2012 Alabama Republican presidential primary

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2012 Alabama Republican presidential primary
Flag of Alabama.svg
  2008 March 13, 2012 (2012-03-13) 2016  
  VI
AS  

50 delegates to Republican National Convention
(47 pledged, 3 unpledged)
  Rick Santorum by Gage Skidmore 2 (1).jpg Newt Gingrich by Gage Skidmore 6 (cropped).jpg
Candidate Rick Santorum Newt Gingrich
Home state Pennsylvania Georgia
Delegate count1712
Popular vote215,105182,276
Percentage34.55%29.28%

  Mitt Romney by Gage Skidmore 6 cropped (cropped).jpg Ron Paul (6238703989) (cropped).jpg
Candidate Mitt Romney Ron Paul
Home state Massachusetts Texas
Delegate count100
Popular vote180,32130,937
Percentage28.97%4.97%

Alabama Republican Presidential Caucuses Detailed Election Results by County, 2012.svg
Alabama Republican Presidential Caucuses Detailed Election Results by District, 2012.svg
Santorum:     30–40%     40–50%     50–60%
Gingrich:     30–40%     40–50%
Romney:     30–40%
Tie:     20–30%

The 2012 Alabama Republican presidential primary took place on March 13, 2012, on the same day as the Mississippi Republican primary and the Hawaii Republican caucuses. [1] [2] Rick Santorum was declared the winner.

Contents

Significance

The Alabama and Mississippi primaries were seen as a last possible point for the Newt Gingrich campaign to stay afloat in a primary season where he had only won two states up to that point; South Carolina in January and Georgia during Super Tuesday. [3] Alabama and Mississippi were the keystones of his "Southern Strategy". [4] [5] Gingrich ignored other upcoming primaries to focus on campaigning in the two neighboring Gulf states. [6]

Results

2012 Alabama Republican presidential primary [7]
CandidateVotesPercentageProjected delegate count
AP
[8]
CNN
[9]
FOX
Rick Santorum 215,10534.55%2218-
Newt Gingrich 182,27629.28%149-
Mitt Romney 180,32128.97%119-
Ron Paul 30,9374.97%00-
Rick Perry (withdrawn)1,8670.30%00-
Michele Bachmann (withdrawn)1,7000.27%00-
Jon Huntsman (withdrawn)1,0490.17%00-
Uncommitted9,2591.49%00-
Unprojected delegates31450
Total:622,514100.00%505050

Santorum won most of the counties and thus five out of seven congressional districts, especially in the northern parts including Huntsville. Gingrich did the best in the southeast, winning its 2nd congressional district. Romney won in big cities such as Birmingham, Montgomery and Mobile. He was able to only win the Mobile metropolitan based 1st congressional district. [1]

The results in Alabama, alongside those of Mississippi, effectively ended any remaining momentum for Gingrich's struggling campaign. Despite the second-place finishes in "must-win" states, Gingrich chose to stay in the race in hopes of facilitating a brokered convention. [10]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 Alabama Republican – The Green Papers
  2. Beyerle, Dana (November 14, 2011). "Republican primary qualifying opens today". The Tuscaloosa News . Halifax Media Group. Retrieved January 11, 2011.
  3. "Alabama, Mississippi are Newt's next must-win states". savannahnow.com. Retrieved April 26, 2016.
  4. "Gingrich pursues Southern strategy to break back into 2-man race". mcclatchydc. Retrieved April 26, 2016.
  5. Helfrich, Jesse. "Gingrich's future hangs on successful Southern state strategy". The Hill . Retrieved April 26, 2016.
  6. "Gingrich Cancels Kansas Events, Focusing On Southern Strategy". NPR . Retrieved April 26, 2016.
  7. "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on September 11, 2012. Retrieved May 24, 2012.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  8. "It's All Politics: AP Results: Alabama, Mississippi, Hawaii". NPR . March 13, 2012. Archived from the original on September 9, 2024. Retrieved September 9, 2024.
  9. "People Choice 2012: Election Center - Results: Alabama". CNN . April 23, 2012. Archived from the original on July 24, 2012.
  10. "Newt to critics: I'm not going anywhere!". New York Daily News . Retrieved April 26, 2016.