2012 United States presidential election in Missouri

The 2012 United States presidential election in Missouri took place on November 6, 2012, as part of the 2012 United States presidential election, in which all 50 states plus the District of Columbia participated. Missouri voters chose 10 electors to represent them in the Electoral College via a popular vote pitting incumbent Democratic President Barack Obama and his running mate, Vice President Joe Biden, against Republican challenger and former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney and his running mate, Congressman Paul Ryan.

2012 United States presidential election in Missouri

← 2008 November 6, 2012 2016 →
 
Nominee Mitt Romney Barack Obama
Party Republican Democratic
Home state Massachusetts Illinois
Running mate Paul Ryan Joe Biden
Electoral vote 10 0
Popular vote 1,482,440 1,223,796
Percentage 53.64% 44.28%

County Results

President before election

Barack Obama
Democratic

Elected President

Barack Obama
Democratic

Missouri was won by Romney, who took 53.64% of the vote to Obama's 44.28%, a margin of 9.36%. Although it was a battleground in past elections, and even a bellwether up until 2008, Missouri was and still is considered to be trending toward the GOP, having been the only long-time swing state to be won (albeit narrowly) by Republican John McCain in 2008. Consequently, the state was not heavily contested by either side in 2012, and Romney ultimately carried Missouri by the largest margin since Ronald Reagan's 1984 landslide. Romney ultimately became only the second Republican to carry Missouri and lose the presidency just four years after John McCain's narrow victory in the state, with Obama also becoming the only Democrat to ever win two terms in the White House without carrying the state either time.

Primary elections

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Democratic primary

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Missouri Democratic primary, February 7, 2012
Candidate Votes percentage Delegates
Barack Obama (incumbent) 64,366 88.39% 89
Randall Terry 1,998 2.74% -
John Wolfe Jr. 1,000 1.37% -
Darcy Richardson 873 1.20% -
uncommitted 4,580 6.29% -

Republican primary

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2012 Missouri Republican presidential primary
 
← 2008 February 7, 2012 (2012-02-07) 2016 →
← CO
MN →
       
Candidate Rick Santorum Mitt Romney Ron Paul
Home state Pennsylvania Massachusetts Texas
Popular vote 139,272 63,882 30,647
Percentage 55.23% 25.33% 12.15%

 
Missouri results by county
  Rick Santorum

The 2012 Missouri Republican presidential primary took place on February 7[1] and the caucuses ran from March 15 to March 24, 2012,[2] except for one rescheduled for April 10. The primary election did not determine which delegates will be sent to the national convention; this is instead determined indirectly by the caucuses and directly by the Missouri Republican congressional-district conventions April 21 and the state convention June 2.[3][4][5]

The unusual situation of having both the primary election and the caucus for the same party in the same election year in Missouri arose as a result of a change in the nominating rules of the Republican Party. State primaries in Missouri were previously held in early February. In September 2008, the Republican National Committee adopted a set of rules which included a provision that no states except Iowa, New Hampshire, South Carolina, and Nevada were allowed to begin the process of delegate selection (including binding primary elections) before the first Tuesday in March of an election year.[6] In 2011, the Republican-controlled Missouri General Assembly attempted to move the primary election to mid-March, but the bill was vetoed by Democratic Governor Jay Nixon because of a provision limiting his power to fill vacancies in statewide elected offices. In a compromise solution, it was decided that Republican primary election would be made non-binding and instead delegates would be nominated by separate caucuses in late March, a move estimated to cost the state US$7,000,000.[7]

This marks the first time since 1996 that Missouri Republicans used a caucus system to nominate delegates to the Republican National Convention.[8]

Primary

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The primary was not to affect the selection of Missouri's delegates to the 2012 Republican National Convention, so it had no official effect on the nomination and was widely described beforehand as a "beauty contest". However it was seen as an opportunity for Rick Santorum to face off against Mitt Romney due to the absence of Newt Gingrich, who missed the filing deadline[9] and was not on the ballot. Santorum was the only candidate to actively campaign in the state ahead of the primary.[10]

