D) by 7.2 |
WV-03 |
Rahall (D) by 12.5 |
Rahall (D) by 7.8 |
WI-07 |
Duffy (R) by 6.25 |
Duffy (R) by 12.2 |
WI-08 |
Ribble (R) by 15 |
Ribble (R) by 11.8 |
There were a few races that turned out to be close that few had considered vulnerable (though I think CA-33 is questionable):
Close races not rated: |
Result |
CA-16 |
Costa (D) by 9 |
CA-33 |
Waxman (D) by 7.4 |
HI-01 |
Hanabusa (D) by 9.2 |
NE-02 |
Terry (R) by 2.4 |
NC-09 |
Pittenger (R) by 6.1 |
Looking ahead to 2014, the districts I consider vulnerable are those in which the margin was under 10%, though some of them could have been close because of new constituents following redistricting. Of course circumstances can (and will) change, and districts will be added or removed from this list between now and November 4, 2014.
Here are the Senate seats I consider vulnerable in 2014.
State |
Incumbent |
Alaska |
Mark Begich (D) |
Arkansas |
Mark Pryor (D) – possibly |
Colorado |
Mark Udall (D) – depends on the challenger |
Louisiana |
Mary Landrieu (D) |
Massachusetts |
John Kerry (D) – if appointed Secretary of State |
Michigan |
Carl Levin (D) – if he retires (he will be 80 in 2014) and depending on the Republican nominee |
Minnesota |
Al Franken (D) |
Montana |
Max Baucus (D) |
New Hampshire |
Jeanne Shaheen (D) |
New Jersey |
Frank Lautenberg (D) |
North Carolina |
Kay Hagan (D) |
Oregon |
Jeff Merkley (D) – depends on the challenger |
South Dakota |
Tim Johnson (D) |
West Virginia |
Jay Rockefeller (D) – depends on the challenger |
Here are the governor seats I consider vulnerable in 2014.
State |
Incumbent |
Arizona |
OPEN (R) |
Arkansas |
OPEN (D) |
Colorado |
John Hickenlooper (D) |
Connecticut |
Dan Malloy (D) |
Florida |
Rick Scott (R) |
Illinois |
Pat Quinn (D) |
Iowa |
Terry Branstad (R) |
Maine |
Paul LePage (R) |
Massachusetts |
OPEN (D) |
Minnesota |
Mark Dayton (D) |
Nevada |
Brian Sandoval (R) |
New Hampshire |
Maggie Hassan (D) |
Ohio |
John Kasich (R) |
Oregon |
John Kitzhaber (D) |
Pennsylvania |
Tom Corbett (R) |
Rhode Island |
Lincoln Chafee (I) |
Wisconsin |
Scott Walker (R) |
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