2012 United States presidential election in Tennessee explained

See main article: 2012 United States presidential election.

Election Name:2012 United States presidential election in Tennessee
Country:Tennessee
Type:presidential
Ongoing:no
Previous Election:2008 United States presidential election in Tennessee
Previous Year:2008
Next Election:2016 United States presidential election in Tennessee
Next Year:2016
Election Date:November 6, 2012
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 Vote1:11
Popular Vote1:1,462,330
Percentage1:59.42%
Nominee2:Barack Obama
Party2:Democratic Party (United States)
Home State2:Illinois
Running Mate2:Joe Biden
Electoral Vote2:0
Popular Vote2:960,709
Percentage2:39.04%
President
Before Election:Barack Obama
Before Party:Democratic Party (United States)
After Election:Barack Obama
After Party:Democratic Party (United States)
Turnout:61.86% [1] 4.48 pp

The 2012 United States presidential election in Tennessee was held on November 6, 2012, as part of the 2012 United States presidential election in which all 50 states plus the District of Columbia participated. Tennessee voters chose 11 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 easily carried Tennessee's 11 electoral votes, winning 59.42% of the vote in the state to Obama's 39.04%.[2] Romney's 20.38% margin of victory was the strongest performance by any presidential candidate in the state since Richard Nixon's 1972 landslide. Tennessee has not voted for a Democratic presidential nominee since 1996, when Bill Clinton won the state and many other states of the South, and Tennessee has not given a majority to a Democratic nominee since fellow Southerner Jimmy Carter carried it in 1976. Thus, Tennessee has been seen as part of the modern-day red wall in the 21st century. After 1996, the state has been growing more Republican with each election.[3]

As consistent with the rest of the country, Obama carried heavily populated and diverse counties. The largest county, Shelby, was won by Obama by a 26.05% margin due to it being home to Memphis, Tennessee's largest city. In addition, the home of the state capital of Nashville, Davidson County, went to Obama by 18.53%. Hardeman and Haywood counties, both low-populated suburbs of Memphis, also went to Obama due to their high African American populations (42.2%[4] and 50.6%,[5] respectively). However, rural areas – including areas in the northwestern portion of the state that had long favored Democratic candidates – saw heavy margins for Romney, allowing him to offset Obama's wins in large cities. The eastern region of the state in Appalachia, some of the most historically Republican and Unionist counties in the country, saw margins of over 70% for the Republican ticket.[6]

Romney also flipped two counties, Houston and Jackson, to the Republican column. Both of these majority-white counties had been Democratic strongholds with their strong ties to secessionism: they had each only voted for a Republican presidential nominee once prior to this election, in 1928 and 1920, respectively.[7] Thus, Obama became the first Democrat to be elected without either county. As of the 2020 presidential election, this is the last time in which Hardeman County was won by the Democratic presidential nominee. This is also the first and only time that a Democratic president has won re-election without ever carrying Tennessee.

Primary elections

Democratic primary

See main article: 2012 Tennessee Democratic presidential primary.

Election Name:Tennessee Democratic primary, 2012
Country:Tennessee
Type:presidential
Ongoing:no
Previous Election:2008 Tennessee Democratic presidential primary
Previous Year:2008
Next Election:2016 Tennessee Democratic presidential primary
Next Year:2016
Candidate1:Barack Obama
Color1:017dcf
Home State1:Illinois
Popular Vote1:80,357
Percentage1:88.48%
Delegate Count1:82
Candidate2:Uncommitted
Color2:000000
Popular Vote2:10,497
Percentage2:11.51%
Delegate Count2:0

The 2012 democratic primary in Tennessee took place on Super Tuesday, March 6, 2012, with Barack Obama receiving 80,355 (88.5%) votes. Other candidates received a combined total of 10,411 (11.5%) votes.[8] Tennessee had a total of 91 delegates to the 2012 Democratic National Convention, of which 82 were pledged to presidential contenders depending on the popular vote. The remaining 9 super-delegates were unbound.

