2012 South Carolina Republican presidential primary

2012 South Carolina Republican presidential primary

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25 pledged delegates to the 2012 Republican National Convention
Candidate Newt Gingrich Mitt Romney Home state Georgia Massachusetts Delegate count 23 2 Popular vote 244,065 168,123 Percentage 40.42% 27.85%   Candidate Rick Santorum Ron Paul Home state Pennsylvania Texas Delegate count 0 0 Popular vote 102,475 78,360 Percentage 16.97% 12.98%
Gingrich   30–40%   40–50%   50–60%   60–70% Romney   40–50%   50–60%

Elections in South Carolina
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v t e

The 2012 South Carolina Republican presidential primary took place on January 21, 2012.

The primary has become one of several key early state nominating contests in the process of choosing the nominee of the Republican Party for the election for President of the United States. It has historically been more important for the Republican Party than for the Democratic Party; from its inception in 1980, until the nomination of former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney in 2012, the winner of the Republican presidential primary had gone on to win the nomination.^[1] As of 2012, the primary has cemented its place as the "First in the South" primary for both parties.^[2]

Former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich was declared the winner of the race as soon as polls closed, however, Mitt Romney went on to win the nomination.