The US Presidential Elections 2012 - Essay Example

Obama starts the general election with 15 states (plus the District of Columbia) and 196 electoral votes strengthen him while Romney begins with 21 states and 170 electoral votes firmly in his corner. (One of the states sturdily for Romney is Indiana, where Obama won in 2008 but no one expects a repeat performance in 2012). Another three states — Pennsylvania (20 electoral votes), Michigan (16), and New Mexico (5) — incline toward Obama while Arizona (11) and Missouri (10) lean toward Romney. Adding them up lends Obama 237 electoral votes and Romney 191 electoral votes (Chris, and Aaron Blake).

While Obama was a much likely candidate than Romney, victory will be decided by the nine swing states — Colorado, Florida, Iowa, Nevada, New Hampshire, North Carolina, Ohio, Wisconsin, and Virginia — which are the real toss ups and comprise 110 decisive electoral votes and Obama won because he gained a majority of the seats of these swing states, the victory was a clear, clean sweep by Obama in these swing states (Chris, and Aaron Blake).

Other factors that were critical to the results of the Presidential race were the Swing states, ethnicity, Race, affect of the debates made by candidates’ income and unemployment, and solid, fixed strongholds also had a profound impact on the outcome, Obama proved to be a strong figurehead, he inherited two wars, but the way he handled the war on terrorism is praiseworthy. Currently, the way he handled the storm was also a strong plus point for him and increased his favorability ratio (Andrews, et al).

If I could vote, I would have voted for Mitt Romney, for that would be what I call “Real Change” as that was the slogan the two candidates were vying for. Things in Obama’s last tenure were not all that satisfying and the room was still there for improvement. Romney’s debates were oozing with confidence and his promises were more believable and real. His warmth was not too much to hey about and he seemed detached at times, but his debates sounded promising. Although he was dubbed as a rich-people’s President, yet he talked about a common man’s problems and dilemmas, especially about providing more jobs to the unemployed, and fighting against terrorism, Obama was a tested choice, whilst Romney’s claims were yet to be tested. Romney seemed more humane and down to earth, as compared to Obama who was stern and straightforward. Not many people know that after his son’s sudden, tragic death Romney built a park in his memory, and not only that, he took responsibility for its maintenance for years, now that’s a man with a heart of gold, and that’s what I want in an American President, more than his eloquence and confidence.

The Elections Turned out the way they did because: People switched loyalties this time, with more African American voters voting for the white candidate Mitt Romney than they did in 2008. It is because people expected more of Obama than what he delivered in his four years. This time around people voted for him but with more reservations, and less enthusiasm as compared to back in 2008. The unemployment rate increased during Obama’s time and this was the reason that Obama’s victory margin was lesser than it was in 2008. People wanted real change, but Obama’s first tenure was less than perfect, plus the twice-elected African American President Challenge, was also a cause of this nail-biting contest. In the end, it all came down to a Democratic President or a Republican one, more than the individual personalities. People opted for the already tested, and more matured President, and gave President Obama a second chance.