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It was unlike anything voters in Southwest Virginia had ever seen. Our part of America saw each of the four candidates for President and Vice-President, in person, most, multiple times.
It was the 2nd biggest story of 2012.
When President Obama came in July, it turned out to be his only visit to our neck of the woods, but he gave a lasting moment of the campaign.
"If you've got a business, you didn't build that. Somebody else made that happen,” Obama said.
The comment became political fodder and made national headlines. No other visit from a candidate became controversial, but they each got rousing cheers from supporters.
Whether it was Paul Ryan in Roanoke County.
"We've got a choice, do we stay on the path we are on that's a path of debt a path of doubt and decline. No!” Ryan told the crowd.
Mitt Romney in Lynchburg: "Marriage is a relationship between one man and one woman."
Or Joe Biden at Virginia Tech: “Well I've got a bumper sticker for you. Osama Bin laden is dead and General Motors is alive.”
Food also somehow played a large role in our democracy. Chick-fil-A became a badge showing social views
And a baker in Radford became famous for turning down a campaign photo-op.
“This is an opportunity of a lifetime but essentially I said 'No offense to you or the campaign but I just decline you guys coming in here,’” Radford bakery owner Chris McMurray said.
And now that it has come and gone, most of us are saying, thank goodness it's over.
2012 also had a hotly contested U.S. Senate race with Democrat Tim Kaine beating Republican George Allen.
And remember those political ads? You'll get a break. That is until next year's race for Governor sets into high gear.
Here is a look at our other top stories of 2012:
NUMBER THREE
Meningitis outbreak cases linked to facilities in Roanoke, Montgomery County
NUMBER FOUR
Roanoke shop owner fixes bullied Radford University's car, goes on "Ellen"
NUMBER FIVE
Beacher Hackney's remains found in Bath County
NUMBER SIX
Jury in Virginia Tech shootings lawsuit awards $4 million to plaintiffs.
NUMBER SEVEN
Former Franklin County Sheriff Ewell Hunt convicted of misconduct by an elected official.