Politics & Government

Barack Obama Re-Elected President

President Obama defeated Republican Mitt Romney in the 2012 presidential election.

President Barack Obama and Vice President Joe Biden were re-elected Tuesday night, defeating Republican challenger Mitt Romney and his vice presidential running mate Rep. Paul Ryan.

NBC News called the presidential election for Obama around 10:15 p.m. and other media outlets quickly followed. The president sent a message on Twitter at 10:14 saying simply, "This happened because of you. Thank you."

The Obama campaign won the most expensive presidential race ever, with both parties raising about $2.6 billion. The race was filled with negative campaigning on both sides, from President Obama attacking Romney’s business experience with Bain Capital to Romney lambasting Obama’s handling of the economy.

The race tightened during the final months of the campaign, with gaffes and surges from both candidates. After a weak performance after the Republican Convention, Romney surged following Obama’s listless performance after the first presidential debate. Nevertheless, the president cemented a lead in battleground states heading into Tuesday’s election.

Obama also carried Wisconsin, according to projections from multiple national media outlets.

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Obama’s performance in Wisconsin wasn't surprising, considering that a Republican presidential candidate hasn't won the state since Ronald Reagan in 1984.


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