The primary election was won by Santorum, who also won the Colorado and Minnesota Republican caucuses held that day.[11]

There were 326,438 total votes cast by party ballot[12] (including votes for Democratic, Libertarian and Constitution Party candidates),[13] a turnout of 7.99%[14] of 4,085,582 registered voters. Noting the low Republican turnout, NPR found voters apathetic because the primary was nonbinding.[15]

2012 Missouri Republican primary[16]
Candidate[12] Votes Percentage
Rick Santorum 139,272 55.23%
Mitt Romney 63,882 25.33%
Ron Paul 30,647 12.15%
Uncommitted 9,853 3.91%
Rick Perry 2,456 0.97%
Herman Cain 2,306 0.91%
Michele Bachmann 1,680 0.67%
Jon Huntsman 1,044 0.41%
Gary Johnson 536 0.21%
Michael J. Meehan 356 0.14%
Keith Drummond 153 0.06%
Totals 252,185 100.00%
Key: Withdrew prior to contest.

[17]

Caucuses

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The county caucuses elect delegates to congressional district conventions and the Missouri Republican Party state convention, which in turn elect 49 of Missouri's 52 delegates to the national convention.[4][18] However, no straw poll is released to indicate levels of support to the general public. According to the state party, "Caucus-goers will be voting for delegates, and with few exceptions, these delegates will not be bound to a particular candidate. Because there is no vote on candidate preference, neither the Missouri GOP nor any election authority will have or release any data regarding the 'winner' of the caucuses."[19]

Despite the nonbinding nature of the February primary, caucuses had the option to use its result as the basis for delegate allocation. Santorum was to appear personally at some caucuses, which The New York Times described as "part of the campaign's county-by-county strategy to try to outflank Mr. Romney and catch him in the delegate race".[20]

Results
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The county caucuses elect delegates to the congressional district conventions and the state convention. Delegates to the national convention will be elected at each of those conventions. Typically, the body of a caucus votes on slates of delegates prepared by leaders of factions and coalitions within the caucus.

The following table shows who won the majority or plurality of delegates for each county according to available unofficial reports.

