Battle of Backbone Mountain

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The 2012 United States presidential election in Arkansas took place on November 6, 2012, as part of the 2012 General Election in which all 50 states plus the District of Columbia participated. Arkansas voters chose six 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.

Romney and Ryan carried Arkansas with 60.57% of the popular vote to Obama's and Biden's 36.88%, winning the state's six electoral votes.[1] While Arkansas had been won by the Democrats as recently as 1996 by native son Bill Clinton, Obama proved a poor fit for the state, and his 23.69% margin of loss was the worst defeat for a Democratic presidential candidate in Arkansas since 1972's margin of 38.1%. Obama also was defeated by a larger margin in Arkansas than Walter Mondale in 1984.

As of the 2020 presidential election, this is the last election in which Woodruff County voted for the Democratic candidate. This is also the first election since 1984 where either nominee received 60% of the vote. Obama is the only Democrat to ever win two terms without carrying the state at least once.

Primary elections

Democratic primary

The Democratic primary had 47 delegates at stake. All 47 delegates were allocated to, and pledged to vote for Barack Obama at the 2012 Democratic National Convention.[2] While John Wolfe Jr. qualified for 19 delegates[3] to the convention by virtue of his performances in Arkansas, State party officials said Wolfe missed two paperwork filing deadlines related to the delegate process, therefore he was not eligible for any delegates.[4][5] Wolfe has commenced legal proceedings to have delegates in his name seated.[6] Eight other unpledged delegates, known as superdelegates, also attended the convention and cast their votes as well.

Republican primary

The Republican primary had 33 delegates at stake. Mitt Romney won all 75 counties in Arkansas. As a result, all 33 delegates were allocated to, and pledged to vote for Mitt Romney at the 2012 Republican National Convention.

Rick Santorum and Newt Gingrich withdrew from the [presidential race on April 10 and May 2, 2012, respectively. Both endorsed Mitt Romney as the nominee.

