2012 United States presidential election in Mississippi explained

See main article: 2012 United States presidential election.

Election Name:	2012 United States presidential election in Mississippi
Country:	Mississippi
Type:	presidential
Ongoing:	no
Previous Election:	2008 United States presidential election in Mississippi
Previous Year:	2008
Election Date:	November 6, 2012
Next Election:	2016 United States presidential election in Mississippi
Next Year:	2016
Image1:	Mitt_Romney_by_Gage_Skidmore_6_cropped.jpg
Nominee1:	Mitt Romney
Party1:	Republican Party (United States)
Home State1:	Massachusetts
Running Mate1:	Paul Ryan
Electoral Vote1:	6
Popular Vote1:	710,746
Percentage1:	55.29%
Nominee2:	Barack Obama
Party2:	Democratic Party (United States)
Home State2:	Illinois
Running Mate2:	Joe Biden
Electoral Vote2:	0
Popular Vote2:	562,949
Percentage2:	43.79%
Map Size:	300px
President
Before Election:	Barack Obama
Before Party:	Democratic Party (United States)
After Election:	Barack Obama
After Party:	Democratic Party (United States)
Flag Year:	2001

The 2012 United States presidential election in Mississippi took place on November 6, 2012, as part of the 2012 general election in which all 50 states plus the District of Columbia participated. Mississippi 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 won Mississippi with 55.29% of the popular vote to Obama and Biden's 43.79%, thus winning the state's six electoral votes by an 11.50% margin.^[1] Mississippi was one of just six states where Obama improved on his 2008 performance. According to exit polls, the black vote share in Mississippi increased from 33% in 2008 to 36% in 2012, likely explaining Obama's gains.^[2] This was the strongest showing for a Democratic presidential candidate in Mississippi since native Southerner Bill Clinton's 44.08% in 1996. Obama carried Warren County, becoming the first Democrat to do so since John F. Kennedy in 1960.^[3] He also managed to flip Benton County and improved his margins in Democratic counties throughout the state. As of the 2020 presidential election, this was the last time a Democratic presidential candidate has carried Benton, Chickasaw, and Panola counties. Obama's 562,949 votes is the highest total received by a Democratic presidential candidate in the state's history.

Primary elections

Democratic primary

Incumbent President Obama ran unopposed in the Mississippi primary and therefore received 100% of the vote.^[4]

Republican primary

Election Name:	Mississippi Republican primary, 2012
Flag Image:	Flag of Mississippi (2001–2020).svg
Type:	presidential
Ongoing:	no
Previous Election:	Mississippi Republican primary, 2008
Previous Year:	2008
Next Election:	Mississippi Republican primary, 2016
Next Year:	2016
Image1:	Rick Santorum by Gage Skidmore.jpg
Candidate1:	Rick Santorum
Home State1:	Pennsylvania
Delegate Count1:	13
Popular Vote1:	96,258
Percentage1:	32.73%
Map Size:	250px
Candidate2:	Newt Gingrich
Home State2:	Georgia
Delegate Count2:	12
Popular Vote2:	91,612
Percentage2:	31.15%
Color1:	008000
Color2:	800080
Candidate3:	Mitt Romney
Color3:	ff6600
Delegate Count3:	12
Home State3:	Massachusetts
Image3:	Mitt_Romney_by_Gage_Skidmore_6_cropped.jpg
Percentage3:	30.66%
Popular Vote3:	90,161

The Republican primary took place on March 13, 2012, the same day as the Alabama Republican primary and the Hawaii Republican caucuses.^[5] ^[6] After the open election, 37 bound delegates and three unbound delegates will go to the Republican National Convention.^[7]

Mississippi Republican primary, 2012^[8] ^[9]
Candidate	Votes	Percentage	Delegates
Rick Santorum	96,258	32.73%	13
Newt Gingrich	91,612	31.15%	12
Mitt Romney	90,161	30.66%	14
Ron Paul	12,955	4.40%	0
Rick Perry	1,350	0.46%	0
Michele Bachmann	971	0.33%	0
Jon Huntsman, Jr.	413	0.14%	0
Gary Johnson	392	0.13%	0
Unprojected delegates:			3
Total:	294,112	100%	40

