2012 United States presidential election
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| 2012 United States presidential election | |
|---|---|
 Gage · Public domain · source | |
| Election name | 2012 United States presidential election |
| Country | United States |
| Type | presidential |
| Previous election | 2008 United States presidential election |
| Previous year | 2008 |
| Election date | November 6, 2012 |
| Next election | 2016 United States presidential election |
| Next year | 2016 |
| Votes for election | 538 members of the Electoral College |
| Needed votes | 270 electoral |
| Turnout | 58.6% (down 3.7%) |
| Nominee1 | Barack Obama |
| Party1 | Democratic Party (United States) |
| Home state1 | Illinois |
| Running mate1 | Joe Biden |
| Electoral vote1 | 332 |
| States carried1 | 26 + DC |
| Popular vote1 | 65,915,795 |
| Percentage1 | 51.1% |
| Nominee2 | Mitt Romney |
| Party2 | Republican Party (United States) |
| Home state2 | Massachusetts |
| Running mate2 | Paul Ryan |
| Electoral vote2 | 206 |
| States carried2 | 24 |
| Popular vote2 | 60,933,504 |
| Percentage2 | 47.2% |
| Title | President |
| Before election | Barack Obama |
| Before party | Democratic Party (United States) |
| After election | Barack Obama |
| After party | Democratic Party (United States) |
2012 United States presidential election was the 57th quadrennial presidential contest in the United States, held on Tuesday, November 6, 2012. The Democratic incumbent, President Barack Obama, and his running mate, Vice President Joe Biden, were re-elected to a second term. They defeated the Republican ticket of former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney and his vice presidential nominee, Congressman Paul Ryan of Wisconsin. The election occurred against the backdrop of a slow recovery from the Great Recession and ongoing debates over the Affordable Care Act.
Background
The political landscape was shaped by the historic 2008 victory of Barack Obama, whose first term was dominated by the economic fallout from the 2008 financial crisis. Key legislative achievements included the passage of the Recovery Act and the Affordable Care Act, the latter of which faced significant opposition from the Tea Party movement and Republicans who regained control of the House of Representatives in the 2010 midterm elections. Foreign policy events, such as the operation that killed Osama bin Laden in Pakistan, also influenced the political climate. The Supreme Court's decision in National Federation of Independent Business v. Sebelius to uphold the core of the healthcare law in June 2012 was a pivotal pre-election moment.
Nominations
The Democratic Party nomination was uncontested, with President Barack Obama and Vice President Joe Biden easily re-securing their positions at the 2012 Democratic National Convention in Charlotte, North Carolina. The Republican nomination process was highly competitive, featuring a large field including former Speaker Newt Gingrich, former Senator Rick Santorum of Pennsylvania, and Congressman Ron Paul of Texas. After a protracted primary season, former Governor Mitt Romney, who had also run in 2008, secured the nomination. At the 2012 Republican National Convention in Tampa, Florida, he selected House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan as his running mate, a choice that energized the party's conservative base.
General election campaign
The general election campaign was characterized by a focus on economic issues, with Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan criticizing the pace of the recovery and the national debt under the Obama administration. The Democrats emphasized the auto industry rescue, the killing of Osama bin Laden, and protecting entitlements like Medicare and Social Security. Key events included the party conventions, the first presidential debate in Denver where Mitt Romney was perceived to have performed strongly, and the emergence of a secret recording from a Boca Raton fundraiser where Romney spoke of "the 47 percent." The devastation of Hurricane Sandy in late October brought President Obama into a prominent leadership role alongside officials like New Jersey Governor Chris Christie shortly before Election Day.
Results
Barack Obama won a decisive victory in the Electoral College, capturing 332 electoral votes to Mitt Romney's 206. Obama won the national popular vote by a margin of 51.1% to 47.2%. The incumbent carried nearly all the same states he won in 2008, with the exceptions of Indiana and North Carolina, which flipped to the Republicans. Key swing states such as Ohio, Virginia, Florida, Colorado, and Iowa all went for Obama. The Democrats also maintained control of the Senate, while the Republicans retained their majority in the House of Representatives.
Aftermath and legacy
The victory made Barack Obama the first Democratic president since Franklin D. Roosevelt to win a majority of the popular vote twice. The election results demonstrated the increasing importance of demographic coalitions, with strong support for Obama among African Americans, Hispanics, Asian Americans, and younger voters, prompting significant debate within the Republican Party about its future electoral strategy. The second Obama term would see continued partisan conflict, including a government shutdown in 2013 and the implementation of the Affordable Care Act. The election also set the stage for the 2016 campaign, which would see the rise of Donald Trump and a dramatic political realignment.
Category:2012 United States presidential election Category:Barack Obama