 
Election results by county. Dark green indicates counties won by Santorum, gold, those won by Paul, orange indicates those won by Romney, and purple, Gingrich. The counties indicated in black are Barry County and Laclede County, in which Romney/Santorum and Paul/Santorum respectively tied for the win. Dark gray indicates uncommitted counties.
By number of counties won
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Candidate Counties
Rick Santorum 83
Mitt Romney 17
Ron Paul 11
Newt Gingrich 4
Uncommitted 0
Unknown 0
Total 115
By county
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County Winner Delegates [21] District Source
Adair Romney 9 6th
Andrew Santorum 8 6th
Atchison Santorum 3 6th
Audrain Santorum 7 4th
Barry Romney 14 7th [22][23]
Barton Santorum 7 4th
Bates Santorum 7 4th
Benton Santorum 9 4th
Bollinger Santorum 6 8th
Boone Paul 53 4th [24][25][26]
Buchanan Romney 28 6th [27][28]
Butler Santorum 17 8th
Caldwell Romney 4 6th [29]
Callaway Romney 17 3rd [30]
Camden Santorum 12 3rd [31]
Cape Girardeau Santorum 36 8th [32]
Carroll Santorum 5 6th
Carter Santorum 3 8th [33]
Cass Santorum 43 4th [34]
Cedar Santorum 6 4th
Chariton Santorum 4 6th [35]
Christian Santorum 37 7th [36]
Clark Santorum 3 6th
Clay Romney 23+55 5th, 6th [37]
Clinton Romney 9 6th [38]
Cole Romney 35 3rd [26]
Cooper Santorum 8 4th
Crawford Santorum 9 8th
Dade Santorum 5 4th
Dallas Romney 7 4th
Daviess Santorum 4 6th
DeKalb Santorum 5 6th
Dent Santorum 7 8th
Douglas Paul 7 8th
Dunklin Santorum 11 8th
Franklin Paul 40 3rd [26][39]
Gasconade Santorum 7 3rd
Gentry Santorum 3 6th
Greene Paul 111 7th [26]
Grundy Paul 5 6th
Harrison Romney 4 6th [40]
Henry Santorum 9 4th
Hickory Santorum 5 4th
Holt Santorum 3 6th
Howard Santorum 4 4th
Howell Santorum 16 8th
Iron Santorum 3 8th
Jackson Paul 144+35 5th, 6th [41][42]
Jasper Santorum 46 7th [43]
Jefferson Santorum 15+39+19 2nd, 3rd, 8th [44][45]
Johnson Santorum 18 4th
Knox Santorum 2 6th
Laclede Paul 16 4th
Lafayette Romney 14 5th [46]
Lawrence Santorum 17 7th [47]
Lewis Santorum 4 6th
Lincoln Santorum 19 3rd
Linn Santorum 5 6th
Livingston Gingrich 6 6th [48]
Macon Santorum 7 6th
Madison Santorum 5 8th
Maries Santorum 5 3rd
Marion Santorum 12 6th
McDonald Santorum 8 7th
Mercer Santorum 2 6th
Miller Romney 12 3rd [31]
Mississippi Santorum 5 8th
Moniteau Santorum 7 4th
Monroe Santorum 4 6th
Montgomery Santorum 5 3rd
Morgan Santorum 8 4th
New Madrid Santorum 7 8th
Newton Santorum 26 7th [43]
Nodaway Paul 8 6th
Oregon Santorum 4 8th [49]
Osage Santorum 8 3rd
Ozark Santorum 5 8th [23]
Pemiscot Santorum 6 8th
Perry Gingrich 8 8th
Pettis Romney 16 4th [50]
Phelps Romney 17 8th [51]
Pike Santorum 7 6th
Platte Gingrich 35 6th
Polk Santorum 13 7th
Pulaski Santorum 14 4th
Putnam Santorum 3 6th
Ralls Santorum 5 6th
Randolph Romney 10 4th [52]
Ray Santorum 8 5th
Reynolds Santorum 3 8th
Ripley Santorum 5 8th
St. Charles Paul 59+88 2nd, 3rd [53]
St. Clair Santorum 5 4th
St. Francois Santorum 19 8th [54]
St. Louis Romney [a] 67+250 1st, 2nd [26][55]
Saint Louis (city) Paul 36 1st [41][42]
Sainte Genevieve Santorum 6 8th
Saline Santorum 8 5th [56]
Schuyler Santorum 2 6th
Scotland Santorum 2 6th
Scott Santorum 17 8th
Shannon Santorum 3 8th
Shelby Santorum 4 6th
Stoddard Romney 14 8th [57]
Stone Santorum 16 7th
Sullivan Santorum 3 6th
Taney Paul 22 7th [58]
Texas Gingrich 11 8th
Vernon Santorum 8 4th
Warren Santorum 13 3rd
Washington Santorum 7 8th
Wayne Santorum 6 8th
Webster Santorum 11+4 4th, 7th
Worth Santorum 2 6th
Wright Santorum 9 8th

Notes

  1. ^ A separate caucus was held in each township.

Controversies

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There were controversies surrounding the caucuses in Clay[59] and Cass counties.[60] The Missouri Republican Party ruled later that the slates of delegates elected at those caucuses were valid.[61] A do-over caucus was required in St. Charles County after the first attempt disbanded over a rules dispute.[62] Controversy also arose at the Jefferson County caucus, and a challenge was filed but later withdrawn.[63]

District and state conventions

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The following table shows who won the national delegates for each congressional district and statewide.

