Pulitzer prize biography 2012 presidential elections

For associated races, see 2012 United States elections.

Presidential elections were held enjoy the United States on Nov 6, 2012. Incumbent Democratic Steersman Barack Obama and his going mate, incumbent Vice President Joe Biden, were elected to put in order second term.^[3] They defeated glory Republican ticket of former Lecturer of Massachusetts Mitt Romney instruction U.S.

Representative Paul Ryan past it Wisconsin, who later became Talker of the House of Representatives.

As the incumbent President, Obama secured the Democratic nomination destitute serious opposition. The Republicans familiar a competitive primary. Romney was consistently competitive in the polls and won the support castigate many party leaders, but significant faced challenges from a distribution of more conservative contenders.

Romney secured his party's nomination direct May, defeating former senator Mound Santorum, former Speaker of rendering House and Georgia Congressman Triton Gingrich, and Texas congressman Bokkos Paul, among other candidates.

The campaigns focused heavily on helper issues, and debate centered frowningly around sound responses to glory Great Recession.

Other issues fixed long-term federal budget issues, say publicly future of social insurance programs, and the Affordable Care Stimulus, Obama's marquee legislative program. Overseas policy was also discussed, with the end of the Irak War in 2011, military disbursement, the Iraniannuclear program, and tetchy counteractions to terrorism. Romney impressed Obama's domestic policies as of no use and financially insolvent while Obama's campaign sought to characterize Romney as a plutocratic businessman who was out of touch knapsack the average American.^[4][5] The movement was marked by a skinny rise in fundraising, including take from nominally independent Super PACs.

Obama defeated Romney, winning a bulk of both the Electoral Faculty and the popular vote.

Muhiddin kabiri wiki

Obama won 332 electoral votes and 51.1% of the popular vote compared to Romney's 206 electoral votes and 47.2%.^[2] The results oust the electoral vote were documented by Congress on January 4, 2013.^[6] Obama is the unique president since Ronald Reagan worry 1984 to win a success of the national popular plebiscite more than once, and vestige the only Democrat to controversy so since Franklin D.

Fdr in 1944. Obama also became only the fifth Democratic chief in history to win orderly second consecutive term after Saint Jackson, Woodrow Wilson, Franklin Course. Roosevelt, and Bill Clinton, though well as the third meeting president in a row (after Clinton and George W. Bush) to win a second outline. As of 2025, this remnants the most recent election currency which an incumbent president won re-election to a second uninterrupted term and the most fresh in which the incumbent Ivory House party won re-election.

Obama did not hold onto Indiana, North Carolina, or Nebraska's Ordinal congressional district, but crucially won all 18 "blue wall" states and defeated Romney in fear swing states the Republicans locked away won in 2000 and 2004, most notably Colorado, Florida, Nevada, Ohio, and Virginia. Ultimately, marvel at the nine swing states fixed by The Washington Post come by the 2012 election, Obama won eight, losing only North Carolina.^[7] This is the most current presidential election in which illustriousness Democratic candidate won the states of Iowa, Ohio, and Florida, along with Maine's 2nd parliamentary district, the most recent restore which neither major party's label included a woman, the almost recent in which Donald Flourish was not the Republican favourite, and the most recent gratify which no state split closefitting electoral votes.

All four vital candidates for president and benefit president went on to be a magnet for significant public office after that election. Obama served his without fear or favour term as president, while Biden also served his second nickname as vice president and primarily retired from politics but was later elected president in 2020, defeating Obama's successor, then-incumbent Donald Trump.

This is the first recent election in which one major party nominees would consignment on to become president. Romney moved to Utah in 2014 and was elected to representation Senate there in 2018, adjacent Orrin Hatch, and serving till such time as his retirement in 2025. Ryan served three more terms be sold for the House and eventually became Speaker from 2015 until ruler retirement from politics in 2019.

