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 incumbentDemocraticPresidentBarack Obama and his running mate, Vice PresidentJoe Biden, against Republican challenger and former Massachusetts GovernorMitt Romney and his running mate, CongressmanPaul Ryan.
Romney carried Kentucky by a landslide margin, winning 60.49% of the vote to Obama's 37.80%. This represented a margin of 22.69%, a great improvement for the Republican Party from 2008, when they won with a 16.23% margin. 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. Consequently, Obama suffered a historically poor showing in the traditionally, staunchly Democratic coalfields of Eastern Kentucky. Many counties that had voted even for landslide Democratic losers like George McGovern and Walter Mondale defected to the Republicans in 2012. Knott County, which had given Clinton 73% of the vote in 1996, gave 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 plurality win, his only victory in the region, and one of just four county wins in the entire state. Wolfe County, which had returned to the Democratic Party in 2004 and 2008 after casting its first-ever Republican vote for George W. Bush in 2000, went for Romney by over twenty points, making Obama the first Democrat to win the White House without carrying it since the county's founding in 1860.
The only part of the state where Obama won convincingly was Jefferson County, the most urban and populous county in the state, and home to Louisville. He also eked out a close win in Fayette County, the second-most populous county, home to Lexington. Despite losing five counties he won in 2008, he managed to flip Franklin County, home to the state capital of Frankfort, which he had narrowly lost in 2008. This is the last time Elliott and Franklin Counties voted for a Democrat.
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.[2]
The Republican primary occurred on May 22, 2012.[4][5] 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.
This section needs additional citations for verification. Please help by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. Find sources: – ···scholar·JSTOR(September 2016) (Learn how and when to remove this template message)
On election night, Kentucky went as expected to the Republican candidate Massachusetts GovernorMitt Romney over Incumbent Democratic President Barack Obama of bordering Illinois. Obama was reelected but nonetheless, lost Kentucky. In most recent years Democrats have maintained their lead in registered voters compared to Republicans.[7] However, Kentucky is known as a highly conservative state with a populist streak. In most recent presidential elections in Kentucky, Democrats usually achieve lower 40 or upper 30% 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 unionized coal miners.[8] 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 Franklin, Elliott and Fayette.
United States presidential election in Kentucky, 2012[9]
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
Totals
60.49%
1,087,190
37.80%
679,370
1.70%
30,652
1,797,212
Counties that flipped from Democratic to Republican[]
Hancock (largest city: Lewisport)
Henderson (largest city: Henderson)
Menifee (largest city: Frenchburg)
Rowan (largest city: Morehead)
Wolfe (largest city: Campton)
Counties that flipped from Republican to Democratic[]