Who could have primary challenged Obama in 2012?

Leading into 2012, there was talk of a primary challenge to President Obama - primarily from the party left. Bernie Sanders was one of the names to bring up the idea, although he likely wouldn't have taken the plunge himself given he had reelection that year.

Howard Dean was one name floated. Dennis Kucinich perhaps?

Mike Gravel talked about it, but I doubt he'd get too far.

Jim Webb opted against going for reelection in 2012. Might he have tried?
 
Somebody with a political death wish. Notwithstanding media histrionics around the Tea Party, Obama was a popular president in his first term, and it's not likely many Democrats would be interested in ousting him in favour of some unknown entity.
 
Jim Webb should have sought reelection. He could not have challenged Obama in the 2012 primary though, not fro the left, anyway.
 
Trump ran in 2016 because he had no competition. Do you think he just woke up and decided to run for president?
I wouldn't call the biggest and most impressive Republican primary field in a generation as "no competition." Trump simply overpowered them. They weren't weak opponents by any means, he's just all the more stronger. Quite unlike anyone I've ever seen honestly.

But to answer the question, I think an interesting dark-horse who could tap into both the progressive and moderate wings of the party would be Brian Schweitzer.
 
For a 'serious' primary challenger to an incumbent president to emerge, there has to be a significant pocket of unpopularity amongst the president's own base. This was the case in 1968, 1980 and 1992 (to name just three examples), but it wasn't in 2012 - Obama's approval ratings barely ever slipped below 40% during his entire presidency IIRC, thus indicating overwhelming popularity with his own base.
 
For a 'serious' primary challenger to an incumbent president to emerge, there has to be a significant pocket of unpopularity amongst the president's own base. This was the case in 1968, 1980 and 1992 (to name just three examples), but it wasn't in 2012 - Obama's approval ratings barely ever slipped below 40% during his entire presidency IIRC, thus indicating overwhelming popularity with his own base.
Even when a president is unpopular with the country as a whole, there's generally low prospects of a primary challenge out of a partisan "be loyal to the party, don't split the vote and wait your turn" attitude.

Something really bad would have to fall in the president's lap for a primary challenge. Maybe if there was no recovery during Obama's first term or things got even worse, he would face a primary challenge, but even then this is a low-probability scenario. Even if the economy isn't improving, the appearance of doing something about it can be enough to boost a politician's popularity.
 
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