UPDATE: President Barack Obama wins second term
BBC - Tuesday, November 6th, 2012 at 5:31 PM
US President Barack Obama
BBC REPORTS – President Barack Obama has been re-elected to a second term, defeating Republican challenger Mitt Romney.
America’s first black president secured the 270 votes in the electoral college needed to win the race.
In his victory speech before supporters in Chicago, Mr Obama said he would talk to Mr Romney about “where we can work together to move this country forward”.
Mr. Obama prevailed despite lingering dissatisfaction with the economy and a hard-fought challenge by Mr. Romney.
His Democrats also retained their majority in the Senate, which they have held since 2007.
The Republicans kept control of the House of Representatives, which analysts say will likely result in more of the gridlock that characterised Mr Obama’s first term, with the House and the president at loggerheads on most legislation.
In his address, the president challenged his opponents, asking them to work with him.
With only Florida’s 29 electoral votes still undecided, Mr Obama won 303 electoral votes to Mr Romney’s 206.
The popular vote, which is symbolically and politically important but not decisive in the race, remains very close.
Mr. Obama congratulated Mr Romney and Republican vice-presidential candidate Paul Ryan on their hard-fought campaign.
“We have picked ourselves up, we have fought our way back and we know in our hearts that for the United States of America the best is yet to come,” he said.
Mr. Obama said he was returning to the White House “more determined, and more inspired than ever about the work there is to do, and the future that lies ahead”.
He pledged to work with Republican leaders in Congress to reduce the government’s budget deficit, fix the tax code and reform the immigration system.
“We are an American family and we rise and fall together as one nation,” he said.
In Boston, where his campaign was based, Mr Romney congratulated the president and said he and Mr Ryan had “left everything on the field” and had given their all in the campaign.
Referring to the struggling economy, Mr Romney said now was not the time for “partisan bickering and political posturing”, and that Republicans and Democrats must “put people before politics”.
Mitt Romney addressed his supporters in Boston and offered his congratulations to Obama and his team.
“I so wish that I had been able to fulfil your hopes to lead the country in a different direction but the nation chose another leader and so I join with you to earnestly pray for [Mr Obama] and for this great nation,” he said.
Under the US constitution, each state is given a number of electoral votes in rough proportion to its population. The candidate who wins 270 electoral votes – by prevailing in the mostly winner-takes-all state contests – becomes president.
On Tuesday, the president held the White House by assembling solid Democratic states and a number of important swing states such as Colorado, Iowa, Pennsylvania, Michigan, Minnesota, Virginia and Wisconsin. His narrow victory in Ohio, a critical Mid-Western swing state, sealed the victory.
See earlier BBC story
Tens of millions of Americans have begun voting to decide whether to re-elect President Barack Obama or hand the job to Republican Mitt Romney.
Polling opened first in eastern states and a winner could be known by midnight. Turnout will be crucial.
The voting ends a hard-fought race that began nearly two years ago and has cost more than $2bn (£1.3bn).
Polls show the race is neck and neck, although the president holds a slender polling lead in crucial swing states.
National polls by Washington Post/ABC News and the Pew Research Centre both give Mr Obama a three-point edge over his rival.
Obama: 50%, Romney47%
Poll of polls, 3 November.
As many as 30 million voters have already cast their ballots, with more than 30 states allowing either absentee voting or in-person early voting.
On the stroke of midnight, the first votes were cast and quickly counted in the tiny village of Dixville Notch in New Hampshire. They resulted in a tie with five votes each for Mr Obama and Mr Romney.
Polling stations will begin closing in eastern states at 19:00 EST (00:00 GMT).
Mr Obama has already voted in his adopted hometown of Chicago, becoming the first sitting presidential candidate ever to vote early. Mr Romney cast his own ballot in Belmont, Massachusetts, later on Tuesday.
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13 Comments
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BETTER OF THE TWO. IT WAS AN EGO TRIP FOR BOTH OF THEM. STILL LIKE HIM. HE NEEDS TO WORK REALLY HARD TO REGAIN RESPECT IN SOME CIRCLES . DON’T WANT FOR HIM TO GO INTO SECLUSION LIKE HIS PREDECESSOR WHEN HIS TERM ENDS
I can still see the drunken dase of losing to Obama in the primaries. struuupesss, I should have been the one for president!
If Romney wins over Obama, I dont want to hear the crying in my head, U all picked your choice. However, Obama got this one…….
You mean if Obama wins and our economy tanks I don’t want to hear the crying in my head.
if you guys don`t have any good comment then just shut up
who for Obama click like.and who for Romney click dislike
Impressive people.
Go to Hell ase sick in your head
FOH WITH YUH BULLSHIT!! OBAMA ALL DEH WAY.
Straight to hell…………
Romney gonna take this one hands down. All Obama did was sit his ass down for 4 years and did nothing. Go Romney Goooo
Its obvious that you did not follow my husband’s track record over the past 4 years. His record can speak for itself. Thanks Mitt
We did follow his track record we cant miss it because he has been looking to drive over us with it because he thinks we are the track….
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