Obama supporters cheered the
results
President Barack Obama has been
re-elected to a second term, defeating
Republican challenger
Mitt Romney.
With results in from most states, America's first black president has secured
the 270 votes in the electoral college needed to win the race.
Mr Obama prevailed despite lingering dissatisfaction with the economy and a
well-funded challenge by Mr Romney.
Mr Obama's margin of victory is not yet certain because two states have yet
to report results.
Mr Romney, the former governor of Massachusetts, has called the president to
concede the race.
With Florida still too close to call, Mr Obama has won 303
electoral votes to
Mr Romney's 203.
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“Start Quote
There will be many problems ahead in a second term, but for
the president's supporters, this is a moment of joy and
relief.”
End Quote
In Boston, where his campaign was headquartered, Mr
Romney congratulated the president in an emotional concession speech.
He said he and
Vice-presidential candidate Paul Ryan had "left everything on
the field" and had given their all in the campaign.
"This election is over, but I believe that our principles endure," he said.
"I so wish that I had been able to fulfil your hopes to lead the country in a
different direction."
The state of Alaska, where polls have yet to close, is expected to vote for
the Republican.
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.
The popular vote, which is symbolically and politically important but not
decisive in the race, remains too close to call.
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.
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Billions spent
Mr Romney won North Carolina and Indiana, both of which
Mr Obama won in 2008, as well as the solid Republican states.
But he was unable to win in Ohio or other states needed to breach the 270
threshold.
Also on Tuesday's ballot were 11 state governorships, a third of the seats in
the 100-member
US Senate and all 435 seats in the House of Representatives.
Republicans are projected to keep control of the House, while Democrats are
tipped to remain in control in the Senate.
Mr Obama's re-election victory came despite lingering high employment - 7.9%
on election day - and tepid economic growth.
But voters gave him credit for his 2009 rescue of the US car industry, among
other policy accomplishments, and rewarded him for ordering the commando mission
that killed Osama Bin Laden in Pakistan last year.
He and Mr Romney, as well as their respective allies, have spent more than
$2bn (£1.25bn) - largely on adverts in swing states
