2012 United States presidential election in Minnesota Turnout 76.42%[ 1]
County Results
Obama
40-50%
50-60%
60-70%
Romney
40-50%
50-60%
60-70%
The 2012 United States presidential election in Minnesota took place on November 6, 2012, as part of the 2012 United States presidential election in which all 50 states plus the District of Columbia participated. State voters chose ten 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 .
Minnesota backed Obama for re-election, giving him 52.65% of the vote, while Republican challenger Mitt Romney took 44.96%, a victory margin of 7.69%. With ten Democratic wins in a row, Minnesota has the longest current streak of voting for the Democratic candidate in presidential elections of any state, having not voted Republican since Richard Nixon in 1972 . This is the longest streak for the Democrats in history amongst non-Southern states.[ 2]
However, Romney was able to significantly improve on McCain's performance in the North Star State, as he did nationally. Fourteen counties which voted for Obama in 2008 flipped and voted for the Republican Party in 2012, while many Democratic counties had a margin of victory much narrower than in 2008. Many of these counties had not voted for a Republican in decades, such as Big Stone County which only voted for a Republican only once since 1952 for Dwight D. Eisenhower until this election.[ 3]
As of the 2020 presidential election, this is the most recent time the Democratic candidate won the following counties: Beltrami ,
Chippewa , Fillmore , Freeborn , Houston , Itasca , Kittson , Koochiching , Lac qui Parle , Mahnomen , Mower , Norman , Rice , Swift , and Traverse . It is also, to date, the most recent time that Minnesota voted to the left of Colorado and Virginia, two former Republican strongholds that rapidly transitioned to being reliably blue in the 2010s.
Caucuses
Democratic
2012 Minnesota Democratic presidential caucus
Minnesota results by county
Barack Obama
No votes
2012 Minnesota Democratic caucus[ 4]
Candidate
Votes
Percentage
Delegates
Barack Obama
16,733
96.30%
91
Uncommited
643
3.70%
0
Republican
2012 Minnesota Republican presidential caucus
Minnesota results by county
Rick Santorum
Ron Paul
Tie
The Republican caucuses were held on February 7, 2012.[ 5] The events coincided with the Colorado Republican caucuses as well as the Missouri Republican primary . Minnesota has a total of 40 delegates, 37 of which are tied to the caucuses while 3 are unpledged RNC delegates. The non-binding straw poll was won by Rick Santorum , but Ron Paul won 32 of the 40 delegates to the Republican National Convention .
Election Reporting[ 6] [ 7] [ 8] [ 9] [ 10]
Candidate
Votes
Delegates
Total
Percentage
Total
Percentage
Rick Santorum
21,988
44.95%
2
5%
Ron Paul
13,282
27.15%
32
80%
Mitt Romney
8,240
16.85%
1
2.5%
Newt Gingrich
5,263
10.76%
0
0%
Write-in
143
0.29%
0
0%
Unpledged delegates:
5
12.5%
Total:
48,916
100.0%
40
100.0%
Conventions
There is no formal system of allocating delegates to candidates in any step of the election process. At each meeting the participants decides what the best course of action is. The state convention can vote to bind the 13 at-large delegates to a candidate. The 24 delegates elected at the CD conventions and the 3 automatic (RNC) delegates are not legally bound to vote for a candidate.
17 February - 31 March: BPOU conventions elect delegates to the state convention and the congressional district conventions.
14–21 April: Eight congressional conventions elect 3 National Convention delegates each.
18–19 May: State convention elect 13 National Convention delegates.[ 11]
Convention Results[ 7] [ 9] [ 10]
Candidate
1st
2nd
3rd
4th
5th
6th
7th
8th
State
Party leaders
Total
Ron Paul
2
3
3
3
3
3
1
2
12
0
32