Arkansas Republican primary, 2012[7]
Candidate Votes Percentage Delegates
Mitt Romney 104,200 68.39% 33
Ron Paul 20,399 13.39% 0
Rick Santorum 20,308 13.33% 0
Newt Gingrich 7,453 4.89% 0
Unpledged delegates: 3
Total: 152,360 100% 36
Key: Withdrew prior to contest
Results by county (actual votes in parentheses):[7]
County Mitt Romney Ron Paul Rick Santorum
(withdrawn)
Newt Gingrich
(withdrawn)
County Mitt Romney Ron Paul Rick Santorum
(withdrawn)
Newt Gingrich
(withdrawn)
Arkansas 68.86% (418) 12.69% (77) 11.53% (70) 6.92% (42) Lee 48.00% (12) 4.00% (1) 36.00% (9) 12.00% (3)
Ashley 70.09% (232) 7.25% (24) 17.52% (58) 5.14% (17) Lincoln 72.55% (37) 11.76% (6) 9.80% (5) 5.88% (3)
Baxter 73.04% (2338) 13.71% (439) 8.78% (281) 4.47% (143) Little River 76.42% (162) 5.19% (11) 12.74% (27) 5.66% (12)
Benton 65.10% (14527) 14.69% (3278) 15.65% (3493) 4.56% (1018) Logan 70.36% (869) 12.31% (152) 12.31% (152) 5.02% (62)
Boone 65.60% (1903) 15.41% (447) 13.89% (403) 5.10% (148) Lonoke 65.51% (2758) 13.52% (569) 15.11% (636) 5.87% (247)
Bradley 73.66% (193) 8.02% (21) 12.60% (33) 5.73% (15) Madison 66.34% (889) 15.82% (212) 14.18% (190) 3.66% (49)
Calhoun 63.11% (65) 13.59% (14) 19.42% (20) 3.88% (4) Marion 69.93% (528) 13.38% (101) 12.05% (91) 4.64% (35)
Carroll 64.44% (1263) 15.87% (311) 13.67% (268) 6.02% (118) Miller 73.82% (1824) 9.19% (227) 12.18% (301) 4.82% (119)
Chicot 79.07% (102) 6.20% (8) 6.20% (8) 8.53% (11) Mississippi 76.47% (364) 9.45% (45) 9.45% (45) 4.62% (22)
Clark 65.55% (725) 13.74% (152) 13.47% (149) 7.23% (80) Monroe 65.82% (52) 10.13% (8) 16.46% (13) 7.59% (6)
Clay 53.64% (59) 29.09% (32) 13.64% (15) 3.64% (4) Montgomery 72.04% (456) 13.74% (87) 9.16% (58) 5.06% (32)
Cleburne 68.10% (2011) 11.65% (344) 13.48% (398) 6.77% (200) Nevada 72.84% (59) 8.64% (7) 16.05% (13) 2.47% (2)
Cleveland 68.82% (287) 8.63% (36) 16.31% (68) 6.24% (26) Newton 61.74% (276) 15.44% (69) 17.45% (78) 5.37% (24)
Columbia 71.67% (1472) 10.81% (222) 12.27% (252) 5.26% (108) Ouachita 75.25% (830) 7.98% (88) 13.24% (146) 3.54% (39)
Conway 61.90% (442) 13.87% (99) 19.47% (139) 4.76% (34) Perry 65.91% (292) 15.80% (70) 14.67% (65) 3.61% (16)
Craighead 70.92% (1678) 10.40% (246) 13.86% (328) 4.82% (114) Phillips 68.63% (35) 15.69% (8) 1.96% (1) 13.73% (7)
Crawford 72.21% (3259) 10.26% (463) 13.27% (599) 4.25% (192) Pike 65.05% (134) 15.53% (32) 14.56% (30) 4.85% (10)
Crittenden 72.18% (288) 9.27% (37) 10.03% (40) 8.52% (34) Poinsett 64.44% (241) 11.76% (44) 16.04% (60) 7.75% (29)
Cross 75.10% (196) 6.51% (17) 12.26% (32) 6.13% (16) Polk 68.32% (1085) 12.03% (191) 13.29% (211) 6.36% (101)
Dallas 70.87% (253) 11.20% (40) 13.45% (48) 4.48% (16) Pope 69.59% (2751) 12.32% (487) 12.98% (513) 5.11% (202)
Desha 67.16% (45) 8.96% (6) 16.42% (11) 7.46% (5) Prairie 60.94% (78) 22.66% (29) 13.28% (17) 3.13% (4)
Drew 72.56% (423) 7.55% (44) 14.24% (83) 5.66% (33) Pulaski 71.27% (9758) 13.27% (1817) 11.52% (1578) 3.94% (539)
Faulkner 64.50% (5233) 15.83% (1284) 14.93% (1211) 4.75% (385) Randolph 67.01% (197) 12.59% (37) 15.31% (45) 5.10% (15)
Franklin 71.32% (980) 9.24% (127) 13.46% (185) 5.97% (82) Saline 66.50% (6782) 15.02% (1532) 13.93% (1421) 4.55% (464)
Fulton 66.55% (185) 14.75% (41) 9.71% (27) 8.99% (25) Scott 70.31% (450) 11.25% (72) 13.59% (87) 4.84% (31)
Garland 72.83% (5829) 13.58% (1087) 8.47% (678) 5.12% (410) Searcy 57.48% (857) 20.59% (307) 14.55% (217) 7.38% (110)
Grant 69.24% (493) 12.92% (92) 12.78% (91) 5.06% (36) Sebastian 70.82% (6331) 12.09% (1081) 12.40% (1108) 4.69% (419)
Greene 65.83% (422) 10.45% (67) 17.32% (111) 6.40% (41) Sevier 71.30% (164) 14.35% (33) 9.57% (22) 4.78% (11)
Hempstead 71.34% (478) 10.45% (70) 11.79% (79) 6.42% (43) Sharp 62.50% (375) 16.17% (97) 15.83% (95) 5.50% (33)
Hot Spring 67.68% (693) 13.87% (142) 13.38% (137) 5.08% (52) St. Francis 76.42% (94) 8.13% (10) 7.32% (9) 8.13% (10)
Howard 69.68% (193) 12.64% (35) 12.27% (34) 5.42% (15) Stone 69.94% (342) 12.47% (61) 12.47% (61) 5.11% (25)
Independence 68.37% (536) 13.14% (103) 14.16% (111) 4.34% (34) Union 73.34% (1642) 11.39% (255) 10.50% (235) 4.78% (107)
Izard 70.97% (357) 16.90% (85) 8.15% (41) 3.98% (20) Van Buren 71.37% (653) 11.58% (106) 11.37% (104) 5.68% (52)
Jackson 64.55% (122) 8.99% (17) 20.63% (39) 5.82% (11) Washington 68.11% (8504) 14.93% (1864) 12.92% (1613) 4.04% (505)
Jefferson 70.52% (1220) 9.71% (168) 13.99% (242) 5.78% (100) White 65.47% (3638) 12.13% (674) 16.63% (924) 5.78% (321)
Johnson 65.81% (512) 13.88% (108) 13.24% (103) 7.07% (55) Woodruff 57.89% (11) 10.53% (2) 21.05% (4) 10.53% (2)
Lafayette 71.82% (288) 9.98% (40) 14.71% (59) 3.49% (14) Yell 68.72% (681) 13.22% (131) 12.21% (121) 5.85% (58)
Lawrence 66.09% (269) 13.02% (53) 14.50% (59) 6.39% (26)