General election

Results

2012 United States presidential election in Mississippi
Party		Candidate	Running mate	Votes	Percentage	Electoral votes
	Republican	Mitt Romney	Paul Ryan	710,746	55.29%	6
	Democratic	Barack Obama (incumbent)	Joe Biden (incumbent)	562,949	43.79%	0
	Libertarian	Gary Johnson	Jim Gray	6,676	0.52%	0
	Constitution	Virgil Goode	Jim Clymer	2,609	0.20%	0
	Green	Jill Stein	Cheri Honkala	1,588	0.12%	0
	Reform	Barbara Dale Washer	Cathy L. Toole	1,016	0.08%	0
Totals				1,285,584	100.00%	6

By county

County	Mitt Romney Republican		Barack Obama Democratic		Various candidates Other parties		Margin		Total
County		%		%		%		%	Total
	Adams		6,293		40.74%		9,061		58.66%	93	0.60%	-2,768	-17.92%	15,447
	Alcorn		11,111		74.92%		3,511		23.67%	208	1.41%	7,600	51.25%	14,830
	Amite		4,414		57.28%		3,242		42.07%	50	0.65%	1,172	15.21%	7,706
	Attala		5,126		56.38%		3,927		43.19%	39	0.43%	1,199	13.19%	9,092
	Benton		2,041		49.59%		2,051		49.83%	24	0.58%	-10	-0.24%	4,116
	Bolivar		4,701		30.47%		10,582		68.59%	145	0.94%	-5,881	-38.12%	15,428
	Calhoun		4,412		62.42%		2,586		36.59%	70	0.99%	1,826	25.83%	7,068
	Carroll		3,960		66.09%		2,007		33.49%	25	0.42%	1,953	32.60%	5,992
	Chickasaw		3,994		46.97%		4,378		51.49%	131	1.54%	-384	-4.52%	8,503
	Choctaw		2,812		65.81%		1,428		33.42%	33	0.77%	1,384	32.39%	4,273
	Claiborne		625		11.40%		4,838		88.22%	21	0.38%	-4,213	-76.82%	5,484
	Clarke		5,049		61.18%		3,111		37.70%	93	1.12%	1,938	23.48%	8,253
	Clay		4,291		38.76%		6,712		60.62%	69	0.62%	-2,421	-21.86%	11,072
	Coahoma		2,712		25.71%		7,792		73.86%	45	0.43%	-5,080	-48.15%	10,549
	Copiah		6,282		44.48%		7,749		54.87%	92	0.65%	-1,467	-10.39%	14,123
	Covington		5,405		57.82%		3,878		41.48%	65	0.70%	1,527	16.34%	9,348
	DeSoto		43,559		66.21%		21,575		32.79%	660	1.00%	21,984	33.42%	65,794
	Forrest		16,574		54.82%		13,272		43.89%	390	1.29%	3,302	10.93%	30,236
	Franklin		2,735		60.87%		1,726		38.42%	32	0.71%	1,009	22.45%	4,493
	George		8,376		84.98%		1,359		13.79%	121	1.23%	7,017	71.19%	9,856
	Greene		4,531		76.51%		1,325		22.37%	66	1.12%	3,206	54.14%	5,922
	Grenada		5,986		52.81%		5,288		46.65%	61	0.54%	698	6.16%	11,335
	Hancock		12,964		75.52%		3,917		22.82%	286	1.66%	9,047	52.70%	17,167
	Harrison		39,470		62.33%		23,119		36.51%	739	1.16%	16,351	25.82%	63,328
	Hinds		29,664		27.86%		76,112		71.47%	715	0.67%	-46,448	-43.61%	106,491
	Holmes		1,435		15.45%		7,812		84.11%	41	0.44%	-6,377	-68.66%	9,288
	Humphreys		1,293		24.81%		3,903		74.88%	16	0.31%	-2,610	-50.07%	5,212
	Issaquena		302		38.37%		479		60.86%	6	0.77%	-177	-22.49%	787
	Itawamba		7,393		79.34%		1,706		18.31%	219	2.35%	5,687	61.03%	9,318
	Jackson		35,747		66.62%		17,299		32.24%	609	1.14%	18,448	34.38%	53,655
	Jasper		4,193		44.89%		5,097		54.57%	50	0.54%	-904	-9.68%	9,340
	Jefferson		468		10.56%		3,951		89.13%	14	0.31%	-3,483	-78.57%	4,433
	Jefferson Davis		2,507		36.52%		4,267		62.16%	90	1.32%	-1,760	-25.64%	6,864
	Jones		20,687		68.59%		9,211		30.54%	261	0.87%	11,476	38.05%	30,159
	Kemper		1,789		35.41%		3,239		64.11%	24	0.48%	-1,450	-28.70%	5,052
	Lafayette		11,075		56.78%		8,091		41.48%	339	1.74%	2,984	15.30%	19,505
	Lamar		19,101		76.74%		5,494		22.07%	294	1.19%	13,607	54.67%	24,889
