Hello, and welcome back to another edition of the Presidential Election series. In this post, we’ll be examining the 2012 election, where President Barack Obama faced a determined challenge from the GOP, who were aiming to make him a one-term president.
Obama’s First Term
After his landmark victory over John McCain in 2008, President Barack Obama took office during one of the most challenging economic periods in U.S. history—the Great Recession. Throughout his first term, Obama focused on stabilizing the economy by bailing out struggling corporations and providing relief to average Americans. He also implemented several key pieces of legislation designed to revive and reform the financial markets. While the Great Recession officially ended by 2012, the economic recovery felt slow for many middle-class Americans, fueling protests like the Occupy Wall Street movement and the Tea Party.
In terms of foreign policy, Obama ended the Iraq War by withdrawing U.S. troops, but increased troop levels in Afghanistan and expanded the use of drone strikes. A significant moment in Obama’s presidency came on May 1, 2011, when Navy SEALs located and killed Osama bin Laden, the mastermind behind the 9/11 attacks, marking a major victory in the War on Terror.
Obama also nominated Sonia Sotomayor and Elena Kagan to the Supreme Court and signed into law the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (commonly known as “Obamacare”). Among other provisions, the law allowed young adults to remain on their parents’ health insurance plans until age 26, prohibited discrimination based on pre-existing conditions, and aimed to provide affordable health coverage to millions of Americans.
Despite these achievements, Obama faced growing partisan opposition. The 2010 midterms saw a Republican resurgence, with the GOP taking control of the House of Representatives and blocking much of Obama’s legislative agenda. Nevertheless, Obama remained popular with most Americans and within the Democratic Party, easily securing re-nomination alongside Vice President Joe Biden.
Mitt Romney’s Rise
With the GOP in control of the House and seeking to regain the presidency, Mitt Romney emerged as the Republican frontrunner, facing competition from figures like Texas Governor Rick Perry, former Speaker Newt Gingrich, and U.S. Senator Rick Santorum. Romney, a former governor of Massachusetts, was viewed as the establishment candidate, but he struggled at first to connect with conservative voters who were looking for an outsider.
Perry was initially considered a strong contender but quickly faltered after poor debate performances, particularly a memorable gaffe during a 2011 debate. Santorum surged late in the primaries, winning Iowa, Colorado, Kansas, and several Southern states, while Gingrich secured victories in South Carolina and Georgia. Ron Paul also gained traction, but by Super Tuesday, Romney had gained the most delegates and became the clear Republican nominee. He selected Paul Ryan, a U.S. Representative from Wisconsin, as his running mate.
Campaign Attack Ads
2012 was the first presidential election following the Supreme Court’s Citizens United v. FEC ruling, which allowed for unlimited spending by outside groups on political campaigns. Both sides took full advantage of this decision, flooding the airwaves with attack ads. Romney targeted Obama’s handling of foreign policy, as well as controversial remarks Obama made about the role of government in helping small businesses. Obama, in turn, attacked Romney’s record as governor, his time at Bain Capital, and his economic policies, particularly Paul Ryan’s budget plan, which critics argued could lead to another financial crisis.
A major challenge for Romney was that many GOP voters, frustrated with Washington insiders, saw him as part of the establishment—both a successful businessman and a former Massachusetts governor. This made it difficult for him to fully align with the anti-establishment sentiment that had been rising within the party.
The 47% Comment and the Election Debates
In September 2012, a secretly recorded video surfaced of Romney speaking to wealthy donors at a private fundraiser, where he commented that 47% of Americans were dependent on government and would never vote for him. The remark became a major controversy and sparked widespread criticism.
The first presidential debate, held in October, saw Romney outperform expectations, with many pundits declaring him the winner. Obama, who appeared stiff and unprepared, struggled to effectively counter Romney’s points. However, in the second and third debates, Obama came out more forcefully, landing memorable jabs at Romney’s views on foreign policy and his comment about the size of the U.S. Navy. Romney also made a notable gaffe during the second debate when he referred to “binders full of women” while discussing his efforts to diversify his gubernatorial staff. In the vice presidential debate, Joe Biden’s strong performance against Paul Ryan further boosted Obama’s momentum.
The Results
On Election Day, Barack Obama secured re-election as the 44th President of the United States. The race was close, with Obama carrying 26 states (plus Washington, D.C.) and Romney winning 24 states. In terms of the popular vote, Obama won 51.1%, while Romney garnered 47.2%, showing a tight contest.
However, the Electoral College results were more decisive. Obama won 332 electoral votes to Romney’s 206, making him the third consecutive U.S. president (after Bill Clinton and George W. Bush) to win two terms. Obama became only the sixth Democrat in U.S. history to win a second term.
Conclusion
While Barack Obama did not improve on his 2008 numbers in either the popular vote or the electoral vote, his re-election marked a historic achievement. He became the first president since Ronald Reagan to win two terms with a majority of both the popular and electoral votes. Despite some challenges and controversies, Obama’s victory solidified his place as one of the most influential presidents of the 21st century.
