2012 United States Senate election in Nevada
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Turnout 57.1% (voting eligible)
Nominee Dean Heller Shelley Berkley
Party Republican Democratic
Popular vote 457,656 446,080
Percentage 45.87% 44.71%
U.S. senator before electionDean Heller Republican Elected U.S. Senator Dean Heller Republican
U.S. senator before election Dean Heller Republican Elected U.S. Senator Dean Heller Republican The 2012 United States Senate election in Nevada was held on Tuesday, November 6, 2012, concurrently with elections to the United States Senate in other states, elections to the United States House of Representatives , and the 2012 presidential election . The primary election was held on June 12, 2012.
Incumbent Republican U.S. Senator Dean Heller , who was appointed to his seat in May 2011 following the resignation of Senator John Ensign , was narrowly elected to a full term over Representative Shelley Berkley , despite President Barack Obama carrying the state by 6.7% in the concurrent presidential election . As a result, Heller became the only Republican Senate candidate in 2012 to win in a state that was lost by the Republican presidential candidate. With a margin of 1.2%, this election was the second-closest race of the 2012 Senate election cycle, behind only the election in North Dakota . As of 2025, this is the last time that Republicans won a U.S. Senate election in Nevada.
Background Ensign was re-elected to the United States Senate in 2006 against Jack Carter , son of former president Jimmy Carter , 55% to 41%. His re-election campaign was expected to be complicated after it was revealed in 2009 that he had been involved in an extramarital affair with the wife of one of his campaign staffers, allegedly made payments to the woman's family and arranged work for her husband to cover himself.
The Senate Ethics Committee was to investigate Ensign, and his poll numbers declined significantly. There was speculation that he might resign before the election, but he initially said he would run for reelection. On March 7, 2011, Ensign announced that he would not seek reelection, and on April 22, he announced that he would resign effective May 3.
Nevada Governor Brian Sandoval appointed U.S. Representative Dean Heller to fill the vacancy created by Ensign's resignation. Heller took office on May 9, 2011.
Republican primary Candidates Nominated Dean Heller , incumbent U.S. senator, former U.S. representative, former Nevada secretary of state and former state assemblymanEliminated in primary Sherry Brooks, retired secretary Richard Charles Eddie Hamilton, retired auto executive and perennial candidate Carlo Poliak, sanitation worker and perennial candidate David Lory Vanderbeek, marriage and family therapist Declined Sharron Angle , former state assembly member and nominee for U.S. Senate in 2010 John Chachas, businessman John Ensign , former U.S. senatorSue Lowden , former state senator and candidate for U.S. Senate in 2010 Brian Krolicki , lieutenant governorJon Porter , former U.S representativeDanny Tarkanian , businessman, nominee for Secretary of State of Nevada in 2006 and candidate for U.S. Senate in 2010 (running for the 4th district )Polling Primary
Poll source Date(s) administered Sample size Margin of error Sharron Angle John Chachas John Ensign Dean Heller Brian Krolicki Sue Lowden Danny Tarkanian Undecided Public Policy Polling January 3–5, 2011 400 ±4.9% 9% 5% 20% 30% 6% 12% 10% 8%
Appointment preference
