Results of the 2012 Republican Party presidential primaries
This article contains the results of the Republican Party presidential [primaries, 2012|2012 Republican presidential primaries] and caucuses, which resulted in the nomination of Mitt Romney as the Republican nominee for President of the United States. The 2012 Republican primaries were the selection processes by which the Republican Party selected delegates to attend the 2012 Republican National Convention from August 27–30. The series of primaries, caucuses, and state conventions culminated in the national convention, where the delegates cast their votes to formally select a candidate. A simple majority of the total delegate votes was required to become the party's nominee.
Seven major candidates were in the race to become the nominee. Michele Bachmann was the first to drop out, ending her campaign after a poor performance in Iowa. Jon Huntsman withdrew from the race after placing third in the New Hampshire primary. Rick Perry dropped out after Iowa and New Hampshire but prior to the South Carolina primary after polling poorly. Rick Santorum suspended his campaign in April after polls showed a strong possibility that he would lose his home state of Pennsylvania to Mitt Romney, and his daughter Bella's condition worsened. Newt Gingrich withdrew after insufficient funds prevented him from moving forward with a strong campaign. On May 14, 2012, Ron Paul announced that his campaign would switch to a delegate accumulation strategy. On May 29, according to projected counts, Mitt Romney crossed the threshold of 1,144 delegates. He was formally nominated at the Republican National Convention on August 28.
Overview of results
- The delegate totals given by the AP, other sites such as this one and other major news outlets are a projection and have not been officially pledged yet. This applies to a delegate from a non-binding primary or caucus election, as in Iowa, Colorado, Minnesota, Maine, and Washington. These are awarded officially at Congressional and State Conventions on a later date.
- Unprojected delegates included in Total for each State. 1,869 pledged, 417 unprojected/unpledged.
- Winner-take-all states begin with the April 3, 2012 primaries, with the exception of Florida's and Arizona's primaries.
Major candidates
;Notes:
Convention roll call
The traditional roll call of the states, which shows final distribution of delegates for every candidate, took place on Tuesday August 28, the first full day of the Republican National Convention.| State | Mitt Romney | Ron Paul | Rick Santorum | Jon Huntsman | Michele Bachmann | Buddy Roemer | Uncommitted | Abstain | Undecided | Unknown | Total |
| Total | 2061 | 190 | 9 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 13 | 1 | 8 | 2286 |
| Alabama | 50 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 50 |
| Alaska | 18 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 27 |
| American Samoa | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 9 |
| Arizona | 26 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 29 |
| Arkansas | 36 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 36 |
| California | 172 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 172 |
| Colorado | 28 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 36 |
| Connecticut | 28 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 28 |
| Delaware | 17 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 17 |
| Washington, D.C. | 19 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 19 |
| Florida | 50 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 50 |
| Georgia | 72 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 76 |
| Guam | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 9 |
| Hawaii | 17 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 20 |
| Idaho | 32 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 32 |
| Illinois | 69 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 69 |
| Indiana | 46 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 46 |
| Iowa | 6 | 22 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 28 |
| Kansas | 39 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 40 |
| Kentucky | 45 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 45 |
| Louisiana | 32 | 12 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 46 |
| Maine | 14 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 24 |
| Maryland | 37 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 37 |
| Massachusetts | 41 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 41 |
| Michigan | 24 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 30 |
| Minnesota | 6 | 33 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 40 |
| Mississippi | 40 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 40 |
| Missouri | 45 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 52 |
| Montana | 26 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 26 |
| Nebraska | 33 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 35 |
