United States presidential election in Kentucky, 2012

United States presidential election in Kentucky, 2012
Kentucky
November 6, 2012

 
Nominee Mitt Romney Barack Obama
Party Republican Democratic
Home state Massachusetts Illinois
Running mate Paul Ryan Joe Biden
Electoral vote 8 0
Popular vote 1,087,190 679,370
Percentage 60.49% 37.80%

County Results
  Obama—50-60%
  Obama—<50%
  Romney—50-60%
  Romney—60-70%
  Romney—70-80%
  Romney—80-90%

President before election

Barack Obama
Democratic

Elected President

Barack Obama
Democratic

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

On election day Romney carried Kentucky by a landslide margin, winning 60.49% of the vote to Barack Obama's 37.80%, a margin of 22.69%.

Although Kentucky had been won by Southern Democrat Bill Clinton twice in the 1990s, Obama was seen as a poor cultural fit for the state, and he did not compete here either time he ran.

The Romney campaign also attacked Obama's administration as being hostile to the coal industry, historically an important part of the state's economy, because of its environmental harm. Consequently, Obama suffered a historically poor showing in the traditionally staunchly Democratic coalfields of Eastern Kentucky. Many counties which had voted even for landslide Democratic losers like George McGovern and Walter Mondale defected to the Republicans. Knott County, which had given Bill Clinton 73% of the vote in 1996, gave Mitt Romney 73% of the vote in 2012. Even Elliott County, the only county in the state in which Obama had broken 60% in 2008, barely held on in 2012, giving Obama a narrow 49-47 plurality win, his only victory in the region, and one of just four county wins in the entire state.

The only part of the state where Obama won convincingly was Jefferson County, the most urban and populous county in the state, where Louisville is located. He also eked out a close win in Fayette County, the second most populous county, home to Lexington. Obama's fourth county victory came from flipping Franklin County, home to the state capital of Frankfort, which he had narrowly lost in 2008.

General election

Results

On election night, Kentucky went as expected to the Republican candidate Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney over Incumbent Democratic President Barack Obama of Illinois. Obama was reelected but nonetheless, lost Kentucky. In most recent years Democrats have maintained their lead in registered voters compared to Republicans. However, Kentucky is known as a highly conservative state. In most recent presidential elections in Kentucky, Democrats usually achieve lower 40 or upper 30 percent margins. Obama performed significantly worse in 2012 than he did in 2008. Appalachian Kentucky used to be a place were Democrats thrived because of working-class people, particularly coal miners. However this region has become more and more Republican in recent years. Romney performed, for the most part, very well statewide. Obama won four counties. Obama was however able to maintain a solid performance in perhaps the most Democratic place in the state, Jefferson County (Louisville Metro). The other counties Obama won were Franlkin, Eliott and Fayette.

United States presidential election in Kentucky, 2012[1]
Party Candidate Running mate Votes Percentage Electoral votes
Republican Mitt Romney Paul Ryan 1,087,190 60.49% 8
Democratic Barack Obama Joe Biden 679,370 37.80% 0
Libertarian Gary Johnson Jim Gray 17,063 0.95% 0
Independent Randall Terry Missy Smith 6,872 0.38% 0
Green Jill Stein Cheri Honkala 6,337 0.35% 0
Others 380 0.02% 0
Totals 1,797,212 100.00% 8
Voter turnout (registered voters) 59.24%