Poll source Date(s) administered Sample size Margin of error Sue Lowden Brian Sandoval Danny Tarkanian Undecided Mason-Dixon /LVJROctober 8, 2009 4% 24% 14% 17% 17% 21%
Primaries with Ensign
Poll source Date(s) administered Sample size Margin of error John Ensign Dean Heller Other Undecided Public Policy Polling October 7–9, 2010 400 ±4.9% 45% 37% –– 18% Public Policy Polling January 3–5, 2011 400 ±4.9% 34% 52% –– 13%
Poll source Date(s) administered Sample size Margin of error John Ensign Brian Krolicki Other Undecided Public Policy Polling October 7–9, 2010 400 ±4.9% 55% 27% –– 18%
Results Republican primary results Party Candidate Votes % Republican Dean Heller (incumbent) 88,958 86.3 Republican Sherry Brooks 5,356 5.2 None of These Candidates 3,358 3.3 Republican Eddie "In Liberty" Hamilton 2,628 2.6 Republican Richard Charles 2,295 2.2 Republican Carlo "Nakusa" Poliak 512 0.5 Total votes 103,107 100.0
Democratic primary Candidates Nominated Shelley Berkley , U.S. representativeEliminated in primary Steve Brown, businessman Barry Ellsworth, renewable energy executive Louis Macias, art dealer Nancy Price, former regent of the Nevada System of Higher Education and Democratic nominee for the 2nd congressional district in 2010 Withdrew Declined Polling Poll source Date(s) administered Sample size Margin of error Shelley Berkley Byron Georgiou Other Undecided Public Policy Polling April 21–24, 2011 300 ±5.7% 65% 8% –– 27% Public Policy Polling July 28–31, 2011 400 ±4.9% 71% 6% –– 23%
Results Results by county: Berkley—80–90% Berkley—70–80% Berkley—60–70% Berkley—50–60% Berkley—40–50% Democratic primary results Party Candidate Votes % Democratic Shelley Berkley 62,081 79.5 Democratic Nancy Price 4,210 5.4 Democratic Steve Brown 3,998 5.1 None of These Candidates 3,637 4.7 Democratic Barry Ellsworth 2,491 3.2 Democratic Louis Macias 1,714 2.2 Total votes 78,131 100
General election Candidates Shelley Berkley (D), U.S. representativeDean Heller (R), incumbent U.S. senatorDavid Lory VanDerBeek (Independent American Party of Nevada ), therapist Campaign On July 9, the United States House Committee on Ethics voted unanimously to form an investigative subcommittee to see whether Berkley used her official position to advocate for policy that benefited her family's financial situation. More specifically, Berkley was accused of pushing healthcare legislation that would benefit her husband's medical practice as well as she was blamed for her efforts to block the closure of a kidney transplant center where her husband was employed.
Debates The first Berkley-Heller debate was on September 27, 2012. They met again in Las Vegas on October 11 and on Jon Ralston 's "Face to Face" program on October 15.
, September 27, 2012 - C-SPAN , October 11, 2012 - C-SPAN Fundraising Candidate (party) Receipts Disbursements Cash on hand Debt Dean Heller (R) $8,447,489 $6,510,874 $1,936,618 $0 Shelley Berkley (D) $8,779,074 $8,947,424 $924,918 $0 Source: Federal Election Commission
Top contributors Shelly Berkley Contribution Dean Heller Contribution EMILY's List $93,049 Las Vegas Sands $43,750 NORPAC $59,750 MGM Resorts International $35,500 MGM Resorts International $53,700 Alliance Resource Partners $34,500 DaVita Inc. $49,300 Crow Holdings $30,000 Diamond Resorts $44,000 Elliott Management Corporation $29,413 Cantor Fitzgerald $27,000 Brady Industries $25,000 Caesars Entertainment $26,000 Mewbourne Oil Co $25,000 Fresenius Medical Care $24,500 Wynn Resorts $22,500 Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck $23,650 Southwest Gas $21,800 Station Casinos $20,200 Bank of America $20,500
