2012 Presidential Election Results
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STORY BELOW:
Barack Obama has won re-election to a second term as president, beating back a fierce challenge from Republican Mitt Romney.
According to CNN projections, Obama surpassed the decisive 270-vote threshold in the Electoral College with victory in Ohio. The win gave him 274 electoral votes to 201 for Romney, based on CNN’s projections based on unofficial returns.
Joyful supporters danced and cheered at Obama’s victory party in Chicago, while the mood at Romney’s election-night gathering in Boston was somber.
A Romney spokeswoman told CNN the candidate was not prepared to immediately concede. However, a speech would take place at some point later in the night, according to spokeswoman Gail Gitcho.
The call comes after the president was the projected winner in the crucial battleground of Ohio, and subsequently won both Iowa and Oregon. This put Obama over the required 270 electoral votes.
Shortly after the news broke, Obama tweeted:
“This happened because of you. Thank you.”
Moments later he said:
“We’re all in this together. That’s how we campaigned, and that’s who we are. Thank you.”
Mitt Romney stayed out of sight late Tuesday as news organizations including The Associated Press announced that President Barack Obama had won a second term.
Dejected Romney supporters milled around a hotel ballroom where the Republican hopeful had planned to declare victory and groaned as key battlegrounds moved Obama’s way.
Obama’s victory in closely fought Ohio narrowed Romney’s path to the 270 electoral vote. The Democrat also was declared the winner in other swing states including New Hampshire, Wisconsin, Colorado and Iowa. Michigan and Pennsylvania, which Republicans hoped to put in play, stayed in Obama’s camp as well. Florida and Virginia remained too close to call.
Romney supporters cheered a win in North Carolina, which Obama captured four years ago. But it was a rare prize in an evening that broadly favored the presidency.
Romney staffers almost all expressed shock or surprise that so many states had voted for Obama. Republican vice presidential nominee Paul Ryan was watching returns with family in the same hotel where Romney and his family watched results.
The Republican nominee had already written a 1,118-word victory speech that he thought would conclude his yearslong quest for the presidency. Earlier Tuesday, Romney said he had no regrets no matter the outcome.
“I feel like we put it all on the field. We left nothing in the locker room. We fought to the very end, and I think that’s why we’ll be successful,” Romney told reporters aboard his plane as he flew from Pittsburgh to Boston, where preparations were underway for a big election night event at the Westin Boston Waterfront Hotel.
Romney’s son Craig appeared briefly in the ballroom early in the evening to warm up the crowd. Craig Romney said that after his father dropped out of the race for the GOP nomination in 2008, Ann Romney had been opposed to another run but eventually changed her mind.
“We’re grateful that she convinced him to get into the race because we know that my dad has been uniquely prepared,” he said.
The GOP nominee had spent Election Day doing a last-minute round of campaigning in one state he’s showered with attention, Ohio, and another he’s largely ignored, Pennsylvania. After voting near his Boston-area home, Romney was betting that an eleventh-hour appeal to working-class voters in both states would help him defeat Obama.
“This is a big day for big change,” Romney told staffers and volunteers at a Cleveland-area campaign office.
On his campaign plane in between flights, he worked on his speech. He said he hadn’t written a concession speech, though he acknowledged the results might not come out in his favor. “Nothing is certain in politics,” he said.
Ryan followed a similar strategy for courting voters on Election Day. After voting in his Wisconsin hometown, the GOP vice presidential hopeful joined Romney in Ohio before a scheduled solo visit to Richmond, Va.
Asked about the hectic schedule in recent days, Ryan said of Romney: “He’s kind of operating on fumes.”
Romney’s focus on Ohio is not a surprise. He has spent more time campaigning there over the last year than any other state. And no Republican has won the presidency without carrying the Midwestern battleground.
But Romney has spent very little time in Pennsylvania, which hasn’t supported a Republican presidential contender in nearly a quarter-century. As polls showed the race tightening there, Romney launched a statewide advertising campaign just last week.
Dismissed as desperation by Democrats, the Pennsylvania trip will at the very least send the message that Romney did all he could to deny Obama a second term.