Rick Santorum
0
0
0
0
0
0
2
0
0
0
2
Mitt Romney
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
0
1
Unknown
1
1
3
5
Total
24
13
3
40
General election
Results
2012 United States presidential election in Minnesota[ 12]
Party
Candidate
Running mate
Votes
Percentage
Electoral votes
DFL
Barack Obama
Joe Biden
1,546,167
52.65%
10
Republican
Mitt Romney
Paul Ryan
1,320,225
44.96%
0
Libertarian
Gary Johnson
Jim Gray
35,098
1.20%
0
Green
Jill Stein
Cheri Honkala
13,023
0.44%
0
Constitution
Virgil Goode
Jim Clymer
3,722
0.13%
0
Grassroots
Jim Carlson
George McMahon
3,149
0.11%
0
Justice
Rocky Anderson
Luis J. Rodriguez
1,996
0.07%
0
Constitutional Government
Dean Morstad
Josh Franke-Hyland
1,092
0.04%
0
Socialist Workers
James Harris
Maura DeLuca
1,051
0.04%
0
Socialism and Liberation
Peta Lindsay
Yari Osorio
397
0.01%
0
Write-Ins
10,641
0.36%
0
Totals
2,936,561
100.00%
10
Voter turnout (eligible voters)
75.74%
By county
County
Obama %
Obama Votes
Romney %
Romney Votes
Others %
Others Votes
Total Votes
Aitkin
48.26%
4,412
49.58%
4,533
2.15%
197
9,142
Anoka
47.52%
88,611
50.11%
93,430
2.37%
4,420
186,461
Becker
41.69%
6,829
56.18%
9,204
2.13%
349
16,382
Beltrami
53.59%
11,818
43.70%
9,637
2.70%
596
22,051
Benton
41.66%
8,173
55.30%
10,849
3.04%
597
19,619
Big Stone
48.23%
1,345
49.66%
1,385
2.12%
59
2,789
Blue Earth
53.00%
18,164
43.52%
14,916
3.48%
1,194
34,274
Brown
40.42%
5,630
56.99%
7,938
2.59%
361
13,929
Carlton
61.78%
11,389
35.72%
6,586
2.50%
461
18,436
Carver
39.22%
20,745
58.90%
31,155
1.89%
999
52,899
Cass
42.49%
6,858
55.49%
8,957
2.02%
326
16,141
Chippewa
49.72%
3,083
47.85%
2,967
2.44%
151
6,201
Chisago
42.54%
12,524
55.12%
16,227
2.34%
690
29,441
Clay
52.65%
15,208
44.73%
12,920
2.62%
758
28,886
Clearwater
41.77%
1,753
56.21%
2,359
2.03%
85
4,197
Cook
59.99%
1,993
36.75%
1,221
3.25%
108
3,322
Cottonwood
41.50%
2,433
56.57%
3,316
1.93%
113
5,862
Crow Wing
42.27%
14,760
55.60%
19,415
2.13%
745
34,920
Dakota
50.37%
116,252
47.45%
109,514
2.19%
5,049
230,815
Dodge
43.46%
4,487
53.48%
5,522
3.06%
316
10,325
Douglas
41.29%
8,665
56.73%
11,905
1.98%
416
20,986
Faribault
44.17%
3,407
53.21%
4,104
2.62%
202
7,713
Fillmore
52.45%
5,713
45.11%
4,913
2.44%
266
10,892
Freeborn
55.82%
9,326
41.72%
6,969
2.46%
411
16,706
Goodhue
47.33%
12,212
50.33%
12,986
2.34%
603
25,801
Grant
47.23%
1,647
50.13%
1,748
2.64%
92
3,487
Hennepin
62.34%
423,979
35.30%
240,073
2.35%
16,007
680,059
Houston
50.56%
5,281
47.40%
4,951
2.05%
214
10,446
Hubbard
40.59%
4,676
57.48%
6,622
1.93%
222
11,520
Isanti
39.69%
8,024
57.75%
11,675
2.56%
518
20,217
Itasca
53.73%
12,852
43.90%
10,500
2.37%
566
23,918
Jackson
41.77%
2,268
56.06%
3,044
2.17%
118
5,430
Kanabec
44.09%
3,593
53.10%
4,328
2.81%
229
8,150
Kandiyohi
45.68%
9,806
52.36%
11,239
1.96%
420
21,465
Kittson
51.32%
1,241
45.29%
1,095
3.39%
82
2,418
Koochiching
53.44%
3,451
43.99%
2,841
2.57%
166
6,458
Lac Qui Parle
49.55%
1,974
48.64%
1,938
1.81%
72
3,984
Lake
59.31%
4,043
38.29%
2,610
2.41%
164
6,817
Lake of the Woods
38.45%
859
58.46%
1,306
3.09%
69
2,234
Le Sueur
45.65%
6,753
52.14%
7,714
2.21%
327
14,794
Lincoln
45.80%
1,428
51.12%
1,594
3.08%
96
3,118
Lyon
44.11%
5,465
53.23%
6,595
2.66%
329
12,389
Mahnomen
58.48%
1,276
39.92%
871
1.60%
35
2,182
Marshall
42.53%
1,998
54.68%
2,569
2.79%
131
4,698
Martin
36.96%
4,054
60.69%
6,657
2.34%
257
10,968
McLeod
37.56%
6,968
59.66%
11,069
2.78%
516
18,553
Meeker
40.68%
4,969
56.60%
6,913
2.72%
332
12,214
Mille Lacs
44.53%
5,829
53.10%
6,951
2.38%
311
13,091
Morrison
36.81%
6,153
60.78%
10,159
2.41%
402
16,714
Mower
60.03%
11,129
37.42%
6,938
2.55%
472
18,539
Murray
45.31%
2,160
52.53%
2,504
2.16%
103
4,767
Nicollet
52.58%
9,652
44.75%
8,214
2.67%
491
18,357
Nobles
44.52%
3,793
53.77%
4,581
1.71%
146
8,520
Norman
53.94%
1,730
43.16%
1,384