Top industries [citation needed ]
Shelley Berkley Contribution Dean Heller Contribution Lawyers /law firms $607,407 Leadership PACs $379,718 Pro-Israel $384,580 Retired $300,560 Health professionals $369,954 Financial Institutions $217,084 Women's issues $309,817 Real estate $206,362 Leadership PACs $292,500 Casinos /gambling $205,832 Retired $281,490 Oil & gas $187,500 Real estate $261,779 Insurance $182,155 Financial institutions $228,393 Lobbyists $159,812 Casinos/gambling $227,350 Mining $149,745 Lobbyists $175,147 Health professionals $132,450
Polling Poll source Date(s) administered Sample size Margin of error Dean Heller (R) Shelley Berkley (D) Other Undecided Public Policy Polling January 3–5, 2011 932 ±3.2% 51% 38% — 16% Public Policy Polling April 21–24, 2011 491 ±4.4% 47% 43% — 10% Public Policy Polling July 28–31, 2011 601 ±4.0% 46% 43% — 12% Public Policy Polling October 20–23, 2011 500 ±4.4% 45% 45% — 10% Cannon Survey Center December 12–20, 2011 600 ±4.0% 43% 44% — 6.9% Rasmussen Reports March 19, 2012 500 ±4.5% 47% 40% 2% 11% Public Policy Polling March 29 – April 1, 2012 553 ±4.2% 46% 43% — 12% Rasmussen Reports April 30, 2012 500 ±4.5% 51% 40% 2% 8% NBC News /Marist May 22–24, 2012 1,040 ±3.0% 46% 44% — 10% Public Policy Polling June 7–10, 2012 500 ±4.4% 44% 43% — 13% Magellan Strategies July 16–17, 2012 665 ±3.8% 45% 42% — 13% Rasmussen Reports July 24, 2012 500 ±4.5% 51% 42% 2% 5% LVRJ /Survey USA August 16–21, 2012 869 ±3.4% 44% 39% 9% 8% Public Policy Polling August 23–26, 2012 831 ±3.4% 47% 45% — 8% Rasmussen Reports September 18, 2012 500 ±4.5% 42% 41% 4% 12% Public Policy Polling September 18–20, 2012 501 ±4.4% 44% 48% — 8% NBC /WSJ /Marist September 23–25, 2012 984 ±3.1% 49% 43% 1% 6% We Ask America September 25–27, 2012 1,152 ±3.1% 45% 45% — 10% Gravis Marketing October 3, 2012 1,006 ±3.1% 53% 36% — 12% Precision Opinion October 6, 2012 1,521 ±2.5% 45% 43% — 12% LVRJ /Survey USA October 3–8, 2012 1,222 ±2.9% 47% 39% 8% 6% Rasmussen Reports October 8, 2012 500 ±4.5% 48% 45% 3% 4% Suffolk October 6–9, 2012 500 ±4.4% 40% 37% 7% 14% Public Policy Polling October 8–10, 2012 594 ±4.0% 47% 44% 4% 5% LVRJ /Survey USA October 11–15, 2012 806 ±3.5% 46% 40% 8% 6% Rasmussen Reports October 15, 2012 500 ±4.5% 50% 43% 4% 3% Rasmussen Reports October 23, 2012 500 ±4.5% 50% 45% 1% 4% Public Policy Polling October 22–24, 2012 636 ±3.9% 44% 44% 7% 5% NBC /WSJ /Marist October 23–24, 2012 1,042 ±2.8% 48% 45% 2% 6% LVRJ /SurveyUSA October 23–29, 2012 1,212 ±2.9% 46% 40% 10% 4% Public Policy Polling November 3–4, 2012 750 ±3.6% 48% 46% 4% 1%
Poll source Date(s) administered Sample size Margin of error Dean Heller (R) Byron Georgiou (D) Other Undecided Public Policy Polling April 21–24, 2011 491 ±4.4% 52% 28% –– 20% Magellan Strategies (R) June 21–22, 2011 720 ±3.65% 46% 33% –– 21% Public Policy Polling July 28–31, 2011 601 ±4.0% 48% 31% –– 20%
Poll source Date(s) administered Sample size Margin of error Dean Heller (R) Oscar Goodman (D) Other Undecided Public Policy Polling January 3–5, 2011 932 ±3.2% 45% 38% –– 16%
Poll source Date(s) administered Sample size Margin of error Dean Heller (R) Catherine Cortez Masto (D) Other Undecided Public Policy Polling January 3–5, 2011 932 ±3.2% 46% 37% –– 16%
Poll source Date(s) administered Sample size Margin of error Dean Heller (R) Ross Miller (D) Other Undecided Public Policy Polling January 3–5, 2011 932 ±3.2% 46% 34% –– 21%
with John Ensign