By county

County Romney% Romney# Obama% Obama# Others% Others# Totals
Adair 75.67% 5,841 21.51% 1,660 1.28% 99 7,719
Allen 72.39% 5,184 25.25% 1,808 1.49% 107 7,161
Anderson 65.38% 6,822 31.77% 3,315 1.73% 181 10,435
Ballard 67.23% 2,647 30.20% 1,189 1.50% 59 3,937
Barren 65.09% 10,922 32.18% 5,400 1.45% 243 16,780
Bath 52.43% 2,275 40.79% 1,770 1.77% 77 4,339
Bell 74.89% 7,127 23.37% 2,224 1.38% 131 9,517
Boone 68.06% 35,920 29.61% 15,628 1.79% 947 52,776
Bourbon 58.42% 4,692 38.28% 3,075 1.77% 142 8,032
Boyd 56.10% 10,883 40.08% 7,776 1.96% 381 19,399
Boyle 61.81% 7,703 35.88% 4,471 1.56% 194 12,462
Bracken 60.53% 2,029 34.22% 1,147 1.61% 54 3,352
Breathitt 63.62% 3,318 29.95% 1,562 2.45% 128 5,215
Breckinridge 62.27% 5,025 35.01% 2,825 1.45% 117 8,070
Bullitt 66.51% 21,306 31.13% 9,971 1.55% 498 32,032
Butler 72.66% 3,716 25.28% 1,293 0.96% 49 5,114
Caldwell 66.06% 3,904 31.34% 1,852 1.76% 104 5,910
Calloway 62.15% 9,438 34.99% 5,314 2.05% 312 15,186
Campbell 59.95% 24,240 37.30% 15,080 2.11% 853 40,434
Carlisle 69.09% 1,835 28.24% 750 1.28% 34 2,656
Carroll 53.54% 1,999 43.63% 1,629 1.39% 52 3,734
Carter 59.27% 5,279 37.99% 3,383 2.74% 244 8,906
Casey 80.51% 4,904 17.83% 1,086 1.66% 101 6,091
Christian 61.38% 13,475 37.59% 8,252 1.03% 226 21,953
Clark 64.45% 9,931 33.93% 5,228 1.63% 251 15,410
Clay 83.65% 6,176 15.05% 1,111 1.30% 96 7,383
Clinton 81.24% 3,569 17.12% 752 1.64% 72 4,393
Crittenden 73.66% 2,839 24.91% 960 1.43% 55 3,854
Cumberland 77.67% 2,216 21.00% 599 1.33% 38 2,853
Daviess 59.63% 25,092 38.52% 16,208 1.85% 779 42,079
Edmonson 69.30% 3,232 29.46% 1,374 1.24% 58 4,664
Elliott 46.94% 1,126 49.44% 1,186 3.63% 87 2,399
Estill 72.32% 3,749 26.16% 1,356 1.52% 79 5,184
Fayette 48.32% 60,793 49.34% 62,078 2.34% 2,950 125,821
Fleming 65.38% 3,780 33.05% 1,911 1.57% 91 5,782
Floyd 65.71% 9,784 31.79% 4,733 2.51% 373 14,890
Franklin 48.61% 11,345 49.43% 11,535 1.96% 457 23,337
Fulton 57.44% 1,425 41.19% 1,022 1.37% 34 2,481
Gallatin 57.45% 1,758 40.46% 1,238 2.09% 64 3,060
Garrard 75.03% 5,310 23.47% 1,661 1.50% 106 7,077
Grant 65.81% 5,664 32.65% 2,810 1.53% 132 8,606
Graves 69.06% 10,699 29.35% 4,547 1.59% 247 15,493
Grayson 69.09% 6,404 29.60% 2,744 1.31% 121 9,269
Green 74.84% 3,634 23.99% 1,165 1.17% 57 4,856
Greenup 58.41% 8,855 39.76% 6,027 1.83% 277 15,159
Hancock 53.52% 2,212 44.35% 1,833 2.13% 88 4,133
Hardin 59.57% 23,357 38.80% 15,214 1.63% 641 39,212
Harlan 81.19% 8,653 17.17% 1,830 1.64% 175 10,658
Harrison 63.60% 4,556 34.50% 2,471 1.90% 136 7,163
Hart 64.28% 4,256 34.48% 2,283 1.24% 82 6,621
Henderson 55.31% 10,296 43.47% 8,091 1.22% 227 18,614
Henry 59.83% 3,940 38.42% 2,530 1.75% 115 6,585
Hickman 66.90% 1,431 32.07% 686 1.03% 22 2,139
Hopkins 69.22% 13,681 29.29% 5,789 1.49% 295 19,765
Jackson 86.15% 4,365 12.20% 618 1.66% 84 5,067
Jefferson 43.72% 148,423 54.84% 186,179 1.45% 4,922 339,524
Jessamine 69.02% 14,232 29.10% 6,001 1.88% 387 20,620
Johnson 78.53% 7,095 19.07% 1,723 2.40% 217 9,035
Kenton 61.15% 41,387 36.82% 24,917 2.03% 1,375 67,679