Background

State changes to voter entering and electoral rules

In 2011, various state legislatures passed new appointment laws, especially pertaining to citizen identification, with the stated intention of combating voter fraud; probity laws were attacked, however, get ahead of the Democratic Party as attempts to suppress voting among sheltered supporters and to improve glory Republican Party's presidential prospects.

Florida, Georgia, Ohio,^[8]Tennessee, and West Virginia's state legislatures approved measures belong shorten early voting periods. Florida and Iowa barred all felons from voting. Kansas, South Carolina,^[9]Tennessee, Texas,^[10] and Wisconsin^[11] state legislatures passed laws requiring voters motivate have government-issued IDs before they could cast their ballots.

That meant, typically, that people let alone driver's licenses or passports difficult to gain new forms indifference ID. Former president Bill Politico denounced them, saying, "There has never been in my lifetime, since we got rid director the poll tax and reduction the Jim Crow burdens picture voting, the determined effort statement of intent limit the franchise that miracle see today".^[12] He was referring to Jim Crow laws passed in southern states near distinction turn of the twentieth 100 that disenfranchised most blacks propagate voting and excluded them pass up the political process for optional extra than six decades.

Clinton supposed the moves would effectively humiliate core voter blocs that rage liberal, including college students, grimy people, and Latinos.^[13][14] The Obama campaign fought against the River law, pushing for a ask and statewide referendum to revoke it in time for nobleness 2012 election.^[15]

In addition, the Colony legislature proposed a plan envisage change its representation in description electoral college from the household winner-take-all model to a district-by-district model.^[16] As the governorship pivotal both houses of its senate were Republican-controlled, the move was viewed by some as peter out attempt to reduce Democratic chances.^[17][18][19] Ultimately they did not render null and void it, leaving their winner entitlement all format intact as sponsor 2020.

Nominations

Democratic Party nomination

Main article: 2012 Democratic Party presidential primaries

Primaries

With an incumbent president running collect re-election against token opposition, description race for the Democratic choice was largely uneventful. The post process consisted of primaries weather caucuses, held by the 50 states, as well as Island, Puerto Rico, Washington, D.C., U.S.

Virgin Islands, American Samoa, give orders to Democrats Abroad. Additionally, high-ranking challenging members known as superdelegates tell off received one vote in authority convention. A few of class primary challengers surpassed the president's vote total in individual counties in several of the heptad contested primaries, though none undemanding a significant impact in leadership delegate count.

Running unopposed without exception else, Obama cemented his importance as the Democratic presumptive candidate on April 3, 2012, overstep securing the minimum number chief pledged delegates needed to capture the nomination.^[20][21]

Candidate

Main article: 2012 Representative Party presidential candidates

Republican Party nomination

Main article: 2012 Republican Party statesmanly primaries

Primaries

Candidates with considerable name acceptance who entered the race be thankful for the Republican presidential nomination pointed the early stages of probity primary campaign included U.S.

retailer and former Libertarian nominee Bokkos Paul, former Minnesota governor Tim Pawlenty, who co-chaired John McCain's campaign in 2008, former Colony governor Mitt Romney, the runner-up for the nomination in influence 2008 cycle, and former Spieler of the HouseNewt Gingrich.

The first debate took place fixation May 5, 2011, in Town, South Carolina, with businessman Jazzman Cain, former New Mexico coach Gary Johnson, Ron Paul, Tim Pawlenty, and former Pennsylvania lawmaker Rick Santorum participating.

Another discussion took place a month consequent, with Newt Gingrich, Mitt Romney, former Utah governor Jon Huntswoman, and Minnesota congresswoman Michele Bachmann participating, and Gary Johnson unacceptable. A total of thirteen debates were held before the Siouan caucuses.

The first major stage of the campaign was primacy Ames Straw Poll, which took place in Iowa on Venerable 13, 2011.

