Obama Takes Key Battlegrounds to Win Re-Election CNN
go to original November 7, 2012

CNN's Wolf Blitzer projects that President Barack Obama has won re-election at 11:18pm EDT. (CNN)

Washington - President Barack Obama rode a wave of broad support from minorities, women and moderates to win re-election Tuesday by defeating Republican challenger Mitt Romney in Democratic strongholds and key battleground states.

According to CNN projections, Obama surpassed the decisive 270-vote threshold in the Electoral College with victory in Ohio. The win and a later projected victory in another swing state - Virginia -- gave him 303 electoral votes to 206 for Romney, according to the CNN call based on unofficial returns.

Joyful supporters danced and cheered at Obama's victory party in Chicago, while Romney supporters hugged and wept in a somber vigil in Boston while waiting for their candidate to concede.

In a brief speech he delivered alone, Romney congratulated and said his prayers would be with the president at such a challenging time for the country.

"At a time like this we can't risk partisan bickering and political posturing," Romney said, later adding that he wished he had "fulfilled your wishes to lead this great country in a different direction."

When he finished, Romney's wife, Ann, and most of his family, as well as running mate Rep. Paul Ryan and his family came on the stage for a few minutes in what was a subdued farewell.

Obama withstood a late push by Romney in Pennsylvania and won battleground states of Ohio, Virginia, Wisconsin, New Hampshire, Iowa, Nevada and Colorado, according to CNN projections.

He also easily won traditional Democratic strongholds of California, New York and other populous states such as Michigan, the state where Romney was born and his father served as governor.

Exit polls showed Obama received strong support, as expected, from women voters as well as overwhelming support from African Americans and strong backing from Hispanic voters, similar to the coalition that carried him to victory four years earlier to make him the nation's first African American president.

Meanwhile, CNN projected that Democrats will retain their majority in the Senate, ensuring another divided Congress after Republicans earlier were projected to hold their majority in the U.S. House.

Read more at CNN

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