Last Updated: 2020-04-02
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2012 Election Results
The 2012 U.S. presidential election was the 57th quadrennial presidential election. The election was held on November 6, 2012, and was a contest between incumbent Democrat President Barack Obama and Republican candidates, Mitt Romney. President Obama secured the Democratic nomination with no serious opposition. Obama chose his vice president, Joe Biden, to be his running mate again in the 2012 election.
Former governor of Massachusetts, Mitt Romney experienced a competitive primary for the Republican nomination. Romney was challenged by several conservative contenders such as the former speaker of the House Newt Gingrich and former Rick Santorum, among other candidates. Mitt Romney won the nomination and chose Representative Paul Ryan of Wisconsin as his running mate.
During the campaign, it was clear American voters were looking at two significantly different visions for the future of the United States. Mitt Romney proposed tax cuts and boosting economic growth by implementing regulations that would reduce the burden on small businesses. Romney also promised to repeal the Obama administration’s Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. Romney preferred laissez-faire policies and wanted to achieve energy independence by developing domestic sources of energy. On the other hand, Obama defended his responses to the Great Recession. and the 2008 financial crisis by saying that his actions prevented a full depression. He also focused on his plan for strategic investments in clean energy, education, and infrastructure. On November 6, 2012, the American people cast their ballots for their new president.
Barack Obama won the following states:
- California
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- District of Columbia
- Florida
- Hawaii
- Illinois
- Iowa
- Maine
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Nevada
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- New Mexico
- New York
- Ohio
- Oregon
- Pennsylvania
- Rhode Island
- Vermont
- Virginia
- Washington
- Wisconsin
Mitt Romney won the following states
- Alabama
- Alaska
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- Georgia
- Idaho
- Indiana
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Mississippi
- Missouri
- Montana
- Nebraska
- North Carolina
- North Dakota
- Oklahoma
- South Carolina
- South Dakota
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Utah
- West Virginia
- Wyoming
In the election, several states had changes in their number of electoral votes. Texas gained four, Florida gained two, and Arizona, Georgia, Nevada, South Carolina, Utah, and Washington gained one each. Iowa, Illinois, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Michigan, Missouri, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania all lost one electoral vote. New York and Ohio each lost two electoral votes.
Obama received 65,446,032 popular votes and Romney received 60,589,084. Gary Johnson, who ran for the Libertarian party, won 1,275,971 popular votes. In the electoral college, Obama won 332 votes over Romney’s 206. Gary Johnson did not receive any electoral votes. On January 20, 2013, Barack Obama was re-inaugurated for his second term as president.
State | Democrat | Republican | Winning Party |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 38.36% | 60.55% | Republican |
| Alaska | 40.81% | 54.8% | Republican |
| Arizona | 44.59% | 53.65% | Republican |
| Arkansas | 36.88% | 60.57% | Republican |
| California | 60.24% | 37.12% | Democrat |
| Colorado | 51.49% | 46.13% | Democrat |
| Connecticut | 58.06% | 40.73% | Democrat |
| Delaware | 58.61% | 39.98% | Democrat |
| District of Columbia | 90.91% | 7.28% | Democrat |
| Florida | 50.01% | 49.13% | Democrat |
| Georgia | 45.48% | 53.3% | Republican |
| Hawaii | 70.55% | 27.84% | Democrat |
| Idaho | 32.62% | 64.53% | Republican |
| Illinois | 57.6% | 40.73% | Democrat |
| Indiana | 43.93% | 54.13% | Republican |
| Iowa | 51.99% | 46.18% | Republican |
| Kansas | 37.99% | 59.71% | Republican |
| Kentucky | 37.8% | 60.49% | Republican |
| Louisiana | 40.58% | 57.78% | Republican |
| Maine | 56.27% | 40.98% | Democrat |
| Maryland | 61.97% | 35.9% | Democrat |
| Massachusetts | 60.65% | 37.51% | Democrat |
| Michigan | 54.21% | 44.71% | Democrat |
| Minnesota | 52.65% | 44.96% | Democrat |
| Mississippi | 43.79% | 55.29% | Republican |
| Missouri | 44.38% | 53.76% | Republican |
| Montana | 41.7% | 55.35% | Republican |
| Nebraska | 38.03% | 59.8% | Republican |
| Nevada | 52.36% | 45.68% | Democrat |
| New Hampshire | 51.98% | 46.4% | Democrat |
| New Jersey | 58.38% | 40.59% | Democrat |
| New Mexico | 52.99% | 42.84% | Democrat |
| New York | 63.35% | 35.17% | Democrat |
| North Carolina | 48.35% | 50.39% | Republican |
| North Dakota | 38.69% | 58.32% | Republican |
| Ohio | 50.67% | 47.69% | Democrat |
| Oklahoma | 33.23% | 66.77% | Republican |
| Oregon | 54.24% | 42.15% | Democrat |
| Pennsylvania | 51.97% | 46.59% | Democrat |
| Rhode Island | 62.7% | 35.24% | Democrat |
| South Carolina | 44.09% | 54.56% | Republican |
| South Dakota | 39.87% | 57.89% | Republican |
| Tennessee | 39.08% | 59.48% | Republican |
| Texas | 41.38% | 57.17% | Republican |
| Utah | 24.75% | 72.79% | Republican |
| Vermont | 66.57% | 30.97% | Democrat |
| Virginia | 51.16% | 30.97% | Democrat |
| Washington | 56.16% | 41.29% | Democrat |
| West Virginia | 35.54% | 62.3% | Republican |
| Wisconsin | 52.83% | 45.89% | Democrat |
| Wyoming | 27.82% | 68.64% | Republican |