Carolina Blues: President Obama and the 2012 Campaign in North Carolina

Posted: 2 Nov 2013

See all articles by James Steele

James Steele

North Carolina A&T State University

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Date Written: October 31, 2013

Abstract

President Barack Obama became the first African American U.S. President, in part, because of his 2008 victory in North Carolina. It was a stunning accomplishment in a state that has been but a dream for most modern Democratic presidential candidates. His achievement was based solidly on a coalition of African Americans women, and white independent voters. President Obama managed to lose to Republican candidate Mitt Romney; nevertheless, in a tightly contested campaign four year later. Why wasn’t President Obama able to achieve what candidate Obama managed in North Carolina must be given careful consideration that extends beyond simple data driven analysis. Pundits and political analysts often point to the 2012 Obama campaign as a model of efficiency and effectiveness: 1) the most technologically driven campaign in political history; 2) campaign funding that exceeded even the wildest imagination of political professionals; and 3) favorable demographics with the expanding number of racial minorities and unidentified (independent) voters. President Obama lost what many saw as an increasingly blue state which harkened back to dreams of North Carolina progressive era politics.

This research investigates the extent that the apparent advantages in the 2012 campaign of President Barack Obama perhaps masked other more substantive problems that are uniquely the nature of North Carolina politics. This importance of this research extends beyond political history as it examines the obstacles facing successful, progressive coalitions that benefit statewide candidates.

A Proposal for Consideration by the National Conference of Black Political Scientists (NCOBPS)

Suggested Citation

Steele, James, Carolina Blues: President Obama and the 2012 Campaign in North Carolina (October 31, 2013). 2014 National Conference of Black Political Scientists (NCOBPS) Annual Meeting, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=2348522

James Steele (Contact Author)

North Carolina A&T State University ( email )

1601 E. Market Street
Greensboro, NC 27411
United States
3362852046 (Phone)
3363347321 (Fax)

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