“We can’t let up now. We need to keep going until the final polls close tomorrow night,” Romney political director Rich Beeson wrote supporters Monday. “With an election this important, let’s leave it all on the field.”
Here’s a county-by-county breakdown of how North Carolina voted for President:
http://myfox8.com/2012/11/06/county-by-county-breakdown-of-how-north-carolina-voted-for-president/
We're all in this together. That's how we campaigned, and that's who we are. Thank you. -bo
—
Barack Obama (@BarackObama) November 07, 2012
This happened because of you. Thank you.
—
Barack Obama (@BarackObama) November 07, 2012
Here’s the story: http://myfox8.com/2012/11/06/president-obama-wins-re-election/
President Obama wins re-election.
We will wait for the Associated Press to officially call the race.
NBC has declared Barack Obama the winner of the 2012 election.
FOX News calls Ohio for President Obama.
Popular vote update: Romney at 38.2 million – Obama at 37 million.
With states like Florida and Virginia too close to call, the “projections” are going to slow down from here.
UPDATE: Electoral count: Obama 244 – Romney 203.
Fox News also calling NC for Romney.
AP calls North Carolina for Romney.
UPDATED ELECTORAL COUNT: Romney 174 — Obama 173.
Fact: McCain received 2,128,474 votes in 2008. So far in 2012, Romney has 2,194,534.
Fact: Obama received 2,142,651 votes in 2008. So far in 2012, he has 2,125,345.
Fact: 4,410,998 votes cast in North Carolina (so far). This surpasses the number from 2008 (4.2 million).
We just compiled a county-by-county breakdown of how NC voted for President. Complete with map:
http://myfox8.com/2012/11/06/county-by-county-breakdown-of-how-north-carolina-voted-for-president/
84 of 100 counties reporting:
Obama/Biden (DEM) 2,119,413 48.55%
Romney/Ryan (REP) 2,191,170 50.19%
Electoral vote still locked at 163.
81 of 100 counties reporting:
Obama/Biden (DEM) 2,114,697 48.54%
Romney/Ryan (REP) 2,187,100 50.20%
The only county in the FOX8 viewing area that voted for Walter Dalton was Guilford County.
Pat McCrory took 54% of the vote in North Carolina, however he was unable to carry Mecklenburg County.
Latest electoral count – 162 to 162.
Some interesting stats from North Carolina:
Election day votes: Romney: 1,029,094 — Obama: 869,237
One stop voting: Romney: 1,006,810 — Obama: 1,157,136
Absentee by Mail: Romney: 113,453 — Obama: 51,318
With 74 of 100 counties reporting in NC: Obama/Biden (DEM) – 2,077,691 – 48.54% — Romney/Ryan (REP) – 2,149,357 – 50.21%
Electoral update: Romney 162 – Obama 157
Popular vote: Romney 26,789,981 – Obama 25,537,286
LATEST:
Obama/Biden (DEM) 1,886,484 47.75%
Romney/Ryan (REP) 2,014,402 50.99%
67 of 100 counties reporting.
New Hampshire called for Obama. This puts the electoral count at:
Obama – 157
Romney – 153
NC Presidential update:
Obama/Biden (DEM) 1,803,824 47.77%
Romney/Ryan (REP) 1,924,697 50.98%
Update! They just fixed it. Here's a screenshot just to prove we're not crazy – twitpic.com/baz7ze
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MyFOX8 FOX8 WGHP (@myfox8) November 07, 2012
As of 9:43 p.m., FOX News Electoral count is 153-153. However, FOXNews.com reporting 154 Romney and 153 Obama. Why are they different? We literally have no idea.
With such a small margin in Florida, North Carolina still too close to call and long lines at polls reported in several states – I would suggest everyone get comfortable. It could be a long evening. 
North Carolina is “still too close to call.” Here are the results so far:
Obama/Biden (DEM) 1,716,280 47.75%
Romney/Ryan (REP) 1,833,217 51.01%
STORY: http://myfox8.com/2012/11/06/north-carolina-presidential-vote-still-too-close-to-call/
With 81% of the vote in Florida, Romney leads by 636 votes. Wow!
