The 2012 Presidential Election took place on November 6, 2012 between Governor of Alaska Sarah Palin and US Representative of Florida Allen West and former Governor of New York Eliot Spitzer and US Senator of Virginia Mark Warner. The Palin/West ticket defeated the Spitzer/Warner ticket 340-198.
The main topics of the election were the economy, taxation, LGBTQ+ rights, the environment, and healthcare.
Republican Primaries:
Due to John McCain's loss in 2008 due to his war hawkish record and corporate donors, the Republicans decided to go toward an evangelical conservative platform. Mitt Romney publicly admitted into having big corporate donors to fund his campaign even though he had a pro-life and pro-traditional marriage views. Fred Kruger's sexuality was a turn off for many evangelical Christians and Rick Santorum was weak. Many viewed Sarah Palin as the one who can grab the evangelical Christian, independent, conservative, anti-war, and some liberal votes. Although Palin had a history of corruption in her governor administration she promised to clean Washington from corruption and wanted to prove that the Republican Party was as diverse as the Democratic Party by selecting US Representative Allen West as her running mate becoming the first female President of the United States and the first black Vice-President of the United States.
Sarah Palin, former Governor of Alaska winner
Mitt Romney, former Governor of Massachusetts
Fred Kruger, Political Consultant and gay rights activist from California (withdrew and endorsed Palin)
Rick Santorum, former US Senator from Pennsylvania (withdrew and endorsed Palin)
VP Shortlist:
Allen West, US Representative from Florida winner
Mike Huckabee, former Governor of Arkansas (became supreme court justice)
Marco Rubio, US Senator from Florida
Susan Collins, US Senator from Maine
John Kasich, Governor of Ohio
Democratic Primaries:
With the drastically increasing national debt and out of control spending that caused the economic crash of 2011, Democrats would have a difficult time finding a more fiscally moderate candidate. Vice-President Bayh was rumored to run but declined. Former US Senator of North Carolina John Edwards ran again for the second time but lost 2nd place due to his affairs. Mike Gravel and Bernie Sanders were viewed as too radical and too old. Bill Richardson was weak on many issues. Elliot Spitzer was viewed by many as someone who could balance a budget well but his history of corruption especially the prostitution scandal in 2008 costed him the general election.
Eliot Spitzer, former Governor of New York winner
John Edwards, former US Senator of North Carolina
Bernie Sanders, US Senator of Vermont (withdrew and endorsed Spitzer)
Mike Gravel, former US Senator of Alaska (withdrew and endorsed Spitzer)
Bill Richardson, former Governor of New Mexico (withdrew and endorsed Spitzer)
VP Shortlist:
Mark Warner, US Senator from Virginia winner
Barack Obama, Attorney General of the United States
Martin O'Malley, Governor of Maryland
John Edwards, former US Senator of North Carolina
John Kerry, Secretary of Veteran Affairs