Tennessee Democratic primary, 2012[9]
CandidatePopular voteDelegates
CountPercentagePledged delegatesSuper delegatesTotal delegates
Barack Obama (incumbent)80,70588.48%82991
Uncommitted10,49711.51%000
John Wolfe Jr. (write-in)70.00%000
Total:91,209100%82991

Republican primary

See main article: 2012 Tennessee Republican presidential primary.

Election Name:Tennessee Republican primary, 2012
Country:Tennessee
Type:presidential
Ongoing:no
Previous Election:2008 United States presidential election in Tennessee
Previous Year:2008
Next Election:2016 United States presidential election in Tennessee
Next Year:2016
Image1:Rick Santorum by Gage Skidmore.jpg
Candidate1:Rick Santorum
Home State1:Pennsylvania
Delegate Count1:29
Popular Vote1:205,809
Percentage1:37.11%
Map Size:300px
Candidate2:Mitt Romney
Home State2:Massachusetts
Delegate Count2:14
Popular Vote2:155,630
Percentage2:28.06%
Image4:Newt Gingrich by Gage Skidmore 3 (cropped).jpg
Candidate4:Newt Gingrich
Home State4:Georgia
Delegate Count4:9
Popular Vote4:132,889
Percentage4:23.96%
Image5:Ron Paul by Gage Skidmore 3 (crop 2).jpg
Candidate5:Ron Paul
Home State5:Texas
Delegate Count5:0
Popular Vote5:50,156
Percentage5:9.04%
Color1:008000
Color2:ff6600
Color4:800080
Color5:ffcc00

The Republican primary took place on Super Tuesday, March 6, 2012.[10] [11]

Tennessee has 58 delegates to the 2012 Republican National Convention. Three superdelegates are unbound. 27 delegates are awarded by congressional district, 3 delegates for each district. If a candidate wins two-thirds of the vote in a district, he takes all 3 delegates there; if not, delegates are split 2-to-1 between the top two candidates. Another 28 delegates are awarded to the candidate who wins two-thirds of the vote statewide, or allocated proportionately among candidates winning at least 20% of the vote if no one gets two-thirds.[12]

Former Senator from Pennsylvania Rick Santorum won the primary with a plurality, carrying 37.11% of the vote and all but four counties, awarding him 29 delegates. Former Massachusetts Governor and eventual nominee, Mitt Romney, came second with 28.06% of the vote and 19 delegates. He carried only three counties: Davidson, Loudon, and Williamson. Former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Newt Gingrich of neighboring Georgia, came third with 23.96% of the vote and 9 delegates, carrying only the county of Marion. Representative from Texas Ron Paul received 9.04% of the vote and all other candidates received under 1% of the vote.[13]

Results

Tennessee Republican primary, 2012[14]
CandidateVotesPercentageProjected delegate count
NYT
[15] 		CNN
[16] 		FOX
[17]
Rick Santorum205,80937.11% 292726
Mitt Romney155,630 28.06%141512
Newt Gingrich132,889 23.96%989
Ron Paul50,1569.04%000
Rick Perry (withdrawn)1,9660.35%000
Michele Bachmann (withdrawn)1,8950.34%000
Jon Huntsman (withdrawn)1,2390.22%000
Buddy Roemer (withdrawn)881 0.16%000
Gary Johnson (withdrawn)572 0.10%000
Uncommitted3,5360.64%000
Unprojected delegates:689
Total:554,573100.00%585858

General election

Results

United States presidential election in Tennessee, 2012
PartyCandidateRunning mateVotesPercentageElectoral votes
RepublicanMitt RomneyPaul Ryan1,462,33059.42%11
DemocraticBarack Obama (incumbent)Joe Biden (incumbent)960,70939.04%0
LibertarianGary JohnsonJim Gray18,6230.67%0
GreenJill SteinCheri Honkala6,5150.26%0
ConstitutionVirgil GoodeJim Clymer6,0220.24%0
JusticeRocky AndersonLuis J. Rodriguez2,6390.11%0
American Third PositionMerlin MillerVirginia D. Abernethy1,7390.07%0
Totals2,458,577100.00%11

