WASHINGTON, D.C. —
President Barack Obama won the reliably Democratic Northeast, and Republican Mitt Romney secured his conservative base Tuesday night in a duel for the White House shadowed by a weak economy and high unemployment.
The critical battlegrounds with the key to victory were unsettled, Virginia, Ohio and Florida among them, with long lines in many locations after poll-close time.
Romney led in the popular vote, gaining 8.2 million votes, or 52 percent, to 7.5 million or 47 percent for Obama, with 5 percent of the precincts tallied.
Romney also held an early electoral vote advantage, 76-64, with 270 needed for victory.
The polls were still open in much of the country as the two rivals began claiming the spoils of a brawl of an election in a year in which the struggling economy put a crimp in the middle class dreams of millions.
Obama carried Connecticut, Rhode Island, Vermont, Maine and Romney’s home state of Massachusetts. Also, as expected, he won Delaware and Maryland as well as the District of Columbia and Illinois.
Romney had Alabama, Georgia, Tennessee, South Carolina, Oklahoma, Kentucky and West Virginia in his column. He also won Indiana, a state Obama carried in 2008 but did not contest this year.
2012 Election Coverage
Race tight as election night count goes to wire
- 2012 Election Coverage
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Dems pick up area national seats
Democrat Rep. Dave Loebsack has been elected to a fourth term representing southeastern Iowa’s 2nd Congressional District.
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GOP renews control of House
Republicans recaptured control of the House early today, besting Democrats in a billion-dollar battle and ensuring that the chamber will be dominated by their conservative agenda.
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VIDEO: Obama in victory speech says 'best is yet to come'
In his victory speech after being declared the projected winner over Gov. Mitt Romney, President Barack Obama thanked his supporters and said we are "an American family, we rise and fall together as one nation, as one people."
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Obama tapped for 2nd term
A triumphant President Barack Obama heralded his re-election with a call to action early today, telling Americans that their citizenship doesn’t end with their vote and declaring that the “best is yet to come.”
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VIDEO: Romney concedes election
In his concession speech, Gov. Mitt Romney congratulated the President and his supporters.
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Democrats maintain control of Senate
In West Virginia, Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin won a full term even though his state went heavily for Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney.
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Obama carries Iowa, where economy was top issue
President Barack Obama carried Iowa on Tuesday as voters said the economy isn't good, isn't necessarily getting better, but isn't Obama's fault, according to preliminary results from exit polling for The Associated Press.
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Iowa voters pick Obama in presidential election
Democrat President Barack Obama won the battleground state of Iowa Tuesday, a hard-fought victory in the state he credits with launching his presidency four years ago.
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Same president faced with reshaping new landscape
After a long and arduous campaign, a newly reelected President Barack Obama confronts his next challenge: binding together a deeply divided nation and turning from campaigning to governing.
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'Fiscal cliff' clock starts as election fades to background
After an election focused heavily on the economy and the soaring national debt, Washington will immediately turn to a year-end debate that has the potential to dramatically affect both: the looming "fiscal cliff."
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