	Lauderdale		18,700		57.05%		13,814		42.15%	263	0.80%	4,886	14.90%	32,777
	Lawrence		4,192		62.59%		2,468		36.85%	38	0.56%	1,724	25.74%	6,698
	Leake		4,863		54.14%		4,079		45.41%	41	0.45%	784	8.73%	8,983
	Lee		22,415		63.49%		12,563		35.58%	328	0.93%	9,852	27.91%	35,306
	Leflore		3,587		28.08%		9,119		71.39%	67	0.53%	-5,532	-43.31%	12,773
	Lincoln		10,839		66.04%		5,471		33.33%	104	0.63%	5,368	32.71%	16,414
	Lowndes		13,518		49.78%		13,388		49.30%	252	0.92%	130	0.48%	27,158
	Madison		28,507		57.51%		20,722		41.80%	342	0.69%	7,785	15.71%	49,571
	Marion		8,237		64.71%		4,393		34.51%	99	0.78%	3,844	30.20%	12,729
	Marshall		6,473		39.86%		9,650		59.42%	117	0.72%	-3,177	-19.56%	16,240
	Monroe		9,723		57.47%		7,056		41.71%	139	0.82%	2,667	15.76%	16,918
	Montgomery		2,947		52.21%		2,675		47.39%	23	0.40%	272	4.82%	5,645
	Neshoba		7,837		71.15%		3,089		28.04%	89	0.81%	4,748	43.11%	11,015
	Newton		6,394		65.40%		3,319		33.95%	64	0.65%	3,075	31.45%	9,777
	Noxubee		1,325		21.15%		4,920		78.54%	19	0.31%	-3,595	-57.39%	6,264
	Oktibbeha		8,761		48.36%		9,095		50.20%	261	1.44%	-334	-1.84%	18,117
	Panola		7,629		45.34%		9,079		53.96%	118	0.70%	-1,450	-8.62%	16,826
	Pearl River		17,549		78.96%		4,366		19.65%	309	1.39%	13,183	59.31%	22,224
	Perry		4,137		72.30%		1,527		26.69%	58	1.01%	2,610	45.61%	5,722
	Pike		8,181		45.52%		9,650		53.69%	143	0.79%	-1,469	-8.17%	17,974
	Pontotoc		9,448		76.13%		2,804		22.59%	159	1.28%	6,644	53.54%	12,411
	Prentiss		7,075		70.52%		2,817		28.08%	141	1.40%	4,258	42.44%	10,033
	Quitman		1,116		28.05%		2,837		71.30%	26	0.65%	-1,721	-43.25%	3,979
	Rankin		48,444		75.52%		14,988		23.37%	713	1.11%	33,456	52.15%	64,145
	Scott		6,089		54.36%		5,031		44.91%	82	0.73%	1,058	9.45%	11,202
	Sharkey		737		29.11%		1,782		70.38%	13	0.51%	-1,045	-41.27%	2,532
	Simpson		7,424		60.61%		4,723		38.56%	102	0.83%	2,701	22.05%	12,249
	Smith		6,049		74.69%		1,979		24.44%	71	0.87%	4,070	50.25%	8,099
	Stone		5,420		71.96%		2,003		26.59%	109	1.45%	3,417	45.37%	7,532
	Sunflower		2,929		26.09%		8,199		73.02%	100	0.89%	-5,270	-46.93%	11,228
	Tallahatchie		2,499		38.43%		3,959		60.88%	45	0.69%	-1,460	-22.45%	6,503
	Tate		7,332		59.10%		4,933		39.76%	141	1.14%	2,399	19.34%	12,406
	Tippah		6,717		73.30%		2,317		25.28%	130	1.42%	4,400	48.02%	9,164
	Tishomingo		6,133		77.28%		1,643		20.70%	160	2.02%	4,490	56.58%	7,936
	Tunica		883		20.15%		3,475		79.30%	24	0.55%	-2,592	-59.15%	4,382
	Union		8,498		74.77%		2,742		24.13%	125	1.10%	5,756	50.64%	11,365
	Walthall		4,051		53.65%		3,422		45.32%	78	1.03%	629	8.33%	7,551
	Warren		10,457		48.89%		10,786		50.42%	148	0.69%	-329	-1.53%	21,391
	Washington		5,651		28.66%		13,981		70.92%	83	0.42%	-8,330	-42.26%	19,715
	Wayne		6,111		59.15%		4,148		40.15%	73	0.70%	1,963	19.00%	10,332
	Webster		3,992		76.27%		1,190		22.74%	52	0.99%	2,802	53.53%	5,234
	Wilkinson		1,415		29.16%		3,412		70.31%	26	0.53%	-1,997	-41.15%	4,853
	Winston		5,168		52.58%		4,607		46.87%	54	0.55%	561	5.71%	9,829
	Yalobusha		3,276		51.56%		3,030		47.69%	48	0.75%	246	3.87%	6,354
	Yazoo		4,941		42.52%		6,603		56.82%	76	0.66%	-1,662	-14.30%	11,620
Totals	710,746	55.29%	562,949	43.79%	11,889	0.92%	147,797	11.50%	1,285,584