Convention results[64][65][66][67]
Candidate 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th 7th 8th State Party
leaders
Total
Mitt Romney 1 1 2 3 0 1 1 3 19 0 31
Rick Santorum 1 2 1 0 0 1 2 0 6 0 13
Ron Paul 1 0 0 0 3 0 0 0 0 0 4
Newt Gingrich 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 1
Uncommitted 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 3
Total 24 25 3 52

General election

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Predictions

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Source Ranking As of
Huffington Post[68] Tossup November 6, 2012
CNN[69] Safe R November 6, 2012
New York Times[70] Lean R November 6, 2012
Washington Post[71] Safe R November 6, 2012
RealClearPolitics[72] Lean R November 6, 2012
Sabato's Crystal Ball[73] Solid R November 5, 2012
FiveThirtyEight[74] Solid R November 6, 2012

Results

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2012 United States presidential election in Missouri[75]
Party Candidate Running mate Votes Percentage Electoral votes
Republican Mitt Romney Paul Ryan 1,482,440 53.64% 10
Democratic Barack Obama (incumbent) Joe Biden (incumbent) 1,223,796 44.28% 0
Libertarian Gary Johnson Jim Gray 43,151 1.57% 0
Constitution Virgil Goode Jim Clymer 7,936 0.29% 0
Totals 2,757,323 100.00% 10

