After nearly $1 billion spent on TV advertising, dozens of debates, and countless primaries, caucuses, and polls, today is the day: Election Day 2012. Republican hopefuls battled through state contests, winnowing the group down to the eventual nominee, Mitt Romney. The incumbent, President Barack Obama, formally announced his re-election campaign on April 4, 2011, and began engaging Mitt Romney once it became apparent he would get the Republican nomination. Since then, both teams have traveled thousands of miles on cross-country trips from strongholds to swing states to ask for your vote. Gathered here are photographs from the trail, a look back at Campaign 2012 as it comes to a close.
Campaign 2012: The Story in Photos
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The choice. At left, Republican presidential candidate, former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney, listens to a question from a reporter in Livonia, Michigan, on February 28, 2012. At right, President Barack Obama speaks as a tear streams down his face, at his final campaign stop, on November 5, 2012, in Des Moines, Iowa. #
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Voters put corn kernels into jars with their favorite Republican presidential candidates on the first day of the Iowa State Fair, on August 11, 2011 in Des Moines, Iowa. The candidates, including Mitt Romney, John Huntsman and Newt Gingrich, visited the fair ahead of Saturday's Iowa Straw Poll to greet voters and engage in traditional Iowa campaigning rituals. #
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Minnesota Republican Representative Michele Bachmann addresses a crowd during a welcome home event in her hometown of Waterloo, Iowa, on Sunday, June 26, 2011. Bachmann said her bid to unseat President Barack Obama shouldn't be viewed as "anything personal" against the Democrat -- he's "just wrong" on his policies for America. #
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Republican presidential candidate Herman Cain stops to address the media as he arrives for a meeting with developer Donald Trump, in New York, on October 3, 2011. He's a mathematician, a minister, a former radio talk show host and pizza magnate. But most of all, Herman Cain is a salesman. And how he sells. "The sleeping giant called 'we the people' has awakened," Cain thunders, pacing the stage in his trademark dark suit, brown fedora and "lucky" gold tie, delivering a rollicking, 45-minute performance that evokes an old-fashioned church revival, complete with cries of "Amen" from his audience. #
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Former Utah Governor Jon Huntsman walks with his wife Mary Kaye (left) and daughter Gracie Mei (right) before announcing his candidacy for the Republican U.S. presidential 2012 campaign at Liberty State Park in Jersey City, New Jersey, on June 21, 2011. Huntsman, President Barack Obama's former ambassador to China, entered his party's 2012 presidential race on Tuesday pledging to make the "hard decisions" to deal with America's debt. #
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Donald Trump speaks to a crowd of 600 people during a gathering of Republican women's groups, Thursday, April 28, 2011, in Las Vegas. Trump's flirtation with a White House bid continuedwith a lavish reception at the Treasure Island casino in Las Vegas. #
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Republican presidential candidate, Texas Governor Rick Perry fills out his papers to be on the New Hampshire's First-in-the-Nation presidential primary ballot, on October 28, 2011, at the State House in Concord, New Hampshire, #
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Republican presidential candidate, former Pennsylvania Senator Rick Santorum waits for an interview in Miami, on January 27, 2012. Santorum was taking a pause from Florida campaigning just days before the Tuesday primary that even he expected to deal him a third consecutive loss. #
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Republican presidential hopefuls Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-MN), Texas Gov. Rick Perry and businessman Herman Cain talk during a break in their debate at Dartmouth College in Hanover, New Hampshire, on October 11, 2011. #
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Callista Gingrich, wife of Republican presidential candidate, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich meets with Republican supporters at a Smashburger restaurant, on February 14, 2012, in San Diego. #
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A young supporter of Republican presidential candidate U.S. Congressman Ron Paul celebrates at Paul's New Hampshire primary night rally in Manchester, New Hampshire, on January 10, 2012. #
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President Barack Obama tries to evade the wandering fingers of 8-month-old Cooper Wall Wagner as he poses for a picture with his parents, Captain Greg Wagner and Meredith Wagner as Obama met U.S. Marines and their families having lunch at Kaneohe Bay Marine Corps base in Hawaii, on December 25, 2011. #
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Trace Nystrom, 6, of Knoxville, sits on his father's shoulders and prays during the invocation before Republican presidential candidate, Mitt Romney speaks at a campaign rally at West Hills Elementary School in Knoxville, Tennessee, on March 4, 2012. #
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Actor Clint Eastwood addresses an empty chair and questions it as if it is President Obama, as he endorses Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney during the final session of the Republican National Convention, on August 30, 2012. #
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Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney and vice presidential nominee Representative Paul Ryan are joined on the stage by their families at the end of the Republican National Convention in Tampa, Florida, on August 30, 2012. #
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Luke Frank, 6, and his brother Zachary, 8, right, from Grafton, Wisconsin, wearing Romney cheesehead hats, listen as Mitt Romney campaigns at the Wisconsin Products Pavilion at State Fair Park in West Allis, Wisconsin, on November 2, 2012. #
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Delegate Vickie Vogel of La Grange, Texas, wears earrings decorated with the image of President Barack Obama as she heads to a caucus to see first lady Michelle Obama speak in Charlotte, North Carolina, on September 5, 2012. #
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Former President Bill Clinton bows as President Barack Obama walks on stage after Clinton's address to the Democratic National Convention in Charlotte, North Carolina, on September 5, 2012. #
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President Barack Obama shakes hands with Paul, as his wife Val Keller watches, on May 11, 2012, after talking about mortgage relief outside their home in Reno, Nevada. #
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Ann Romney grabs her husband Mitt, as he greets members of the audience at the conclusion of the final U.S. presidential debate in Boca Raton, Florida, on October 22, 2012. #
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Associated Press Instagram photos from the campaign trail, Romney/Ryan edition: Romney's view in Doswell, Virginia. / Romney press pool hold in St. Petersburg, Florida. / Ryan campaign flight arriving in Ohio. / Mitt Romney after a campaign event in Doswell, Virginia. / "Guess Who?" Romney campaign edition / Catering at a campaign event in Mansfield, Ohio. / "Over the shoulder shot", Denver / Romney supporters in Kissimmee, Florida. #
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Associated Press Instagram photos from the campaign trail, Obama/Biden edition: Delegate Richard Rios from Virgin Islands dances at DNC Charlotte / Media center at DNC. / Flying west on Air Force One. / The media center at Center College before the start of the VP debate. / Air Force One tarmac with cameras. / Bill Clinton front and center DNC Charlotte. / Columbus Ohio with President Obama. / Approaching Columbus, Ohio on Air Force One. #
AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster,Jae C. Hong, Charles Dharapak, J. David Ake -
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A light shines behind President Barack Obama as he speaks during a campaign event at Bayliss Park in Council Bluffs, Iowa, on August 13, 2012, during a three day campaign bus tour through Iowa. #
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Mitt Romney, with his newly announced vice presidential running mate, Paul Ryan standing behind him, during a campaign rally in Manassas, Virginia, on August 11, 2012. #
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President Barack Obama, is lifted off the ground by Scott Van Duzer, left, owner of Big Apple Pizza and Pasta Italian Restaurant during an unannounced stop, on September 9, 2012, in Ft. Pierce, Florida, #
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Fireworks explode in the distance as Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney walks on stage at a Virginia campaign rally at Newport News International Airport, in Newport News, Virginia, on November 4, 2012. #
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