General election

Candidate Ballot Access:

  • Mitt Romney/Paul Ryan, Republican
  • Barack Obama/Joseph Biden, Democratic
  • Gary Johnson/James P. Gray, Libertarian
  • Jill Stein/Cheri Honkala, Green
  • Peta Lindsay/Yari Osorio, Socialism and Liberation

Results

2012 United States presidential election in Arkansas[8]
Party Candidate Running mate Votes Percentage Electoral votes
Republican Mitt Romney Paul Ryan 647,744 60.57% 6
Democratic Barack Obama (incumbent) Joe Biden (incumbent) 394,409 36.88% 0
Libertarian Gary Johnson Jim Gray 16,276 1.52% 0
Green Jill Stein Cheri Honkala 9,305 0.87% 0
Socialism and Liberation Peta Lindsay Yari Osorio 1,734 0.16% 0
Totals 1,069,468 100.00% 6

By county

County Mitt Romney
Republican
Barack Obama
Democratic
Various candidates
Other parties
Margin Total
# % # % # % # %
Arkansas 3,897 60.01% 2,455 37.80% 142 2.19% 1,442 22.21% 6,494
Ashley 4,867 61.44% 2,859 36.09% 195 2.47% 2,008 25.35% 7,921
Baxter 13,688 70.78% 5,172 26.74% 479 2.48% 8,516 44.04% 19,339
Benton 54,646 68.95% 22,636 28.56% 1,975 2.49% 32,010 40.39% 79,257
Boone 11,159 72.50% 3,772 24.51% 460 2.99% 7,387 47.99% 15,391
Bradley 2,134 58.43% 1,449 39.68% 69 1.89% 685 18.75% 3,652
Calhoun 1,458 67.07% 660 30.36% 56 2.57% 798 36.71% 2,174
Carroll 6,125 60.15% 3,696 36.30% 362 3.55% 2,429 23.85% 10,183
Chicot 1,670 38.29% 2,649 60.74% 42 0.97% -979 -22.45% 4,361
Clark 4,343 51.65% 3,811 45.32% 255 3.03% 532 6.33% 8,409
Clay 3,225 63.11% 1,738 34.01% 147 2.88% 1,487 29.10% 5,110
Cleburne 8,693 74.64% 2,620 22.50% 334 2.86% 6,073 52.14% 11,647
Cleveland 2,313 70.82% 845 25.87% 108 3.31% 1,468 44.95% 3,266
Columbia 5,790 61.24% 3,557 37.62% 108 1.14% 2,233 23.62% 9,455
Conway 4,514 58.40% 3,005 38.87% 211 2.73% 1,509 19.53% 7,730
Craighead 20,350 64.20% 10,527 33.21% 823 2.59% 9,823 30.99% 31,700
Crawford 15,145 73.55% 4,881 23.70% 565 2.75% 10,264 49.85% 20,591
Crittenden 6,998 41.86% 9,487 56.75% 231 1.39% -2,489 -14.89% 16,716
Cross 4,269 63.90% 2,279 34.11% 133 1.99% 1,990 29.79% 6,681
Dallas 1,665 53.99% 1,337 43.35% 82 2.66% 328 10.64% 3,084
Desha 1,896 42.90% 2,443 55.27% 81 1.83% -547 -12.37% 4,420
Drew 3,887 58.60% 2,630 39.65% 116 1.75% 1,257 18.95% 6,633
Faulkner 26,722 64.45% 13,621 32.85% 1,117 2.70% 13,101 31.60% 41,460
Franklin 4,631 70.81% 1,726 26.39% 183 2.80% 2,905 44.42% 6,540
Fulton 2,949 65.21% 1,452 32.11% 121 2.68% 1,497 33.10% 4,522
Garland 26,014 63.87% 13,804 33.89% 910 2.24% 12,210 29.98% 40,728
Grant 4,829 74.53% 1,468 22.66% 182 2.81% 3,361 51.87% 6,479
Greene 9,071 65.92% 4,000 29.07% 690 5.01% 5,071 36.85% 13,761
Hempstead 4,284 61.90% 2,468 35.66% 169 2.44% 1,816 26.24% 6,921
Hot Spring 7,097 63.03% 3,830 34.01% 333 2.96% 3,267 29.02% 11,260
Howard 2,892 64.81% 1,471 32.97% 99 2.22% 1,421 31.84% 4,462
Independence 8,728 70.40% 3,281 26.47% 388 3.13% 5,447 43.93% 12,397