By county

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County Mitt Romney
Republican
Barack Obama
Democratic
Various candidates
Other parties
Margin Total
# % # % # % # %
Adair 5,651 55.81% 4,219 41.67% 256 2.52% 1,432 14.14% 10,126
Andrew 5,457 65.42% 2,649 31.76% 235 2.82% 2,808 33.66% 8,341
Atchison 1,902 70.21% 756 27.91% 51 1.88% 1,146 42.30% 2,709
Audrain 6,186 61.97% 3,539 35.45% 257 2.58% 2,647 26.52% 9,982
Barry 9,832 71.22% 3,667 26.56% 307 2.22% 6,165 44.66% 13,806
Barton 4,418 76.89% 1,230 21.41% 98 1.70% 3,188 55.48% 5,746
Bates 5,020 64.60% 2,557 32.90% 194 2.50% 2,463 31.70% 7,771
Benton 6,069 66.28% 2,925 31.94% 163 1.78% 3,144 34.34% 9,157
Bollinger 4,095 75.05% 1,213 22.23% 148 2.72% 2,882 52.82% 5,456
Boone 37,404 47.10% 39,847 50.17% 2,171 2.73% -2,443 -3.07% 79,422
Buchanan 18,660 53.15% 15,594 44.42% 852 2.43% 3,066 8.73% 35,106
Butler 12,248 72.52% 4,363 25.83% 278 1.65% 7,885 46.69% 16,889
Caldwell 2,721 65.30% 1,312 31.49% 134 3.21% 1,409 33.81% 4,167
Callaway 11,745 64.42% 6,071 33.30% 416 2.28% 5,674 31.12% 18,232
Camden 15,092 68.55% 6,458 29.33% 465 2.12% 8,634 39.22% 22,015
Cape Girardeau 25,370 70.81% 9,728 27.15% 731 2.04% 15,642 43.66% 35,829
Carroll 3,072 71.38% 1,154 26.81% 78 1.81% 1,918 44.57% 4,304
Carter 1,978 70.67% 754 26.94% 67 2.39% 1,224 43.73% 2,799
Cass 30,912 62.95% 17,044 34.71% 1,148 2.34% 13,868 28.24% 49,104
Cedar 4,376 72.39% 1,537 25.43% 132 2.18% 2,839 46.96% 6,045
Chariton 2,402 62.86% 1,339 35.04% 80 2.10% 1,063 27.82% 3,821
Christian 27,473 72.37% 9,813 25.85% 678 1.78% 17,660 46.52% 37,964
Clark 1,730 53.64% 1,398 43.35% 97 3.01% 332 10.29% 3,225
Clay 56,191 52.99% 47,310 44.61% 2,542 2.40% 8,881 8.38% 106,043
Clinton 5,931 60.15% 3,688 37.40% 242 2.45% 2,243 22.75% 9,861
Cole 24,490 65.85% 12,005 32.28% 695 1.87% 12,485 33.57% 37,190
Cooper 4,887 65.06% 2,474 32.94% 150 2.00% 2,413 32.12% 7,511
Crawford 6,434 67.17% 2,951 30.81% 194 2.02% 3,483 36.36% 9,579
Dade 2,895 74.31% 939 24.10% 62 1.59% 1,956 50.21% 3,896
Dallas 4,992 68.58% 2,122 29.15% 165 2.27% 2,870 39.43% 7,279
Daviess 2,290 65.04% 1,125 31.95% 106 3.01% 1,165 33.09% 3,521
DeKalb 3,056 70.25% 1,194 27.45% 100 2.30% 1,862 42.80% 4,350
Dent 4,883 73.20% 1,585 23.76% 203 3.04% 3,298 49.44% 6,671
Douglas 4,649 70.90% 1,710 26.08% 198 3.02% 2,939 44.82% 6,557
Dunklin 6,850 64.31% 3,636 34.14% 165 1.55% 3,214 30.17% 10,651
Franklin 29,396 62.64% 16,347 34.83% 1,186 2.53% 13,049 27.81% 46,929
Gasconade 4,895 68.62% 2,099 29.42% 140 1.96% 2,796 39.20% 7,134
Gentry 1,988 66.29% 937 31.24% 74 2.47% 1,051 35.05% 2,999
Greene 76,900 60.83% 46,219 36.56% 3,300 2.61% 30,681 24.27% 126,419
Grundy 3,030 69.27% 1,212 27.71% 132 3.02% 1,818 41.56% 4,374
Harrison 2,624 71.01% 984 26.63% 87 2.36% 1,640 44.38% 3,695
Henry 6,229 61.18% 3,606 35.42% 347 3.40% 2,623 25.76% 10,182
Hickory 2,835 60.58% 1,733 37.03% 112 2.39% 1,102 23.55% 4,680
Holt 1,725 74.68% 551 23.85% 34 1.47% 1,174 50.83% 2,310
Howard 3,017 61.99% 1,723 35.40% 127 2.61% 1,294 26.59% 4,867
Howell 11,544 70.62% 4,395 26.89% 407 2.49% 7,149 43.73% 16,346
Iron 2,252 55.87% 1,669 41.40% 110 2.73% 583 14.47% 4,031
Jackson 122,708 39.32% 183,953 58.95% 5,400 1.73% -61,245 -19.63% 312,061
Jasper 31,349 69.33% 12,809 28.33% 1,060 2.34% 18,540 41.00% 45,218
Jefferson 53,978 55.07% 41,564 42.40% 2,482 2.53% 12,414 12.67% 98,024
Johnson 12,763 60.72% 7,667 36.47% 591 2.81% 5,096 24.25% 21,021
Knox 1,205 61.57% 698 35.67% 54 2.76% 507 25.90% 1,957
Laclede 10,934 70.84% 4,093 26.52% 408 2.64% 6,841 44.32% 15,435
Lafayette 9,803 61.79% 5,655 35.64% 408 2.57% 4,148 26.15% 15,866
Lawrence 11,421 72.49% 4,017 25.50% 317 2.01% 7,404 46.99% 15,755
Lewis 2,677 62.56% 1,508 35.24% 94 2.20% 1,169 27.32% 4,279
Lincoln 14,332 62.93% 7,734 33.96% 710 3.11% 6,598 28.97% 22,776