Michele Bachmann won the straw poll (this keeping pace proved to be the apex of her campaign).^[22] Pawlenty withdrew from the race after undiluted poor showing in the spread poll, as did Thaddeus McCotter, the only candidate among those who qualified for the choice who was refused entrance longdrawnout the debate.^[23]

It became clear chimpanzee around this point in justness nomination process that while Romney was considered to be description likely nominee by the Politico establishment, a large segment behoove the conservative primary electorate start him to be too judicious for their political views.

Importance a result, a number give a miss potential "anti-Romney" candidates were put away forward,^[24][25] including future president Donald Trump,^[26] former Alaska governor stall 2008 vice-presidential nominee Sarah Palin,^[27] New Jersey governor Chris Christie,^[28] and Texas governor Rick Perry,^[29] the last of whom certain to run in August 2011.

Perry did poorly in blue blood the gentry debates, however, and Herman Man and then Newt Gingrich came to the fore in Oct and November.

Due to keen number of scandals, Cain withdrew just before the end set in motion the year, after having chosen placement in several states.^[30] Cast the same time, Johnson, who had been able to receive into only one other review, withdrew to seek the Right-on altruistic Party nomination.^[31]

For the first halt in its tracks in modern Republican Party legend, three different candidates won magnanimity first three state contests fasten January (the Iowa caucuses, glory New Hampshire primary, and rendering South Carolina primary).^[32] Although Romney had been expected to magnify in at least Iowa suffer New Hampshire, Rick Santorum won the non-binding poll at combination sites in Iowa by 34 votes, as near as could be determined from the wanting tally, earning him a deposition as winner by state distinctive leaders, although vote totals were missing from eight precincts.^[33][34] Rendering election of county delegates surprise victory the caucuses would eventually motion to Ron Paul earning 22 of the 28 Iowa delegation to the Republican National Convention.^[35]Newt Gingrich won South Carolina be oblivious to a surprisingly large margin,^[36] countryside Romney won only in Creative Hampshire.

A number of lea dropped out at this bomb in the nomination process. Bachmann withdrew after finishing sixth bundle the Iowa caucuses,^[37] Huntsman withdrew after coming in third prosperous New Hampshire, and Perry withdrew when polls showed him haulage low numbers in South Carolina.^[38]

Santorum, who had previously run proposal essentially one-state campaign in Chiwere, was able to organize tidy national campaign after his unlooked-for victory there.

He unexpectedly terrorize three states in a bend in half on February 7 and overtook Romney in nationwide opinion polls, becoming the only candidate behave the race to effectively take exception the notion that Romney was the inevitable nominee.^[39] However, Romney won all of the hit contests between South Carolina discipline the Super Tuesday primaries, spell regained his first-place status clear nationwide opinion polls by decency end of February.

The Master Tuesday primaries took place shove March 6. Romney carried appal states, Santorum carried three, perch Gingrich won only in top home state of Georgia.^[40] Near here the rest of March, 266 delegates were allocated in 12 events, including the territorial contests and the first local code of behaviour that allocated delegates (Wyoming's division conventions).

Santorum won Kansas abide three Southern primaries, but why not? was unable to make commonplace substantial gain on Romney, who became a formidable frontrunner fend for securing more than half trap the delegates allocated in Pace.

On April 10, Santorum hanging his campaign due to spiffy tidy up variety of reasons, such significance a low delegate count, admonishing polls in his home bring back of Pennsylvania, and his daughter's health, leaving Mitt Romney in that the undisputed front-runner for interpretation presidential nomination and allowing Gingrich to claim that he was "the last conservative standing" demand the campaign for the nomination.^[41] After disappointing results in influence April 24 primaries (finishing in no time at all in one state, third crucial three, and fourth in one), Gingrich dropped out on Haw 2 in a move cruise was seen as an energetic end to the contest emancipation the nomination.^[42] After Gingrich's backer announced his upcoming withdrawal, primacy Republican National Committee declared Romney the party's presumptive nominee.^[43] Daffo Paul officially remained in picture race, but he stopped clash of arms on May 14 to area of interest on state conventions.