Virginia Foxx wins 5th District wp.me/p1VSYg-m5W
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MyFOX8 FOX8 WGHP (@myfox8) November 07, 2012
29 of 100 counties reporting in NC: Obama/Biden (DEM) – 1,636,992 – 48.01% — Romney/Ryan (REP) – 1,731,485 – 50.78%
Just so we can compare:
CNN projections so far: Romney at 152 electoral votes (17 states); Obama at 123 electoral votes (11 states plus D.C.) cnn.com
—
CNN Breaking News (@cnnbrk) November 07, 2012
Quick note: The numbers shown above are from FoxNews.com. FOX News (TV) is reporting slightly different numbers. We will be reporting what is shown above and from FoxNews.com.
FOX News projecting the state of Pennsylvania to Barack Obama.
North Carolina still too close to call. Romney at 50.48% AND Obama at 48.35%
CNN is now projecting the Republican Party will retain control of the House of Representatives.
A little over 800,000 votes separate Romney and Obama. Currently: Romney at just over 13.8 million votes and President Obama at 13 million.
Latest electoral count: Romney – 154 and Obama – 123
Obama has won: CT, DE, DC, IL, ME, MD, MA, MI, NJ, NY, RI and VT
Romney has won: AL, AR, GA, IN, KS, KY, LA, MS, NE, ND, OK, SC, SD, TN, TX, WV and WY
It will be interesting to see how quickly we see a governing agenda from new governor, Pat McCrory. He has been, in essence, running for governor for five years, now. He has been very vague in many of his comments/proposals, this election, as a strategy. Now let’s see if he’s developed clear plans, over these five years.
Electoral update: Romney 149 — Obama 127
The Electoral count is still at Romney – 88 and Obama – 78. More polls will close at 9 p.m. so standby…
NC PRESIDENT RESULTS:
Obama/Biden (DEM) – 1,386,374 – 49.28%
Romney/Ryan (REP) – 1,395,346 – 49.60%
If the President is able to hold his lead in Florida, it seems nearly impossible for Romney to find a path to victory. Look for the Florida vote to be an indicator of what will happen in Ohio. If the President wins both, he’s likely to get to 300 Electoral votes, again, the benchmark considered to be the place where a solid win starts looking like a mandate.
Another race to keep a close eye on is the one for North Carolina Supreme Court. Republican groups put huge efforts into re-electing Paul Newby. Sam Ervin’s name recognition (through his famous grandfather, the late US Senator) may have gone a long way to that race being so close, at this hour.
It will be interesting to see how Pat McCrory works with a mostly-Democratic Council of State. If the current results hold, only Guilford County farmer, Steve Troxler at Commissioner of Agriculture, and Cherie Berry, Commissioner of Labor, will be Republicans, though the Lt. Governor’s race may not be decided til close to midnight.
Particularly disappointing for Republicans may be losing the race for Superintendent of Public Instruction (Tedesco vs. Atkinson), a race they had really targeted.
AP: Howard Coble, GOP, elected U.S. House, District 6, North Carolina.
NC PRESIDENT RESULTS UPDATE: Obama/Biden (DEM) – 1,183,298 48.27% — Romney/Ryan (REP) – 1,241,055 50.63%
The latest Electoral Update – Romney: 88 — Obama: 79
Here’s the story on Pat McCrory – http://myfox8.com/2012/11/06/ap-republican-pat-mccrory-wins-governor-race-in-north-carolina/
AP calls race for Pat McCrory.
Va. reports long lines after polls close http://myfox8.com/2012/11/06/va-reports-long-lines-after-polls-close/
From the AP: G.K. Butterfield, Dem, elected U.S. House, District 1, North Carolina.
As of 8:25 p.m.: 33 counties partially reported (4 complete). 2,413,293 total votes so far.
Obama/Biden (DEM) — 1,162,190 – 48.55%
Romney/Ryan (REP) — 1,205,895 – 50.38%
Walter H. Dalton (DEM) — 1,035,609 – 43.60%
Pat McCrory (REP) — 1,294,747 – 54.51%
The Electoral update: Romney 82, Obama 79.