Linn 3,344 60.25% 2,041 36.77% 165 2.98% 1,303 23.48% 5,550
Livingston 4,006 66.17% 1,906 31.48% 142 2.35% 2,100 34.69% 6,054
Macon 4,701 65.66% 2,309 32.25% 150 2.09% 2,392 33.41% 7,160
Madison 3,227 65.46% 1,588 32.21% 115 2.33% 1,639 33.25% 4,930
Maries 3,165 69.74% 1,299 28.62% 74 1.64% 1,866 41.12% 4,538
Marion 7,923 65.17% 4,031 33.16% 204 1.67% 3,892 32.01% 12,158
McDonald 5,694 72.84% 1,920 24.56% 203 2.60% 3,774 48.28% 7,817
Mercer 1,255 75.83% 353 21.33% 47 2.84% 902 54.50% 1,655
Miller 8,099 73.31% 2,651 24.00% 298 2.69% 5,448 49.31% 11,048
Mississippi 2,997 60.91% 1,858 37.76% 65 1.33% 1,139 23.15% 4,920
Moniteau 4,704 73.01% 1,608 24.96% 131 2.03% 3,096 48.05% 6,443
Monroe 2,564 63.20% 1,398 34.46% 95 2.34% 1,166 28.74% 4,057
Montgomery 3,490 65.31% 1,740 32.56% 114 2.13% 1,750 32.75% 5,344
Morgan 5,733 65.99% 2,773 31.92% 182 2.09% 2,960 34.07% 8,688
New Madrid 4,284 59.09% 2,814 38.81% 152 2.10% 1,470 20.28% 7,250
Newton 18,181 72.17% 6,425 25.50% 587 2.33% 11,756 46.67% 25,193
Nodaway 5,593 62.31% 3,172 35.34% 211 2.35% 2,421 26.97% 8,976
Oregon 2,886 65.28% 1,419 32.10% 116 2.62% 1,467 33.18% 4,421
Osage 5,329 77.02% 1,473 21.29% 117 1.69% 3,856 55.73% 6,919
Ozark 3,080 69.17% 1,261 28.32% 112 2.51% 1,819 40.85% 4,453
Pemiscot 3,598 56.80% 2,671 42.16% 66 1.04% 927 14.64% 6,335
Perry 5,669 70.98% 2,184 27.34% 134 1.68% 3,485 43.64% 7,987
Pettis 10,842 63.13% 5,904 34.38% 429 2.49% 4,938 28.75% 17,175
Phelps 11,895 65.05% 5,798 31.71% 593 3.24% 6,097 33.34% 18,286
Pike 4,577 62.52% 2,582 35.27% 162 2.21% 1,995 27.25% 7,321
Platte 25,618 56.04% 19,175 41.95% 917 2.01% 6,443 14.09% 45,710
Polk 9,252 70.52% 3,580 27.29% 287 2.19% 5,672 43.23% 13,119
Pulaski 9,092 67.00% 4,199 30.94% 280 2.06% 4,893 36.06% 13,571
Putnam 1,673 72.46% 587 25.42% 49 2.12% 1,086 47.04% 2,309
Ralls 3,231 64.16% 1,736 34.47% 69 1.37% 1,495 29.69% 5,036
Randolph 6,667 66.84% 3,031 30.39% 277 2.77% 3,636 36.45% 9,975
Ray 5,815 56.09% 4,275 41.24% 277 2.67% 1,540 14.85% 10,367
Reynolds 1,931 60.31% 1,157 36.13% 114 3.56% 774 24.18% 3,202
Ripley 3,743 71.12% 1,396 26.52% 124 2.36% 2,347 44.60% 5,263
Saline 5,104 56.04% 3,790 41.61% 214 2.35% 1,314 14.43% 9,108
Schuyler 1,174 60.55% 697 35.95% 68 3.50% 477 24.60% 1,939
Scotland 1,246 64.36% 643 33.21% 47 2.43% 603 31.15% 1,936
Scott 11,623 68.37% 5,122 30.13% 254 1.50% 6,501 38.24% 16,999
Shannon 2,262 61.27% 1,302 35.27% 128 3.46% 960 26.00% 3,692
Shelby 2,188 67.70% 966 29.89% 78 2.41% 1,222 37.81% 3,232
St. Charles 110,784 59.44% 71,838 38.55% 3,744 2.01% 38,946 20.89% 186,366
St. Clair 3,019 65.26% 1,460 31.56% 147 3.18% 1,559 33.70% 4,626
St. Francois 13,248 58.35% 8,829 38.89% 628 2.76% 4,419 19.46% 22,705
St. Louis 224,742 42.39% 297,097 56.04% 8,277 1.57% -72,355 -13.65% 530,116
St. Louis City 22,943 15.93% 118,780 82.45% 2,343 1.62% -95,837 -66.52% 144,066
Ste. Genevieve 4,055 50.25% 3,813 47.25% 202 2.50% 242 3.00% 8,070
Stoddard 9,496 73.81% 3,153 24.51% 217 1.68% 6,343 49.30% 12,866
Stone 11,787 73.45% 3,923 24.45% 337 2.10% 7,864 49.00% 16,047
Sullivan 1,610 62.04% 908 34.99% 77 2.97% 702 27.05% 2,595
Taney 15,746 72.44% 5,479 25.20% 513 2.36% 10,267 47.24% 21,738
Texas 7,618 70.77% 2,871 26.67% 275 2.56% 4,747 44.10% 10,764
Vernon 5,758 67.57% 2,580 30.28% 183 2.15% 3,178 37.29% 8,521
Warren 9,150 62.35% 5,219 35.56% 307 2.09% 3,931 26.79% 14,676
Washington 5,071 58.32% 3,417 39.30% 207 2.38% 1,654 19.02% 8,695
Wayne 3,790 66.26% 1,813 31.70% 117 2.04% 1,977 34.56% 5,720
Webster 10,708 69.10% 4,409 28.45% 379 2.45% 6,299 40.65% 15,496
Worth 664 63.36% 341 32.54% 43 4.10% 323 30.82% 1,048
Wright 5,830 73.29% 1,953 24.55% 172 2.16% 3,877 48.74% 7,955
Totals 1,482,440 53.64% 1,223,796 44.28% 57,453 2.08% 258,644 9.36% 2,763,689
 
