The primary was not to affect the selection of Missouri 's delegates to the 2012 Republican National Convention , so it had no official effect on the nomination and was widely described beforehand as a " beauty contest " . However it was seen as an opportunity for Rick Santorum to face off against Mitt Romney due to the absence of Newt Gingrich , who missed the filing deadline and was not on the ballot . Santorum was the only candidate to actively campaign in the state ahead of the primary
2012 Republican National Convention
2012 Republican National Convention
2012 United States presidential election in Missouri