2.90%
93
3,207
Olmsted
50.23%
39,338
47.03%
36,832
2.74%
2,146
78,316
Otter Tail
38.41%
12,165
59.55%
18,860
2.04%
645
31,670
Pennington
46.41%
3,024
50.71%
3,304
2.89%
188
6,516
Pine
48.34%
6,750
49.02%
6,845
2.65%
370
13,965
Pipestone
37.13%
1,725
60.83%
2,826
2.04%
95
4,646
Polk
46.10%
6,773
51.83%
7,615
2.08%
305
14,693
Pope
47.73%
2,981
50.30%
3,142
1.97%
123
6,246
Ramsey
66.33%
184,936
31.13%
86,799
2.54%
7,086
278,821
Red Lake
46.99%
928
49.52%
978
3.49%
69
1,975
Redwood
38.61%
3,008
58.66%
4,570
2.72%
212
7,790
Renville
44.02%
3,394
53.81%
4,149
2.17%
167
7,710
Rice
52.85%
17,054
44.58%
14,384
2.57%
829
32,267
Rock
40.16%
1,946
57.99%
2,810
1.86%
90
4,846
Roseau
37.70%
2,772
59.97%
4,409
2.33%
171
7,352
Saint Louis
63.48%
73,378
33.85%
39,131
2.67%
3,085
115,594
Scott
41.47%
29,712
56.28%
40,323
2.25%
1,612
71,647
Sherburne
37.84%
17,597
59.88%
27,848
2.29%
1,064
46,509
Sibley
37.31%
2,916
60.05%
4,693
2.64%
206
7,815
Stearns
42.75%
33,551
54.81%
43,015
2.44%
1911
78,477
Steele
45.52%
8,706
51.78%
9,903
2.69%
515
19,124
Stevens
48.51%
2,742
48.94%
2,766
2.55%
144
5,652
Swift
53.74%
2,751
43.91%
2,248
2.34%
120
5,119
Todd
40.83%
4,819
56.93%
6,719
2.25%
265
11,803
Traverse
51.06%
942
46.61%
860
2.33%
43
1,845
Wabasha
46.03%
5,415
51.42%
6,049
2.54%
299
11,763
Wadena
36.70%
2,492
61.02%
4,143
2.28%
155
6,790
Waseca
44.83%
4,370
52.49%
5,116
2.68%
261
9,747
Washington
49.39%
70,203
48.64%
69,137
1.97%
2,793
142,133
Watonwan
48.48%
2,494
48.93%
2,517
2.59%
133
5,144
Wilkin
39.04%
1,258
58.47%
1,884
2.48%
80
3,222
Winona
55.01%
14,980
42.16%
11,480
2.83%
772
27,232
Wright
37.95%
25,739
59.67%
40,468
2.37%
1,609
67,816
Yellow Medicine
45.53%
2,465
51.83%
2,806
2.64%
143
5,414
Minnesota Total
52.65%
1,546,021
44.95%
1,320,048
2.38%
70,139
2,936,208
Counties that flipped from Democratic to Republican
Results by congressional district
Obama won 6 of 8 congressional districts, including two held by Republicans. Romney won 2, including one held by a Democrat.[ 13]
See also
References
^ "Office of the State Of Minnesota Secretary of State" . www.sos.state.mn.us . Retrieved 2017-07-22 .
^ "Will Vermont's 27-Cycle GOP Presidential Streak Ever Be Broken?" . Smart Politics . 2012-04-30. Retrieved 2021-06-22 .
^ "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections" . uselectionatlas.org . Retrieved 2020-09-02 .
^ "Presidential Preference by County" . Minnesota Secretary of State. Archived from the original on 2016-10-09. Retrieved 2016-10-07 .
^ Scheck, Tom (September 30, 2011). "MNGOP keeping Feb. 7 Caucus date" . Capitol View . Minnesota Public Radio.
^ "Election Reporting System: Statewide Results for Republican Party" . Minnesota Secretary of State. Retrieved March 1, 2012 .
^ a b "Paul supporters chosen as delegates in three congressional districts" . Pierce County Herald . April 15, 2012. Archived from the original on April 19, 2012. Retrieved April 17, 2012 .
^ Anderson, Pat (21 April 2012). "Ron Paul gets 20/24 Congressional District delegates. CD4 3, CD2 3, CD8 2, CD1 2 #mngop #mnleg" . twitter.com . Twitter. Retrieved 22 April 2012 .
^ a b "Rep. Paul supporters elected to half of Minnesota GOP convention delegation" . Pierce County Herald . April 22, 2012. Archived from the original on April 25, 2012. Retrieved April 22, 2012 .
^ a b "Ron Paul Wins Minnesota State Convention" . Retrieved 20 May 2012 .
^ "Republican Party of Minnesota Events" . Archived from the original on 17 May 2012. Retrieved 4 May 2012 .
^ "Minnesota Secretary of State" . Archived from the original on 2012-11-10. Retrieved 2012-11-10 .
^ "Daily Kos Elections' statewide election results by congressional and legislative districts" . Daily Kos . Retrieved 11 August 2020 .
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