County Flips:
Counties that flipped from Democratic to Republican

By congressional district

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Romney won 6 of 8 congressional districts.[76]

District Romney Obama Representative
1st 18.9% 79.87% Lacy Clay
2nd 57.14% 41.44% Ann Wagner
3rd 62% 36% Blaine Luetkemeyer
4th 61.24% 36.41% Vicky Hartzler
5th 39.36% 58.9% Emanuel Cleaver
6th 60% 37.9% Sam Graves
7th 67.56% 30.34% Billy Long
8th 65.88% 32% Jo Ann Emerson

Analysis

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As of the 2024 presidential election, this is the last time Missouri was decided by a single-digit margin. In addition, this was the first time since 1900 that Missouri was not carried by the victor of the presidential contest two times consecutively, after Obama had failed to win the state in 2008, as well as the first time since 1900 when the overall loser of the presidential election won the state by a margin larger than 1% of the statewide vote. Thus, the 2012 election seemingly marked the end of Missouri's swing state status. Obama is the only president of either party since William McKinley to win two terms in the White House without carrying Missouri either time. This election also remains the only time in history that a Democrat was elected twice to the presidency without ever carrying Missouri.

Obama became the first Democrat since 1960 to win without Buchanan, Iron, and Washington counties; the first since 1916 without Jefferson County; and the first since 1944 without St. Genevieve County.

Obama carried only three counties and the City of St. Louis. He carried Boone County, home to Columbia and the University of Missouri; Jackson County, where most of Kansas City is located; and St. Louis County, home to many St. Louis suburbs. While Obama won many counties in the St. Louis metropolitan area in 2008 such as Iron, Jefferson, Ste. Genevieve, and Washington counties, the Republicans won them in this election, all but Ste. Genevieve by comfortable margins.[77]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Primary and Caucus Printable Calendar". CNN. Retrieved January 11, 2012.
  2. ^ Lieb, David A. (March 18, 2012). "Contention, confusion common at Mo. GOP caucuses". News Tribune. Associated Press. Archived from the original on September 10, 2024.
  3. ^ "2012 Primary Schedule « 2012 Election Central". 2012presidentialelectionnews.com. Archived from the original on January 6, 2012. Retrieved February 8, 2012.
  4. ^ a b "MOGOP votes to go to caucus system for selecting delegates to national convention" (Press release). Missouri Republican Party. September 29, 2011. Archived from the original on February 20, 2012. Retrieved April 2, 2012.
  5. ^ "Missouri Republican State Committee 2012 Call to Convention". Retrieved April 22, 2012 – via Scribd.
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