2012 United States presidential election in Arkansas
The 2012 United States presidential election in Arkansas took place on November 6, 2012, as part of the 2012 [United States elections|2012 General Election] in which all 50 states plus the District of Columbia participated. Arkansas voters chose six 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.
Romney and Ryan carried Arkansas with 60.57% of the popular vote to Obama's and Biden's 36.88%, winning the state's six electoral votes. While Arkansas had been won by the Democrats as recently as 1996 [United States presidential election in Arkansas|1996] by native son Bill Clinton, Obama proved to be a poor fit for the state, and his 23.69% margin of loss was the worst defeat for a Democratic presidential candidate in Arkansas since 1972 United States [presidential election in Arkansas|1972]'s margin of 38.1%. Obama also was defeated by a larger margin in Arkansas than Walter Mondale in 1984.
As of the 2024 presidential election, this is the last election in which Woodruff County voted for the Democratic candidate. This is also the first election since 1984 where either nominee received 60% of the vote. Obama is the only Democrat to ever win two terms without carrying the state at least once.
Primary elections
Democratic primary
The Democratic primary had 47 delegates at stake. All 47 delegates were allocated to, and pledged to vote for Barack Obama at the 2012 Democratic National Convention. While John Wolfe Jr. qualified for 19 delegates to the convention by virtue of his performances in Arkansas, State party officials said Wolfe missed two paperwork filing deadlines related to the delegate process, therefore he was not eligible for any delegates. Wolfe has commenced legal proceedings to have delegates in his name seated. Eight other unpledged delegates, known as superdelegates, also attended the convention and cast their votes as well.Republican primary
The Republican primary had 33 delegates at stake. Mitt Romney won all 75 counties in Arkansas. As a result, all 33 delegates were allocated to, and pledged to vote for Mitt Romney at the Republican National Convention">Republican Party (United States)">Republican National Convention.Rick Santorum and Newt Gingrich withdrew from the presidential race on [April 10 and May 2, 2012, respectively. Both endorsed Mitt Romney as the nominee.
General election
Candidate ballot access
- Mitt Romney/Paul Ryan, Republican
- Barack Obama/Joseph Biden, Democratic
- Gary Johnson/James P. Gray, Libertarian
- Jill Stein/Cheri Honkala, Green
- Peta Lindsay/Yari Osorio, Socialism and Liberation
Results
By congressional district
Romney won all four of the state's congressional districts.| District | Romney | Obama | Representative |
| 60.98% | 36.33% | Rick Crawford | |
| 54.75% | 42.9% | Timothy Griffin | |
| 65.47% | 31.6% | Steve Womack | |
| 61.83% | 35.88% | Tom Cotton |