| Nevada | 5 | 17 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 28 |
| New Hampshire | 9 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 12 |
| New Jersey | 50 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 50 |
| New Mexico | 23 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 23 |
| New York | 95 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 95 |
| North Carolina | 48 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 55 |
| North Dakota | 23 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 28 |
| N. Mariana Islands | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 9 |
| Ohio | 66 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 66 |
| Oklahoma | 34 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 43 |
| Oregon | 23 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 28 |
| Pennsylvania | 67 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 72 |
| Puerto Rico | 23 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 23 |
| Rhode Island | 15 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 19 |
| South Carolina | 24 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 25 |
| South Dakota | 28 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 28 |
| Tennessee | 58 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 58 |
| Texas | 130 | 20 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 155 |
| Utah | 40 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 40 |
| Vermont | 13 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 17 |
| Virginia | 46 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 29 |
| Virgin Islands, U.S. | 8 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 9 |
| Washington | 38 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 43 |
| West Virginia | 31 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 31 |
| Wisconsin | 41 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 42 |
| Wyoming | 28 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 29 |
Other candidates
Two major candidates, who had been invited to the debates, Herman Cain and Gary Johnson, had withdrawn from the race after states began to certify candidates for ballot spots. Two serious candidates who were not invited, Buddy Roemer and Fred Karger, had a very hard time getting on primary ballots and achieved only limited success. Six candidates, L. John Davis, Randy Crow, Chris Hill, Keith Drummond, Mike Meehan, and Mark Callahan, qualified for the ballot in two primaries, while the rest, over 25 in all, were on the ballot in only one, either New Hampshire or Arizona, which both had relatively easy requirements. Some votes for minor candidates are unavailable, because in many states they can be listed as Others or Write-ins. At the conclusion of the primary season, none of these other candidates was able to be awarded any delegates.| Candidate | Votes | Date withdrawn |
| Buddy Roemer | 33,588 | February 23, 2012 |
| Herman Cain | 13,603 | December 3, 2011 |
| Fred Karger | 12,743 | June 29, 2012 |
| Gary Johnson | 4,293 | December 28, 2011 |
Results
Primary and caucuses can be binding or nonbinding in allocating delegates to the respective state delegations to the National convention. But the actual election of the delegates can be at a later date. Delegates are elected at conventions, from slates submitted by the candidates, selected by the state chairman or at committee meetings or elected directly at the caucuses and primaries.Until the delegates are actually elected the delegate numbers are by nature projections, but it is only in the nonbinding caucus states where they are not allocated at the primary or caucus date.
Early states
Twelve states voted from January 3 to March 3. Out of 374 delegates only 172 were allocated to the candidates, 18 were unbound RNC delegates, 2 were allocated for Huntsman but were unbound, and 182 delegates were unallocated.Iowa
Nonbinding Caucus: January 3, 2012State Convention: June 16, 2012
National delegates: 28
New Hampshire
Primary date: January 10, 2012National delegates: 12#
;Note:
South Carolina
Primary date: January 21, 2012District conventions: April 12, 2012
State convention: May 19, 2012
National delegates: 25
Florida
Closed primary: January 31, 2012National delegates: 50
Note: 4,063,853 registered Republicans
Nevada
Closed caucus: February 4, 2012National delegates: 28
Note: 400,310 registered Republicans
- Although 22 of the 28 bound delegates are Ron Paul supporters, Republican rules require the first vote at the national convention to reflect the results of the caucus. After the first vote, all delegates become unbound.
Colorado
Closed caucus: February 7, 2012National delegates: 36
- 13 of the 17 unbound delegates are planning to vote for Paul; 1 for Santorum.
Minnesota
Open caucus: February 7, 2012National delegates: 40
Missouri
Modified Primary: February 7, 2012National delegates: 52
Maine
Closed caucus: February 4–11, 2012National delegates: 24
Arizona
Closed primary: February 28, 2012National delegates: 29
Note: Delegate total was halved due to violation of Rule 15 of the RNC rules.
