The 2012 Bay County Executive election was held on November 6, 2012. Incumbent County Executive Thomas L. Hickner ran for re-election to a sixth term. He defeated Mark McFarlin, a perennial candidate, in the Democratic primary, by a wide margin. Hickner faced no opposition in the general election and was re-elected unopposed.
Hickner ran for re-election to a sixth term as County Executive, citing his "experience and knowledge" in managing the county and his record of putting the county's finances in "excellent shape."[1] He pointed to the fact that he "balanced the budget every year with no increase in general fund tax rates, while maintaining a healthy 'rainy day' fund."[2] He was challenged by Mark McFarlin, who was the 2004 Republican nominee for County Executive and a 2008 Democratic candidate. McFarlin attacked Hickner as a "tax-and-spend liberal," arguing that county government salaries needed to be frozen and taxes needed to be dramatically cut "to stimulate growth in the commercial sector and provide needed employment."[1] He criticized the County Commission as "reckless and undemocratic," and Hickner for "fail[ing] to hold the County Commission in check."[2] Despite the sharp differences between the candidates, neither candidate raised or spent significant campaign funds, though Hickner raised significantly more than McFarlin.[3]