Obama/Biden (DEM) 1,089,173 49.13% – Romney/Ryan (REP) 1,104,239 49.81%
NC GOVERNOR UPDATE: McCrory 54.25% — Dalton 43.86%
Less than 730 votes separate the two: NC PRESIDENT UPDATE: OBAMA – 49.46% — ROMNEY – 49.49%
From The Associated Press: “Patrick McHenry, GOP, elected U.S. House, District 10, North Carolina.”
Polls just closed in 17 states. Updates coming…
ELECTORAL UPDATE from FOX News – Obama – 78 — Romney 71
Polls are closing in several states at 8 p.m. Watch for several more states to be “called” in the next 5 minutes.
Virginia still up for grabs – Romney at 59% – Obama at 40%
From AP “Mel Watt, Dem, elected U.S. House, District 12, North Carolina.”
FOX News has just called South Carolina for Romney. 33 Electoral votes for Romney. 3 votes for Obama.
POPULAR VOTE: Romney – 1,316,742 — Obama – 1,204,147
FOX News projecting West Virginia for Mitt Romney. ELECTORAL COUNT: Mitt Romney – 24 — Barack Obama – 3
Popular vote: 1,131,721 for Romney – 1,029,944 for Obama
The electoral count stands at 19 for Romney, 3 for Obama.
As of 7:21 p.m., no votes for North Carolina. That will all change at 7:30 p.m.
Florida, a key state, is deadlocked right now. Romney at 50% and Obama at 49%. Less than 7,000 votes separate the two.
TOTAL VOTES: 358,200 for Romney – 328,559 for Obama.
Reminder, the NC polls close at 7:30 p.m.
The electoral count so far: Barack Obama 3 – Mitt Romney 19.
The polls have closed in Virginia, Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, South Carolina and Vermont. FOX News is projecting Indiana and Kentucky for Mitt Romney and Vermont for Barack Obama.
The first polls close at 7 p.m. in Virginia, Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, South Carolina and Vermont.
Reminder: Use the vote tracker above. You will see some numbers showing up under the candidates, but no states have been called as of 6:30 p.m. However, expect some states to be called shortly after the polls closed.
We’re less than one hour from the polls closing in NC.
Reminder: the polls close at 7:30 p.m. We should start getting some numbers in the newsroom around 8 p.m. – this will be the FIRST place you see it.
Here’s more on the outages in Guilford County: http://myfox8.com/2012/11/06/power-outages-reported-due-to-crash-in-jamestown/
Two polling locations in Guilford County are still without power after an accident near Jamestown on Tuesday afternoon. Thanks to battery backup, voters can still vote.
Short lines still being reported around the Piedmont. If you haven’t voted yet, go vote!
UPDATE: Officials say voting machines at Jamestown Town Hall had backup batteries, so voting continued despite outage.
Quick note: We will have live video on this page from 8 p.m. to midnight. The video player will display above starting at 8 p.m.
In Jamestown, power outages are being reported due to a crash. As of last update, Jamestown Town Hall — a polling site — was without power. No word if voting is affected: http://myfox8.com/2012/11/06/power-outages-reported-due-to-crash-in-jamestown/
It’s Election Day, but people still appear to be searching Google to learn “Who is running for President.” MORE: http://myfox8.com/2012/11/06/who-is-running-for-president-peaks-on-google-in-week-before-election-day/
A High Point man claims he observed a worker at a High Point polling location tell a voter to vote Democrat. http://myfox8.com/2012/11/06/high-point-man-claims-poll-worker-told-voter-to-vote-democrat/
Video from Pennsylvania that shows a voting machine altering votes has surfaced online. This looks like a similar problem reported during early voting across the Piedmont. http://myfox8.com/2012/11/06/video-shows-voting-machine-altering-votes-viral-video/
Looking for our local election results updated every 2 minutes? Here’s the link: http://myfox8.com/election-results-2012/
As of 12 p.m., short lines still being reported at most locations. No problems reported.
As of 11 a.m., no problems to report at polling places around the Piedmont. The lines are low at most locations, so if you haven’t already – go vote!
We will be updating this blog all night long. Check back for up-to-the-second results and coverage.
The Associated Press just called the presidential election for President Obama.