Michigan
Open primary: February 28, 2012National delegates: 30
Wyoming
Closed caucus: February 11–29, 2012National delegates: 29
Washington
Closed caucus: March 3, 2012National delegates: 43
Super Tuesday
Super Tuesday 2012 is the name for March 6, 2012, the day on which the largest simultaneous number of state presidential primary elections was held in the United States. It included Republican primaries in seven states and caucuses in three states, totaling 419 delegates. 18 additional RNC superdelegates from the states are not bound by the voting result.Alaska
Caucuses: March 6, 2012National delegates: 27
Georgia
Open primary: March 6, 2012National delegates: 76
Idaho
Caucuses: March 6, 2012National delegates: 32
Massachusetts
Semi-closed primary: March 6, 2012National delegates: 41
North Dakota
Caucuses: March 6, 2012National delegates: 28
Results prior to certification:
Ohio
Semi-closed primary: March 6, 2012National delegates: 66
Oklahoma
Primary: March 6, 2012National delegates: 43
Tennessee
Primary: March 6, 2012National delegates: 58
Vermont
Primary: March 6, 2012National delegates: 17
Virginia
Primary: March 6, 2012National delegates: 49
Note: Ballot restrictions resulted in most of the candidates failing to get on the ballot.
Mid-March states
Kansas
Binding caucus: March 10, 2012National delegates: 40
Results prior to certification with 100% of precincts reporting:
Guam
Caucus: March 10, 2012National delegates: 9
Northern Mariana Islands
Caucus: March 10, 2012National delegates: 9
U.S. Virgin Islands
Caucus: March 10, 2012National delegates: 9
No straw poll was taken at the caucus, but the delegates were bound to the candidate they pledged themselves to before the voting started. The six delegates receiving the most votes go to the National Convention. Three of the top vote-getters had previously pledged to Romney, and one had pledged to Paul. In addition, two of the elected uncommitted delegates committed themselves to Romney after the election.
Alabama
Primary: March 13, 2012National delegates: 50
Hawaii
Binding caucuses: March 13, 2012National delegates: 20
Certified results doesn't include 858 outstanding votes.
Mississippi
Primary: March 13, 2012National delegates: 40
American Samoa
Caucus: March 13, 2012National delegates: 9
Mitt Romney had the most support but there were a few votes for each of the candidates Ron Paul, Rick Santorum, and Newt Gingrich. About 70 people participated but no formal vote was taken.
Puerto Rico
Primary: March 18, 2012National delegates: 23
Illinois
Primary: March 20, 2012National delegates: 54
Louisiana primary
Primary: March 24, 2012National delegates: 20
April states
Maryland
Primary: April 3, 2012National delegates: 37
Rick Santorum was unable to receive full delegate support.
District of Columbia
Primary: April 3, 2012National delegates: 19
Rick Santorum was not on the ballot.
Wisconsin
Primary: April 3, 2012National delegates: 42
Connecticut
Primary: April 24, 2012National delegates: 28
Official source reports a turnout of 59,639, with the difference from 59,578 likely due to blank ballots.
Delaware
Primary: April 24, 2012National delegates: 17
New York
Primary: April 24, 2012National delegates: 95
Pennsylvania
Primary: April 24, 2012National delegates: 72
Rhode Island
Primary: April 24, 2012National delegates: 19
Louisiana caucuses
Caucuses: April 28, 2012National delegates: 26
May states
Indiana
Primary: May 8, 2012National delegates: 46
North Carolina
Primary: May 8, 2012National delegates: 55
West Virginia
Primary: May 8, 2012National delegates: 31
Nebraska
Primary: May 15, 2012National delegates: 35
Oregon
Primary: May 15, 2012National delegates: 28
Arkansas
Primary: May 22, 2012National delegates: 36
Kentucky
Primary: May 22, 2012National delegates: 45
Texas
Primary: May 29, 2012National delegates: 155
June states
California
Primary: June 5, 2012National delegates: 172
Montana
Caucus: June 5, 2012National delegates: 26
Results prior to certification:
New Jersey
Primary: June 5, 2012National delegates: 50
New Mexico
Primary: June 5, 2012National delegates: 23
South Dakota
Primary: June 5, 2012National delegates: 28
Results prior to certification:
Utah
Primary: June 27, 2012National delegates: 40
Results prior to certification: