 | ||||
November 6, 2012
|
||||
| Paul 2009.PNG | 
|
|||
| Nominee | Ron Paul | Barack Obama | ||
| Party | Republican | Democratic | ||
| Home state | Texas | Illinois | ||
| Running mate | Jesse Ventura | Joe Biden | ||
| Electoral vote | 340 | 198 | ||
| States carried | 36 | 14 +DC | ||
| Popular vote | 70,987,543 | 59,654,211 | ||
| Percentage | 51.2% | 45.9% | ||
The United States presidential election of 2012 was the 57th quadrennial American presidential election. It was held on Tuesday, November 6, 2012. The Republican Nominee, U.S. representative of Texas 14th Congressional District Ron Paul and his running mate former Minnesota Governor. Jesse Ventura, defeated the Democratic Nominee, incumbent President Barack Obama, and his running mate, Vice President Joe Biden.
As the incumbent president, Obama secured the Democratic nomination with no serious opposition. The Republican Party was more fractured; Mitt Romney was consistently competitive in the polls, but Paul increased popularity over the internet, often besting Romney's. Paul narrowly secured the nomination by early May. The campaign was marked by a sharp rise in fundraising, including from new nominally independent Super PACs. The campaigns focused heavily on domestic issues: debate centered largely around sound responses to the Great Recession in terms of economic recovery and job creation. Other issues included long-term federal budget issues, the future of social insurance programs, and the Affordable Care Act. Foreign policy was also discussed including the phase-out of the Iraq War, the size of and spending on the military, preventing Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons, and appropriate counteractions to terrorism.
Paul defeated Obama, winning both the popular vote and the electoral college, with 340 electoral votes to Obama's 198. Paul became the oldest president at age 77 and Obama was the first president to lose re-election since George H. W. Bush in 1992.