The 2012 North Carolina Superintendent of Public Instruction election was held on November 6, 2012, to elect the North Carolina Superintendent of Public Instruction, concurrently with the 2012 presidential election, as well as elections to the U.S. House of Representatives, governor, the Council of State, and other state, local, and judicial elections. Primary elections were held on May 8, 2012, with a Republican primary runoff election being held on July 17. A debate was held on October 15, 2012.

Incumbent Democratic state superintendent June Atkinson ran for re-election to a third term in office, becoming the Democratic nominee uncontested. Republican Wake County School Board member John Tedesco won a heavily contested Republican primary, defeating teacher Richard Alexander in a July primary runoff and several other candidates in the May primary election. Atkinson won the general election by around 9 percentage points.

Democratic primary Candidates Nominee June Atkinson, incumbent state superintendent (2004–present) Withdrew before primary Rick Glazier, state representative from the 44th district (2003–2005) and 45th district (2005–present) Results

Republican primary Candidates Nominee John Tedesco, member of the Wake County School Board Eliminated in primary runoff Richard Alexander, special education teacher Eliminated in primary Mark Crawford, former member of the North Carolina House of Representatives Ray Ernest Martin, teacher David Scholl, member of the Union County School Board Endorsements

Polling Poll source Date(s)administered Samplesize Marginof error JohnTedesco RichardAlexander MarkCrawford RayErnest Martin DavidScholl UndecidedPublic Policy Polling May 5–6, 2012 469 (LV) ± 4.5%16%14%12%6%6%45%Civitas Institute/National Research April 30–May 2, 2012 400 (LV) ± 4.9%16%7%2%–7%67%Public Policy Polling April 27–29, 2012 486 (LV) ± 4.4%16%13%8%5%6%52%Civitas Institute/SurveyUSA April 20–23, 2012 – (V) ± 5.0%21%9%10%5%8%47%Public Policy Polling April 20–22, 2012 521 (V) ± 4.3%16%13%6%5%4%57%Public Policy Polling February 29–March 1, 2012 411 (LV) ± 4.8%12%7%6%4%5%66% Results

General election Endorsements

Polling Poll source Date(s)administered Samplesize Marginof error JuneAtkinson (D) JohnTedesco (R) UndecidedPublic Policy Polling October 23–25, 2012 880 (LV) ± 3.3%42%40%18%Public Policy Polling September 27–30, 2012 981 (LV) ± 3.1%44%34%22%Public Policy Polling August 2–5, 2012 813 (LV) ± 3.4%44%37%19% Results

By congressional district Despite losing the state, Tedesco won nine of 13 congressional districts, including one that elected a Democrat, with the remaining four going to Atkinson, including one that elected a Republican. District Atkinson Tedesco Representative 77% 23%G. K. Butterfield 49% 51%Renee Ellmers 47% 53%Walter B. Jones Jr. 75% 25%David Price 45% 55%Virginia Foxx 48% 52%Howard Coble 48% 52%Mike McIntyre49%51%Larry KissellRichard Hudson45%55%Sue MyrickRobert Pittenger 46% 54%Patrick McHenry44%56%Heath ShulerMark Meadows 80% 20%Mel Watt52%48%Brad MillerGeorge Holding

Notes

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