Projections: Obama wins White House race
Barack Obama has been re-elected as US president, according to projections.
The Democrat secured a second term in the White House after wins in crucial swing states following one of the closest run election races in history.
Obama thanked supporters on Twitter, saying: “We’re all in this together. That’s how we campaigned.”
This happened because of you. Thank you.
— Barack Obama (@BarackObama) November 7, 2012
His rival Mitt Romney, a former Massachusetts governor, pushed the result to the wire, taking Indiana from his rival and appearing to lead in the popular vote.
But key battlegrounds, including Ohio and New Hampshire, were called for President Obama taking him over the 270 electoral college barrier needed for victory, according to media projections.
Later Mr Romney hit back in the swing state war by taking North Carolina with its 15 votes.
The president had spent the day playing basketball in a gym near his home on Chicago’s south side and told reporters he was “confident we’ve got the votes to win”.
The projected win, which came through at 4.19am UK time, brought scenes of jubilation at Obama’s campaign headquarters in Chicago.
Voter turnout was reported to be high, with long queues at some polling stations following the most expensive presidential battle in US history at a cost of $2bn (€1.6bn).
Four more years. pic.twitter.com/bAJE6Vom
— Barack Obama (@BarackObama) November 7, 2012
Latest projections put him on 275 in the electoral college, which awards each state votes according to population size.
With most of the US firmly carved up along party lines the contest has turned on a handful of states that are neither staunchly Democratic or Republican.
Mr Romney took North Carolina, worth 15 votes in the electoral college, but President Obama beat his opponent in Iowa and Oregon.
Bellwether state Ohio has seen some of the most intensive campaigning and secured 18 electoral votes for the president.
But despite all the major media outlets projecting the Obama win, Mr Romney was not immediately ready to concede defeat, according to CNN.