Izard 3,575 67.73% 1,524 28.87% 179 3.40% 2,051 38.86% 5,278
Jackson 3,072 57.45% 2,095 39.18% 180 3.37% 977 18.27% 5,347
Jefferson 9,520 34.77% 17,470 63.80% 393 1.43% -7,950 -29.03% 27,383
Johnson 5,064 62.53% 2,799 34.56% 235 2.91% 2,265 27.97% 8,098
Lafayette 1,713 58.48% 1,173 40.05% 43 1.47% 540 18.43% 2,929
Lawrence 3,536 63.83% 1,788 32.27% 216 3.90% 1,748 31.56% 5,540
Lee 1,280 37.38% 2,107 61.54% 37 1.08% -827 -24.16% 3,424
Lincoln 2,199 59.02% 1,425 38.24% 102 2.74% 774 20.78% 3,726
Little River 3,385 67.02% 1,552 30.73% 114 2.25% 1,833 36.29% 5,051
Logan 5,079 69.28% 2,009 27.40% 243 3.32% 3,070 41.88% 7,331
Lonoke 17,880 74.15% 5,625 23.33% 609 2.52% 12,255 50.82% 24,114
Madison 4,263 64.91% 2,099 31.96% 206 3.13% 2,164 32.95% 6,568
Marion 4,774 67.71% 2,037 28.89% 240 3.40% 2,737 38.82% 7,051
Miller 10,622 69.29% 4,518 29.47% 189 1.24% 6,104 39.82% 15,329
Mississippi 6,603 49.37% 6,467 48.35% 305 2.28% 136 1.02% 13,375
Monroe 1,585 49.07% 1,583 49.01% 62 1.92% 2 0.06% 3,230
Montgomery 2,369 69.59% 920 27.03% 115 3.38% 1,449 42.56% 3,404
Nevada 1,996 58.98% 1,314 38.83% 74 2.19% 682 20.15% 3,384
Newton 2,508 68.51% 993 27.12% 160 4.37% 1,515 41.39% 3,661
Ouachita 5,521 53.52% 4,633 44.92% 161 1.56% 888 8.60% 10,315
Perry 2,581 65.54% 1,187 30.14% 170 4.32% 1,394 35.40% 3,938
Phillips 2,598 32.76% 5,202 65.60% 130 1.64% -2,604 -32.84% 7,930
Pike 2,847 75.16% 851 22.47% 90 2.37% 1,996 52.69% 3,788
Poinsett 4,974 65.79% 2,390 31.61% 196 2.60% 2,584 34.18% 7,560
Polk 5,955 77.08% 1,556 20.14% 215 2.78% 4,399 56.94% 7,726
Pope 14,763 72.23% 5,126 25.08% 550 2.69% 9,637 47.15% 20,439
Prairie 2,153 68.55% 880 28.02% 108 3.43% 1,273 40.53% 3,141
Pulaski 68,984 43.28% 87,248 54.74% 3,149 1.98% -18,264 -11.46% 159,381
Randolph 3,701 62.14% 2,046 34.35% 209 3.51% 1,655 27.79% 5,956
St. Francis 3,368 40.28% 4,910 58.72% 84 1.00% -1,542 -18.44% 8,362
Saline 32,963 70.04% 12,869 27.34% 1,230 2.62% 20,094 42.70% 47,062
Scott 2,631 72.28% 897 24.64% 112 3.08% 1,734 47.64% 3,640
Searcy 2,699 73.06% 814 22.04% 181 4.90% 1,885 51.02% 3,694
Sebastian 29,169 67.27% 13,092 30.19% 1,101 2.54% 16,077 37.08% 43,362
Sevier 3,136 72.42% 1,042 24.06% 152 3.52% 2,094 48.36% 4,330
Sharp 4,921 67.57% 2,092 28.72% 270 3.71% 2,829 38.85% 7,283
Stone 3,776 70.53% 1,356 25.33% 222 4.14% 2,420 45.20% 5,354
Union 10,699 62.29% 6,196 36.07% 282 1.64% 4,503 26.22% 17,177
Van Buren 4,365 67.88% 1,832 28.49% 233 3.63% 2,533 39.39% 6,430
Washington 39,688 56.33% 28,236 40.07% 2,536 3.60% 11,452 16.26% 70,460
White 20,011 75.47% 5,765 21.74% 738 2.79% 14,246 53.73% 26,514
Woodruff 1,227 45.70% 1,340 49.91% 118 4.39% -113 -4.21% 2,685
Yell 4,042 67.66% 1,722 28.82% 210 3.52% 2,320 38.84% 5,974
Totals 647,744 60.57% 394,409 36.88% 27,315 2.55% 253,335 23.69% 1,069,468

