The election of 2012 was a hard-fought battle between President Barack Obama, seeking a second term, and Republican challenger Mitt Romney. With the Great Recession still fresh in voters’ minds, the war in Afghanistan ongoing, and a deeply divided political climate, both campaigns pulled out all the stops. The result was one of the most expensive, combative, and closely scrutinized elections in modern U.S. history.
Obama’s First Term
After his historic 2008 victory, President Obama inherited the Great Recession — the worst economic crisis since the 1930s. His administration implemented stimulus spending, bailed out auto manufacturers, and signed the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform Act to regulate financial markets. The economy began recovering, but for many middle-class Americans, it felt painfully slow. High unemployment fueled anger on both the left and right, sparking the Occupy Wall Street movement and the Tea Party.
In foreign policy, Obama ended combat operations in Iraq by 2011, escalated the war in Afghanistan, and expanded the use of drone strikes. His greatest triumph came on May 1, 2011, when U.S. Navy SEALs, Seal Team Six, killed Osama bin Laden, mastermind of the 9/11 attacks.
Domestically, Obama signed several landmark laws. The Affordable Care Act (ACA) of 2010 — “Obamacare” — expanded healthcare access, prohibited discrimination based on pre-existing conditions, and let young adults stay on their parents’ plans until age 26. He also signed the Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell Repeal Act (2010), allowing LGBTQ+ Americans to serve openly in the military, and in 2012 publicly endorsed same-sex marriage, a major cultural milestone.
Obama nominated Sonia Sotomayor (2009) and Elena Kagan (2010) to the Supreme Court, cementing his influence on the judiciary.
But his presidency also faced backlash. The 2010 midterms saw a Republican wave, handing the GOP control of the House and grinding much of Obama’s legislative agenda to a halt. By 2012, Obama remained popular within the Democratic Party and easily secured renomination alongside Vice President Joe Biden.
Mitt Romney’s Rise
The Republican primary field was crowded, featuring Texas Governor Rick Perry, former Speaker Newt Gingrich, Senator Rick Santorum, libertarian Congressman Ron Paul, and businessman Herman Cain. Each had moments of momentum — Perry surged before stumbling in debates, Gingrich won South Carolina, Santorum swept several Midwestern and Southern contests, and Paul energized a young libertarian base.
Yet Romney, former governor of Massachusetts and a wealthy businessman, was the steady if uninspiring frontrunner. Seen as the “electable” choice, he emphasized his private-sector experience and managerial competence. By Super Tuesday, Romney had secured a commanding delegate lead and eventually the nomination. He chose Wisconsin Representative Paul Ryan, known for his conservative budget proposals, as his running mate.
Romney’s challenge was clear: he appealed to establishment Republicans but struggled to connect with the GOP’s insurgent, anti-establishment Tea Party wing.
The First Citizens United Election
The Election of 2012 was the first presidential contest shaped by the Supreme Court’s Citizens United v. FEC (2010) decision, which allowed unlimited outside spending. Super PACs poured over $1 billion into the race, making it the most expensive election in U.S. history at the time.
Obama’s campaign attacked Romney’s record at Bain Capital, portraying him as a corporate raider indifferent to workers. They also hammered Ryan’s budget plan, claiming it would slash Medicare and favor the wealthy.
Romney countered by criticizing Obama’s slow economic recovery and unemployment rates, branding his policies as “failed.” He also attacked the ACA, promising to repeal it if elected.
The 47% Comment
Romney’s campaign was rocked in September 2012 when a secretly recorded video surfaced of him telling wealthy donors that 47% of Americans “depend on government” and would “never vote for me.” The comment reinforced Obama’s framing of Romney as elitist and out of touch.
The Debates
The three presidential debates proved decisive in shaping perceptions:
- First Debate (Denver): Romney dominated. Obama appeared disengaged and unprepared, while Romney pressed aggressively on the economy. Polls tightened immediately.
- Second Debate (town hall): Obama rebounded, delivering the memorable line, “Please proceed, Governor”, when Romney pressed him on Benghazi — prompting the moderator to fact-check Romney in real time. Romney also blundered with his “binders full of women” remark while discussing gender equality, which went viral.
- Third Debate (foreign policy): Obama was sharp and confident, contrasting Romney’s positions with quips like, “We also have fewer horses and bayonets,” when Romney criticized the size of the Navy.
In the vice-presidential debate, Joe Biden aggressively challenged Paul Ryan, dismissing his arguments as “a bunch of malarkey.” Biden’s performance reassured Democrats after Obama’s shaky first outing.
Other cultural moments included Romney’s suggestion to cut PBS funding — mocked as the “Big Bird” controversy.
The Results
On November 6, 2012, Barack Obama won re-election decisively. He carried 26 states and Washington, D.C., earning 332 electoral votes to Romney’s 206. Obama won 51.1% of the popular vote to Romney’s 47.2% — the only president since Dwight Eisenhower to win two terms with over 51% of the vote both times.
Obama’s coalition held strong:
- Young voters (18–29): overwhelmingly backed Obama.
- Women voters: favored him by double digits.
- African American voters: supported him at over 90%.
- Latino voters: broke for Obama by over 70%, a warning sign for Republicans.
Romney dominated among older and white voters but failed to crack Obama’s “blue wall” of swing states like Ohio, Virginia, and Florida. Turnout was slightly lower than in 2008, but still high at around 58%.
Outro: Consolidating the Obama Coalition
The election of 2012 solidified Barack Obama’s place as one of the most influential presidents of the 21st century. While he won with smaller margins than in 2008, his back-to-back victories demonstrated the power of a new Democratic coalition built on diversity, youth, women, and urban voters.
Just four years earlier, in the election of 2008, Obama had made history as the first African American president. In 2012, he proved it was no fluke — defeating a well-funded challenger, surviving a sluggish recovery, and securing re-election with a majority of both the popular and electoral vote.
For Republicans, Romney’s defeat triggered a period of soul-searching — the famous “autopsy” report — as the party grappled with how to broaden its appeal to minorities and young voters. That question would dominate GOP politics for years to come, shaping the turbulent path to the election of 2016.
