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Special to the tribune
US President Barack Obama won re-election on Tuesday defeating his Republican rival Mitt Romney in a hard-fought and expensive battle, but he will have to contend with a gridlocked US Congress. In the early hours of Wednesday, Obama, America’s first black President, promised ecstatic supporters in his hometown of Chicago that “the best is yet to come”. In congressional races, the Republican Party kept control of the US House of Representatives, while Obama’s Democratic Party retained its majority in the Senate. US presidential elections are decided by an electoral college, which gives states a certain number of electoral votes based on population. A candidate must get 270 electoral votes to win the presidency. Obama shot past the 270 mark, garnering 303 electoral votes and winning most of the battleground states. On Wednesday morning, a final result was awaited in Florida, where the President had a narrow lead. Florida has 29 electoral votes. Romney got 206 electoral votes. While the electoral vote margin was significant, the difference between the two candidates in the popular vote was much smaller. Obama got 50 per cent of the popular vote compared to 48 per cent for Romney, a Mormon. In all, Obama won 25 states and the District of Columbia, while Romney won 24 states. Obama rode to victory largely on a wave of support from minorities — Hispanics and African Americans — and women voters. In Chicago, Obama was greeted by giddy flag-waving supporters. “Tonight , you, the American people, reminded us that while our road has been hard, while our journey has been long, we have picked ourselves up, we have fought our way back,” Obama told them. “We know in our hearts that for the United States of America, the best is yet to come.” Fierce political arguments are a necessary part of democracy, said Obama. “We will disagree, sometimes fiercely,” he said, but “progress will come in fits and starts” and the victory Tuesday night “won’t end all the gridlocks”. “Our economy is recovering. A decade of war is ending. A long campaign is now over,” Obama added. House Speaker John Boehner, a Republican with whom Obama has shared a rocky relationship, said in a statement: “The American people re-elected the President,
and re-elected our majority in the House. If there is a mandate, it is a mandate for both parties to find common ground and take steps together to help our economy grow and create jobs, which is critical to solving our debt.” The economy will remain Obama’s biggest challenge. He will have to deal with the so-called fiscal cliff -- a combination of tax increases and mandated across-the-board spending cuts set to kick in at the end of the year. Romney conceded defeat in a phone call to Obama soon after midnight on the east coast of the US. At around 12:55 am on Wednesday, the Republican Party’s candidate addressed subdued supporters in Boston. “I have just called President Obama to congratulate him on his victory,” Romney said. He struck a conciliatory and bipartisan tone at the end of what has been a bitter election campaign. “This is a time of great challenges for America, and I pray that the President will be successful in guiding our nation,” said Romney. “At a time like this, we can’t risk partisan bickering and political posturing. Our leaders have to reach across the aisle to do the people’s work. And we citizens also have to rise to the occasion,” he added. Romney was joined onstage by his family, including a tearful wife, Ann, and his running mate, Paul Ryan and his family. “We have given our all to this campaign. I so wish that I had been able to fulfill your hopes to lead the country in a different direction. But the nation chose another leader. And so Ann and I join with you to earnestly pray for him and for this great nation,” Romney said. Obama too struck a conciliatory tone saying he intends to sit down with Romney in the weeks ahead to talk about how the two can work together. Romney won North Carolina and Indiana, which Obama had won four years ago. But the President picked up most of the battleground states, including Ohio, Virginia, Wisconsin, New Hampshire, Iowa, Nevada and Colorado. OBAMARICA: The road to A Historic victory
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Obama shot past the magic mark of 270, picking up 303 electoral votes and most of the battle-ground states. Romney won 206 electoral votes
(see graphic)