By congressional district

Romney won all four of the state's congressional districts.[9]

District Romney Obama Representative
1st 60.98% 36.33% Rick Crawford
2nd 54.75% 42.9% Timothy Griffin
3rd 65.47% 31.6% Steve Womack
4th 61.83% 35.88% Tom Cotton

See also

References

  1. ^ "Arkansas State General Election November 6, 2012". Arkansas Secretary of State. Retrieved November 22, 2012.
  2. ^ a b Brantley, Max (June 17, 2012). "Democratic convention delegates chosen". Arkansas Times. Retrieved August 7, 2012.
  3. ^ "Arkansas Democratic Delegation 2008". The Green Papers. Retrieved February 1, 2008.
  4. ^ Pare, Mike (April 18, 2012). "John Wolfe cries foul in Louisiana primary". Chattanooga Times Free Press. WRCB. Retrieved May 2, 2012.
  5. ^ Tilove, Jonathan (April 23, 2012). "President Obama will clinch renomination Tuesday, but it may not be unanimous". The Times-Picayune. Retrieved May 2, 2012.
  6. ^ Candidate who won 42 percent in Arkansas Democratic primary sues for his delegates Archived 2012-05-26 at the Wayback Machine. Fox News. Retrieved May 26, 2012.
  7. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference Secretary was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  8. ^ "2012 Presidential General Election Results - Arkansas". Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections.
  9. ^ "Daily Kos Elections' statewide election results by congressional and legislative districts". Daily Kos. Retrieved August 11, 2020.

External links