Counties that flipped from Republican to Democratic

Benton (largest town: Hickory Flat)
Warren (largest city: Vicksburg)

By congressional district

Romney won 3 of 4 congressional districts.^[10]

Obama	Representative
61.87%	37%	Alan Nunnelee
33%	66.4%	Bennie Thompson
60%	39.1%	Gregg Harper
67.6%	31.24%	Steven Palazzo

External links

The Green Papers

for Mississippi

The Green Papers

Major state elections in chronological order

Notes and References

Web site: 2012 Presidential Election Results - Mississippi . 5 January 2013.
Web site: 2012 Exit Polls - Mississippi . . 5 January 2013.
Web site: Kestenbaum . Lawrence . Lawrence Kestenbaum . Warren County, Mississippi . 2022-12-29 . The Political Graveyard.
Web site: Mississippi Democratic Delegation 2012 . 2019-08-01 . The Green Papers.
News: Primary and Caucus Printable Calendar . . January 11, 2012.
News: Presidential Primary Dates . . January 23, 2012.
Web site: Mississippi Republican Delegation 2012 . www.thegreenpapers.com.
Web site: Republican%20Certification_2012%20Primary.pdf .
News: Mississippi Republican Primary - Election Results - Election 2012 . The New York Times .
Web site: Daily Kos Elections' statewide election results by congressional and legislative districts. Daily Kos. 11 August 2020.