By county

CountyMitt Romney
Republican		Barack Obama
Democratic		Various candidates
Other parties		MarginTotal
%%%%
Anderson18,96863.95%10,12234.13%5691.92%8,84629.82%29,659
Bedford10,03469.46%4,21129.15%2001.39%5,82340.31%14,445
Benton3,85061.84%2,25836.27%1181.89%1,59225.57%6,226
Bledsoe3,02269.33%1,26729.07%701.60%1,75540.26%4,359
Blount35,44171.98%12,93426.27%8591.75%22,50745.71%49,234
Bradley27,42275.97%8,03722.27%6371.76%19,38553.70%36,096
Campbell8,60471.10%3,32827.50%1691.40%5,27643.60%12,101
Cannon3,30966.54%1,56431.45%1002.01%1,74535.09%4,973
Carroll7,22566.58%3,47532.02%1511.40%3,75034.56%10,851
Carter15,50375.20%4,78923.23%3251.57%10,71451.97%20,617
Cheatham10,26867.63%4,65930.69%2551.68%5,60936.94%15,182
Chester4,68473.07%1,62425.34%1021.59%3,06047.73%6,410
Claiborne7,61774.84%2,43323.90%1281.26%5,18450.94%10,178
Clay1,74761.95%1,03736.77%361.28%71025.18%2,820
Cocke8,45973.85%2,80424.48%1911.67%5,65549.37%11,454
Coffee13,02367.62%5,87030.48%3661.90%7,15337.14%19,259
Crockett3,78368.81%1,66930.36%460.83%2,11438.45%5,498
Cumberland18,65373.73%6,26124.75%3841.52%12,39248.98%25,298
Davidson97,62239.76%143,12058.29%4,7921.95%-45,498-18.53%245,534
Decatur2,87467.61%1,30330.65%741.74%1,57136.96%4,251
DeKalb4,14364.40%2,17433.79%1161.81%1,96930.61%6,433
Dickson11,29663.34%6,23334.95%3061.71%5,06328.39%17,835
Dyer9,92171.81%3,75727.19%1381.00%6,16444.62%13,816
Fayette12,68964.83%6,68834.17%1971.00%6,00130.66%19,574
Fentress5,24376.04%1,56122.64%911.32%3,68253.40%6,895
Franklin10,26263.66%5,60334.76%2541.58%4,65928.90%16,119
Gibson12,88365.51%6,56433.38%2201.11%6,31932.13%19,667
Giles6,91564.03%3,76034.82%1241.15%3,15529.21%10,799
Grainger5,47075.43%1,66823.00%1141.57%3,80252.43%7,252
Greene17,24572.19%6,22526.06%4171.75%11,02046.13%23,887
Grundy2,51659.38%1,64338.78%781.84%87320.60%4,237
Hamblen14,52272.49%5,23426.13%2761.38%9,28846.36%20,032
Hamilton79,93356.39%58,83641.51%2,9722.10%21,09714.88%141,741
Hancock1,52774.63%47523.22%442.15%1,05251.41%2,046
Hardeman4,86546.60%5,48252.51%920.89%-617-5.91%10,439
Hardin7,88675.14%2,46723.51%1421.35%5,41951.63%10,495
Hawkins14,38272.50%5,08825.65%3671.85%9,29446.85%19,837
Haywood2,96039.11%4,56960.36%400.53%-1,609-21.25%7,569
Henderson7,42173.80%2,51725.03%1171.17%4,90448.77%10,055
Henry8,19364.31%4,33934.06%2071.63%3,85430.25%12,739
Hickman4,75862.59%2,69835.49%1461.92%2,06027.10%7,602
Houston1,57952.16%1,40046.25%481.59%1795.91%3,027
Humphreys3,83355.85%2,90542.33%1251.82%92813.52%6,863
Jackson2,38356.96%1,73941.56%621.48%64415.40%4,184
Jefferson13,03874.25%4,23224.10%2891.65%8,80650.15%17,559
Johnson4,61174.44%1,48323.94%1001.62%3,12850.50%6,194
Knox109,70763.60%59,39934.43%3,4011.97%50,30829.17%172,507
