United States presidential election in Virginia, 2012

United States presidential election in Virginia, 2012

← 2008 November 6, 2012 2016 →
Turnout	66.9% (voting eligible)
Nominee Barack Obama Mitt Romney Party Democratic Republican Home state Illinois Massachusetts Running mate Joe Biden Paul Ryan Electoral vote 13 0 Popular vote 1,971,820 1,822,522 Percentage 51.16% 47.28%
County and Independent City Results Obama   40-50%   50-60%   60-70%   70-80%   80-90% Romney   40-50%   50-60%   60-70%   70-80%
President before election Barack Obama Democratic Elected President Barack Obama Democratic

Virginia Republican primary, 2012

← 2008 March 6, 2012 (2012-03-06) 2016 →
Candidate Mitt Romney Ron Paul Home state Massachusetts Texas Delegate count 43 3 Popular vote 158,119 107,451 Percentage 59.54% 40.46%
Virginia results by county   Mitt Romney   Ron Paul

Obama

Romney

Barack Obama
Democratic

Barack Obama
Democratic

The 2012 United States presidential election in Virginia took place on November 6, 2012 as part of the 2012 General Election in which all 50 states plus The District of Columbia participated. Virginia voters chose 13 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.

Virginia was won by President Barack Obama with 51.16% of the vote to Mitt Romney's 47.28%, a 3.88% margin of victory.

In 2008, Obama won the state by 6.3%, becoming the first Democratic presidential candidate to win Virginia since the nationwide Democratic landslide of 1964, but it had otherwise been a reliably Republican state prior to this. Much of the Democratic gains can be attributed to the growth of progressive suburban Northern Virginia, particularly in Fairfax County, Prince William County, and Loudoun County, all of which voted for Obama twice. Obama's increased strength in this heavily populated region more than canceled out his weakness across rural Virginia. On the other hand, Obama suffered an historically poor showing even in traditionally Democratic counties of Southwest Virginia, similar to his weak performance in neighboring West Virginia. The Republicans would win the White House without taking Virginia in the next election, and for the first time since 1924.