AEI Political Report, November 2012
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• Independents voted narrowly for Mitt Romney over Barack Obama in 2012. This is the third time since 1972 that they have voted for the losing candidate.
• The gender gap in this election was 18 points, and women made up 53 percent of the electorate. More women than men have voted for the Democratic presidential candidate since 1980.
• In 1972, white voters were around 90 percent of all voters. In 2012, that number dropped to 72 percent.
• Voters who indicate that they have some college education have an excellent track record of voting for the winner, a pattern repeated in 2012, albeit very narrowly.
• Parents with children under 18 voted for George W. Bush in 2004 and Obama in 2008 and 2012. This year, 51 percent of them voted for Obama, and 47 percent voted for Romney.
• The 18 states that traditionally vote Democratic stayed with Obama. Of these states, Pennsylvania was the closest. The 13 states that consistently vote Republican did so again. Of these, South Carolina and Mississippi were the closest, with Romney winning each by a 9 point margin.