Knott 72.55% 4,130 24.94% 1,420 2.51% 143 5,693
Knox 76.28% 8,467 22.38% 2,484 1.34% 149 11,100
LaRue 67.85% 3,911 30.07% 1,733 2.08% 120 5,764
Laurel 81.00% 18,151 17.43% 3,906 1.57% 352 22,409
Lawrence 71.44% 3,995 27.18% 1,520 1.38% 77 5,592
Lee 75.37% 1,977 22.68% 595 1.94% 51 2,623
Leslie 89.68% 4,439 8.75% 433 1.58% 78 4,950
Letcher 77.77% 6,811 19.43% 1,702 2.80% 245 8,758
Lewis 69.74% 3,326 28.14% 1,342 2.12% 101 4,769
Lincoln 70.10% 6,416 28.21% 2,582 1.68% 154 9,152
Livingston 68.48% 3,089 29.84% 1,346 1.68% 76 4,511
Logan 65.65% 6,899 33.01% 3,469 1.34% 141 10,509
Lyon 62.85% 2,412 35.77% 1,373 1.38% 53 3,838
Madison 63.42% 21,128 34.55% 11,512 2.03% 677 33,317
Magoffin 69.12% 3,391 29.21% 1,433 1.67% 82 4,906
Marion 51.94% 3,800 46.72% 3,418 1.34% 98 7,316
Marshall 66.20% 10,402 31.96% 5,022 1.85% 290 15,714
Martin 83.14% 3,180 15.01% 574 1.86% 71 3,825
Mason 60.99% 4,194 37.70% 2,592 1.31% 90 6,876
McCracken 65.42% 19,979 32.95% 10,062 1.63% 499 30,540
McCreary 80.01% 4,564 18.74% 1,069 1.24% 71 5,704
McLean 64.40% 2,705 34.10% 1,432 1.50% 63 4,200
Meade 60.52% 6,606 37.76% 4,122 1.71% 187 10,915
Menifee 57.12% 1,484 40.34% 1,048 2.54% 66 2,598
Mercer 68.64% 6,820 29.85% 2,966 1.51% 150 9,936
Metcalfe 63.96% 2,676 34.06% 1,425 1.98% 83 4,184
Monroe 79.27% 3,762 19.72% 936 1.01% 48 4,746
Montgomery 62.43% 6,398 36.11% 3,701 1.45% 149 10,248
Morgan 67.55% 3,021 30.61% 1,369 1.83% 82 4,472
Muhlenberg 60.94% 7,762 37.46% 4,771 1.60% 204 12,737
Nelson 57.59% 10,673 41.07% 7,611 1.34% 248 18,532
Nicholas 61.36% 1,583 36.74% 948 1.90% 49 2,580
Ohio 67.07% 6,470 30.97% 2,987 1.96% 189 9,646
Oldham 67.55% 20,179 30.93% 9,240 1.52% 454 29,873
Owen 65.23% 2,971 32.95% 1,501 1.82% 83 4,555
Owsley 80.95% 1,279 17.91% 283 1.14% 18 1,580
Pendleton 64.26% 3,556 33.59% 1,859 2.15% 119 5,534
Perry 78.52% 8,040 19.99% 2,047 1.49% 153 10,240
Pike 74.43% 17,589 23.89% 5,645 1.68% 398 23,632
Powell 61.38% 2,726 36.48% 1,620 2.14% 95 4,441
Pulaski 79.66% 20,714 19.14% 4,976 1.20% 313 26,003
Robertson 61.93% 579 36.36% 340 1.71% 16 935
Rockcastle 80.89% 5,028 17.65% 1,097 1.46% 91 6,216
Rowan 52.81% 4,035 44.99% 3,438 2.20% 168 7,641
Russell 80.26% 6,346 18.27% 1,445 1.47% 116 7,907
Scott 61.65% 12,679 36.63% 7,532 1.72% 354 20,565
Shelby 63.19% 11,790 35.55% 6,634 1.26% 235 18,659
Simpson 61.43% 4,355 37.38% 2,650 1.18% 84 7,089
Spencer 67.92% 5,726 30.23% 2,549 1.85% 156 8,431
Taylor 68.98% 7,551 30.00% 3,284 1.01% 111 10,946
Todd 68.82% 3,247 29.74% 1,403 1.44% 68 4,718
Trigg 67.06% 4,520 31.38% 2,115 1.56% 105 6,740
Trimble 60.25% 2,133 38.28% 1,355 1.47% 52 3,540
Union 66.14% 3,952 32.49% 1,941 1.37% 82 5,975
Warren 60.12% 26,384 38.29% 16,805 1.59% 700 43,889
Washington 66.98% 3,495 31.99% 1,669 1.03% 54 5,218
Wayne 73.36% 5,289 25.73% 1,855 0.92% 66 7,210
Webster 65.94% 3,607 32.27% 1,765 1.79% 98 5,470
Whitley 78.30% 10,232 20.53% 2,683 1.17% 153 13,068
Wolfe 60.26% 1,542 38.14% 976 1.60% 41 2,559
Woodford 58.54% 7,219 39.60% 4,883 1.87% 230 12,332
Totals60.49%1,087,19037.80%679,3701.70%30,6521,797,212