Lake1,16355.73%88442.36%401.91%27913.37%2,087
Lauderdale4,61653.12%4,01146.16%620.72%6056.96%8,689
Lawrence10,77070.77%4,23727.84%2121.39%6,53342.93%15,219
Lewis3,11766.40%1,44730.83%1302.77%1,67035.57%4,694
Lincoln9,80373.88%3,29024.80%1751.32%6,51349.08%13,268
Loudon16,70775.69%5,05822.91%3081.40%11,64952.78%22,073
Macon5,26076.18%1,55222.48%931.34%3,70853.70%6,905
Madison21,99354.03%18,36745.13%3420.84%3,6268.90%40,702
Marion6,27260.26%3,95337.98%1841.76%2,31922.28%10,409
Marshall6,83263.61%3,72534.68%1841.71%3,10728.93%10,741
Maury20,70862.74%11,82535.83%4731.43%8,88326.91%33,006
McMinn12,96772.71%4,60925.84%2581.45%8,35846.87%17,834
McNairy7,01571.57%2,64526.98%1421.45%4,37044.59%9,802
Meigs2,73468.97%1,16329.34%671.69%1,57139.63%3,964
Monroe11,73171.80%4,37226.76%2351.44%7,35945.04%16,338
Montgomery30,24554.28%24,49943.97%9761.75%5,74610.31%55,720
Moore2,05373.35%70525.19%411.46%1,34848.16%2,799
Morgan4,66971.79%1,72526.52%1101.69%2,94445.27%6,504
Obion8,81471.68%3,32127.01%1621.31%5,49344.67%12,297
Overton4,77562.30%2,80536.60%841.10%1,97025.70%7,664
Perry1,57860.21%99237.85%511.94%58622.36%2,621
Pickett1,71269.79%71229.03%291.18%1,00040.76%2,453
Polk4,10867.80%1,85630.63%951.57%2,25237.17%6,059
Putnam17,25467.66%7,80230.60%4441.74%9,45237.06%25,500
Rhea7,80273.67%2,62824.82%1601.51%5,17448.85%10,590
Roane14,72469.82%6,01828.53%3481.65%8,70641.29%21,090
Robertson17,64367.11%8,29031.53%3561.36%9,35335.58%26,289
Rutherford60,84661.56%36,41436.84%1,5881.60%24,43224.72%98,848
Scott5,11776.74%1,45221.78%991.48%3,66554.96%6,668
Sequatchie3,54168.72%1,48928.90%1232.38%2,05239.82%5,153
Sevier25,98476.73%7,41821.91%4621.36%18,56654.82%33,864
Shelby135,64936.50%232,44362.55%3,5240.95%-96,794-26.05%371,616
Smith4,49563.41%2,47034.84%1241.75%2,02528.57%7,089
Stewart2,96357.93%2,06940.45%831.62%89417.48%5,115
Sullivan43,56272.74%15,32125.58%1,0041.68%28,24147.16%59,887
Sumner46,00370.28%18,57928.38%8751.34%27,42441.90%65,457
Tipton16,67269.23%7,13329.62%2761.15%9,53939.61%24,081
Trousdale1,61255.49%1,24042.69%531.82%37212.80%2,905
Unicoi5,03271.01%1,91327.00%1411.99%3,11944.01%7,086
Union4,28273.35%1,47825.32%781.33%2,80448.03%5,838
Van Buren1,38660.26%87538.04%391.70%51122.22%2,300
Warren8,01061.54%4,75236.51%2531.95%3,25825.03%13,015
Washington32,80868.30%14,32529.82%8991.88%18,48338.48%48,032
Wayne4,25377.52%1,16321.20%701.28%3,09056.32%5,486
Weakley8,60569.75%3,54828.76%1841.49%5,05740.99%12,337
White6,19767.80%2,79530.58%1481.62%3,40237.22%9,140
Williamson69,85072.59%25,14226.13%1,2331.28%44,70846.46%96,225
Wilson36,10969.98%14,69528.48%7931.54%21,41441.50%51,597
Totals1,462,33059.42%960,70939.04%37,8651.54%501,62120.38%2,460,904

