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Six billion dollars were spent on this election cycle, which included $2-3 billion spent on the presidential race, so there was plenty of money available to gather data about voters and pay workers to have a good ground game.  But it seems that Romney's campaign did not recognize the significance of this.  Reports after the election confirmed that Romney's ground game was far weaker than Obama's:<ref>http://www.washingtontimes.com/blog/inside-politics/2012/nov/8/obama-ground-game-wont-transfer-2016-aide-says/#ixzz2Bsldq5kV</ref>

Six billion dollars were spent on this election cycle, which included $2-3 billion spent on the presidential race, so there was plenty of money available to gather data about voters and pay workers to have a good ground game.  But it seems that Romney's campaign did not recognize the significance of this.  Reports after the election confirmed that Romney's ground game was far weaker than Obama's:<ref>http://www.washingtontimes.com/blog/inside-politics/2012/nov/8/obama-ground-game-wont-transfer-2016-aide-says/#ixzz2Bsldq5kV</ref>

{{cquote|Republicans had tweeted that they knocked on 75,000 doors in Ohio on Sunday. Not to worry, the field director [for the Democrats] replied, 'We knocked on 376,000 doors.'}}

{{cquote|Republicans had tweeted that they knocked on 75,000 doors in Ohio on Sunday. Not to worry, the field director [for the Democrats] replied, 'We knocked on 376,000 doors.'}}

Indiana, the state just west of Ohio, was not a swing state and it was known that Obama had no chance of winning it.  So neither Obama nor Romney spent any money on a ground game there.  As a result, Obama's lead among the young people who voted was much less.  Romney actually won the vote in the area of Purdue University, which has may young voters.<ref name="Youth Vote"/>

Indiana, the state just west of Ohio, was not a swing state and it was known that Obama had no chance of winning it.  So neither Obama nor Romney spent any money on a ground game there.  As a result, Obama's lead among the young people who voted was much less.  Romney actually won the vote in the area of Purdue University, which has many young voters.<ref name="Youth Vote"/>

Mitt Romney's campaign underestimated the significance of the ground game in Ohio, which was the key state.  Obama's campaign had nearly 100 more neighborhood offices in Ohio than Romney's campaign did.<ref>http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/politics/2012/11/why_romney_was_surprised_to_lose_his_campaign_had_the_wrong_numbers_bad.html?google_editors_picks=true</ref>  Before the election, Romney's campaign staffers even dismissed the significance of that imbalance.  But afterward it was clear that is what defeated Romney.  Turnout by African Americans in 2008 to vote for Obama was very high, totaling 11% of the electorate in Ohio.  But with the Democrats' better ground game, they increased that turnout further in 2012, to where African American voters for Obama totaled 15% of all Ohio voters.  This illustrated the famous aphorism:  "all politics is local."  Romney was beaten by Obama's superior ground game in Ohio and other key states.

Mitt Romney's campaign underestimated the significance of the ground game in Ohio, which was the key state.  Obama's campaign had nearly 100 more neighborhood offices in Ohio than Romney's campaign did.<ref>http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/politics/2012/11/why_romney_was_surprised_to_lose_his_campaign_had_the_wrong_numbers_bad.html?google_editors_picks=true</ref>  Before the election, Romney's campaign staffers even dismissed the significance of that imbalance.  But afterward it was clear that is what defeated Romney.  Turnout by African Americans in 2008 to vote for Obama was very high, totaling 11% of the electorate in Ohio.  But with the Democrats' better ground game, they increased that turnout further in 2012, to where African American voters for Obama totaled 15% of all Ohio voters.  This illustrated the famous aphorism:  "all politics is local."  Romney was beaten by Obama's superior ground game in Ohio and other key states.

Others cite some of the positions taken by Romney and Obama during the campaign.  Hispanics voted in favor of Obama in large percentages, much larger than Democrats received in the past, and some have attributed that to the Republican position against amnesty for illegal aliens who came here from Mexico.

Others cite some of the positions taken by Romney and Obama during the campaign.  Hispanics voted in favor of Obama in large percentages, much larger than Democrats received in the past, and some have attributed that to the Republican position against amnesty for illegal aliens who came here from Mexico.

As to how young voters aged 18-29 favored Obama by a 60-36% margin, some point out that a record number of young people have no religion.  They do not read the Bible, and they do not attend church.  As the numbers of non-religious and even atheists grow among the youth, the support for the Democrats are going to increase.  Some observe that the exclusion of Christianity from public schools, which has control over 90% of teenagers, is starting to have a growing negative effect one election outcomes.  The only solution to that trend is for there to be more evangelism among the younger people in America.  Remember that the strongest correlation to how someone votes is how often he goes to church: the less he goes, the more likely he is to vote for Democrats.

As to how young voters aged 18-29 favored Obama by a 60-36% margin, some point out that a record number of young people have no religion.  They do not read the Bible, and they do not attend church.  As the numbers of non-religious and even atheists grow among the youth, the support for the Democrats is going to increase.  Some observe that the exclusion of Christianity from public schools, which has control over 90% of teenagers, is starting to have a growing negative effect on election outcomes.  The only solution to that trend is for there to be more evangelism among the younger people in America.  Remember that the strongest correlation to how someone votes is how often he goes to church: the less he goes, the more likely he is to vote for Democrats.

Others observe that the slick campaign slogan by Democrats, accusing Republicans of a "War on Women," enabled Obama to win by a record 55-44% among women voters.  Romney won by a substantial percentage among men voters, but more women vote than men do.

Others observe that the slick campaign slogan by Democrats, accusing Republicans of a "War on Women," enabled Obama to win by a record 55-44% among women voters.  Romney won by a substantial percentage among men voters, but more women vote than men do.