Democratic primary

Barack Obama's only "opponent" in the primary was the "Uncommited" ballot option, which garnered more than 42% of the primary vote, making Kentucky one of Obama's worst contested primary results.

Kentucky Democratic primary, 2012[2]
Candidate Votes Percentage Delegates
Barack Obama 119,293 57.85% 39
Uncommited 86,925 42.15% 34
Kentucky Democratic primary, 2012
Kentucky
May 22, 2012 (2012-05-22)

 
Candidate Barack Obama Uncommited
Home state Illinois n/a
Delegate count 39 34
Popular vote 119,293 86,925
Percentage 57.85% 42.15%

Kentucky results by county
  Barack Obama
  Uncommited
  Tie

Republican primary

The Republican primary occurred on May 22, 2012.[3][4] 42 delegates were chosen, all of which were allocated to and pledged to vote for Mitt Romney at the 2012 Republican National Convention. Three delegates remain unpledged to any candidate. All Republicans in Kentucky were allowed to participate in the primary. A Republican primary was also held in Arkansas on this day.

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

Kentucky Republican primary, 2012
Kentucky
May 22, 2012 (2012-05-22)

 
Candidate Mitt Romney Ron Paul Rick Santorum
Home state Massachusetts Texas Pennsylvania
Delegate count 42 0 0
Popular vote 117,621 22,074 15,629
Percentage 66.77% 12.53% 8.87%

 
Candidate Newt Gingrich Uncommited
Home state Georgia n/a
Delegate count 0 0
Popular vote 10,479 10,357
Percentage 5.95% 5.88%

Kentucky results by county
  Mitt Romney

(Note: Italicization indicates a withdrawn candidacy)

Kentucky Republican primary, 2012[5]
Candidate Votes Percentage Delegates
Mitt Romney 117,621 66.8% 42
Ron Paul 22,074 12.53% 0
Rick Santorum 15,629 8.87% 0
Newt Gingrich 10,479 5.95% 0
Uncommitted 10,357 5.88% 0
Unpledged delegates: 3
Total: 176,160 100.00% 45
Key: Withdrew prior to contest

See also

References

  1. "Kentucky State Board of Elections". Kentucky State Board of Elections.
  2. "Kentucky Secretary of State" (PDF). elect.ky.gov. May 22, 2012. Retrieved June 19, 2016.
  3. "Primary and Caucus Printable Calendar". CNN. Retrieved January 11, 2012.
  4. "Presidential Primary Dates" (PDF). Federal Election Commission. Retrieved January 23, 2012.
  5. Kentucky State Board of Elections
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