Poll source Date(s) administered Sample size Margin of error John Ensign (R) Shelley Berkley (D) Other Undecided Public Policy Polling January 11–12, 2010 763 ±3.6% 49% 40% –– 11% Public Policy Polling January 3–5, 2011 932 ±3.2% 42% 45% –– 13%
Poll source Date(s) administered Sample size Margin of error John Ensign (R) Catherine Cortez Masto (D) Other Undecided Public Policy Polling July 16–18, 2010 630 ±3.9% 48% 38% –– 14% Public Policy Polling January 3–5, 2011 932 ±3.2% 42% 44% –– 14%
Poll source Date(s) administered Sample size Margin of error John Ensign (R) Oscar Goodman (D) Other Undecided Public Policy Polling January 11–12, 2010 763 ±3.6% 43% 41% –– 16% Public Policy Polling January 3–5, 2011 932 ±3.2% 35% 45% –– 20%
Poll source Date(s) administered Sample size Margin of error John Ensign (R) Ross Miller (D) Other Undecided Public Policy Polling January 11–12, 2010 763 ±3.6% 47% 36% –– 18% Public Policy Polling January 3–5, 2011 932 ±3.2% 39% 40% –– 21%
Poll source Date(s) administered Sample size Margin of error John Ensign (R) Dina Titus (D) Other Undecided Public Policy Polling July 16–18, 2010 630 ±3.9% 51% 41% –– 8%
Predictions Source Ranking As of The Cook Political Report Tossup November 1, 2012 Inside Elections Tilt R November 2, 2012 Sabato's Crystal Ball Lean R November 5, 2012 Real Clear Politics Tossup November 5, 2012
Results On election day, Heller edged out Berkley by just over a point, at the same time Barack Obama defeated Mitt Romney by 6.7%, becoming the only Republican in 2012 to win a senate seat in a state that voted for Obama in the presidential election.
United States Senate election in Nevada, 2012 Party Candidate Votes % ±% Republican Dean Heller (incumbent)457,656 45.87 –9.49 Democratic Shelley Berkley 446,080 44.71 +3.72 Independent American David Lory VanDerBeek 48,792 4.89 +3.56 None of These Candidates 45,277 4.54 +3.12 Majority 11,576 1.16 –13.21 Total votes 997,805 100.0 Republican hold Swing –6.60
By county County Dean Heller Republican Shelley Berkley Democratic Various candidates Other parties Margin Total # % # % # % # % Carson City 13,488 58.3% 7,510 32.5% 2,135 9.2% 5,978 25.8% 23,133 Churchill 7,069 69.6% 2,013 19.8% 1,081 10.6% 5,056 49.8% 10,163 Clark 277,459 40.9% 338,629 50.0% 61,604 9.1% -61,170 -9.1% 677,692 Douglas 16,644 64.5% 6,952 27.0% 2,194 8.5% 9,692 37.5% 25,790 Elko 11,840 74.8% 2,653 16.8% 1,344 8.7% 9,187 58.0% 15,837 Esmeralda 308 71.0% 62 14.3% 64 14.8% 246 56.7% 434 Eureka 636 79.1% 87 10.8% 81 10.1% 549 68.3% 804 Humboldt 3,876 68.1% 1,124 19.8% 691 12.1% 2,752 48.3% 5,691 Lander 1,567 72.9% 361 16.8% 221 10.3% 1,206 56.1% 2,149 Lincoln 1,532 71.9% 347 16.3% 251 11.8% 1,185 55.6% 2,130 Lyon 13,703 64.4% 5,404 25.4% 2,166 10.2% 8,299 39.0% 21,273 Mineral 1,059 52.4% 612 30.3% 349 17.3% 447 22.1% 2,020 Nye 9,561 55.4% 5,267 30.5% 2,438 14.2% 4,294 24.9% 17,266 Pershing 1,194 64.3% 396 21.3% 268 14.5% 798 43.0% 1,858 Storey 1,375 59.5% 673 29.1% 262 11.3% 702 30.4% 2,310 Washoe 93,778 50.5% 73,164 39.4% 18,625 10.0% 20,614 11.1% 185,567 White Pine 2,567 69.6% 826 22.4% 295 8.0% 1,741 47.2% 3,688 Totals 457,656 45.9% 446,080 44.7% 94,069 9.4% 11,576 1.2% 997,805
Counties that flipped from Republican to Democratic
Clark (largest municipality: Las Vegas )By congressional district Heller won two of four congressional districts.
District Berkley Heller Representative 1st 58.57% 31.6% Dina Titus 2nd 34.27% 55.83% Mark Amodei 3rd 43.34% 47.93% Joe Heck 4th 48.26% 42.38% Steven Horsford
See also Notes External links Official campaign sites
