The 2012 Missouri gubernatorial election was held on November 6, 2012, to elect the Governor of Missouri. Incumbent Democratic Governor Jay Nixon won re-election against the Republican nominee, businessman Dave Spence, despite incumbent President Barack Obama losing Missouri on the same day to Republican nominee Mitt Romney. As of 2025, this is the last time a Democrat won the governorship of Missouri and the last time that a governor and lieutenant governor of different political parties were simultaneously elected in Missouri. Primary elections took place on August 5, 2012.
Democratic primary
Candidates
Nominee
- Jay Nixon, incumbent governor
Eliminated in primary
- William Campbell
- Clay Thunderhawk
Republican primary
Candidates
Nominee
Eliminated in primary
- Bill Randles, businessman and corporate defense lawyer
- Fred Sauer, investment executive and anti-abortion activist
- John Weiler
Libertarian primary
Candidates
- Jim Higgins, former officer of the Libertarian Party of Missouri
Denied ballot access
General election
Debates
- Complete video of debate, C-SPAN, September 21, 2012
Results
Nixon won by a comfortable 12.3% margin, though this was somewhat closer than his 2008 victory. Even with President Barack Obama losing the state by a nine-point margin, Nixon and Senator Claire McCaskill both won reelection easily. Like his Senatorial colleague, Nixon was able to get a huge number of votes from rural areas. Both Nixon and McCaskill were declared the winners of their respective races even before the known Democratic strongholds of St. Louis and Kansas City came in.
Counties that flipped from Republican to Democratic
- Audrain (largest city: Mexico)
- Clark (largest city: Kahoka)
- Knox (largest city: Edina)
- Lewis (largest city: Canton)
- Mississippi (largest city: Charleston)
- Monroe (largest city: Monroe City)
Counties that flipped from Democratic to Republican
- Andrew (largest city: Savannah)
- Atchison (largest city: Tarkio)
- Benton (largest city: Warsaw)
- Caldwell (largest city: Hamilton)
- Camden (largest city: Osage Beach)
- Carter (largest city: Van Buren)
- Cass (largest city: Harrisonville)
- Cedar (largest city: El Dorado Springs)
- Crawford (largest city: Cuba)
- Dallas (largest city: Buffalo)
- Daviess (largest city: Gallatin)
- Dent (largest city: Salem)
- Douglas (largest city: Ava)
- Gentry (largest city: Albany)
- Howell (largest city: West Plains)
- Laclede (largest city: Lebanon)
- Lincoln (largest city: Troy)
- Livingston (largest city: Chillicothe)
- Maries (largest city: Belle)
- Morgan (largest city: Versailles)
- Oregon (largest city: Thayer)
- Ozark (largest city: Gainesville)
- Phelps (largest city: Rolla)
- Polk (largest city: Bolivar)
- Pulaski (largest city: Fort Leonard Wood)
- Ripley (largest city: Doniphan)
- St. Clair (largest city: Appleton City)
- Texas (largest city: Licking)
- Vernon (largest city: Nevada)
- Webster (largest city: Marshfield)
By congressional district
Nixon won five of eight congressional districts, including three that elected Republicans.