61st Miss USA pageant
Beauty pageant
Miss USA 2012 was the 61st Miss USA pageant, held on June 3, 2012, at The AXIS in Las Vegas, Nevada and it was televised live on NBC. Alyssa Campanella of California crowned her successor Olivia Culpo of Rhode Island at the end of the event. This was Rhode Island's first Miss USA title. Culpo represented the United States at Miss Universe 2012 six months later and went on to win the Miss Universe title, becoming the eighth American to do so.
After Olivia Culpo won Miss Universe 2012, as a customary, first runner-up Nana Meriwether of Maryland inherited the Miss USA title and was officially crowned on January 9, 2013. Meriwether became the second woman from Maryland to hold the Miss USA title; the first, Mary Leona Gage, was dethroned shortly after winning.
For the first time, a question was solicited from Twitter for the final question asked of one of the five finalists. That question picked by the pageant organizers - "Would you feel it would be fair that a transgender woman wins the Miss USA title over a natural-born woman?" - was answered by the winner, Culpo.
Background.
Selection of contestants.
One delegate from each state and the District of Columbia was chosen in state pageants held which began in July 2011 and ended in January 2012. The first state pageant was Florida, held on July 16, 2011 as scheduled. The final pageant was Nevada, held on January 29, 2012.
Eight delegates are former Miss Teen USA state winners, while one is a former Miss America state winner and the other one competed in Miss Earth United States.
Preliminary round.
Prior to the final telecast, the delegates competed in the preliminary competition, which involves private interviews with the judges and a presentation show where they compete in swimsuit and evening gown. The preliminary competition took place on May 30, 2012, at 10 pm (ET) hosted by Chet Buchanan and Alyssa Campanella, and was broadcast online over Xbox Live via their YouTube and MSN applications.
Finals.
During the final competition, the top sixteen competed in swimsuit, while the top ten competed evening gown, and the top five competed in the final question signed up by a panel of judges. The sixteenth semifinalist was determined by voting online.
Results.
Placements.
‡ Voted into Top 16 as America's Choice via Internet 
∞ Culpo won Miss Universe 2012. Due to protocol, Culpo resigns her title as Miss USA 2012. 1st runner-up, Nana Meriwether, replaces her as Miss USA.
References.
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