Counties that flipped from Democratic to Republican

By congressional district

Mitt Romney swept the state and carried seven of the state's nine congressional districts, all represented by Republicans. Barack Obama carried the state's two congressional districts, the 5th and 9th, anchored by the two largest cities of Nashville and Memphis, respectively.[18]

DistrictRomneyObamaRepresentative
72.7%25.7%
Phil Roe
67.3%30.9%John J. Duncan, Jr.
63.3%35.1%Chuck Fleischmann
65.3%33.1%Scott DesJarlais
42.5%55.9%Jim Cooper
69.1%29.5%Diane Black
65.7%32.9%Marsha Blackburn
66.1%32.8%Stephen Fincher
20.9%78.3%Steve Cohen

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. News: November 6, 2012 . Tennessee Voter Turnout in 2012 . Tennessee Secretary of State . February 28, 2023.
  2. Web site: Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections - Tennessee. 4 January 2013.
  3. Web site: Moskowitz. Seth. March 2, 2020. The Road to 270: Tennessee. 2020-11-29. 270toWin.
  4. Web site: U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts: Hardeman County, Tennessee. November 29, 2020. United States Census Bureau. en.
  5. Web site: U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts: Haywood County, Tennessee. November 29, 2020. United States Census Bureau. en.
  6. Web site: Rothenberg. Stuart. October 3, 2017. What Happened to Mountain Republicans in the South?. November 29, 2020. Inside Elections. en.
  7. Web site: Skelley. Geoffrey. County winners, 1836-2016. November 29, 2020. Google Sheets. en-US.
  8. Web site: State of Tennessee Democratic presidential primary . 2016-09-17 . https://web.archive.org/web/20170212221358/http://share.tn.gov/sos/election/results/2012-03/DemPresStateCertCountyTotals.pdf . 2017-02-12 . dead .
  9. Web site: State of Tennessee March 6, 2012 Democratic Primary Presidential Preference. Tennessee Elections. Tennessee Secretary of State. September 17, 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20170212221358/http://share.tn.gov/sos/election/results/2012-03/DemPresStateCertCountyTotals.pdf. February 12, 2017. dead. mdy-all.
  10. News: Primary and Caucus Printable Calendar. CNN. January 12, 2012.
  11. News: Presidential Primary Dates. Federal Election Commission. January 23, 2012.
  12. News: . Romney Could Win Majority of Super Tuesday Delegates . FiveThirtyEight. March 4, 2012. March 5, 2012.
  13. News: Tennessee Republican Primary - Election Results. The New York Times. 2020-11-29. 0362-4331.
  14. Web site: Election results March 2012. County totals . 2012-03-29 . 2012-04-18 . https://web.archive.org/web/20120418185624/http://state.tn.us/sos/election/results/2012-03/RepPresStateCertCountyTotals.pdf . dead .
  15. Web site: Tennessee Republican Primary - Election Results. NYTimes.com.
  16. Web site: Tennessee - CNN. . 30 December 2022.
  17. Web site: Tennessee - Fox News . . 2012-03-29 . https://web.archive.org/web/20120407081053/http://www.foxnews.com/politics/elections/2012/tennessee-primary-super-tuesday . 2012-04-07 . dead .
  18. Web site: Daily Kos Elections' presidential results by congressional district for 2020, 2016, and 2012 . David . Nir . November 19, 2020 . Daily Kos.

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