US Elections 2012

Barack Obama secured a second term in the US Elections 2012, defeating Republican candidate Mitt Romney.

The first black president of the United States, Barack Obama, surpassed the 270 votes required in the electoral college to win the US Elections 2012.

Obama spoke in front of his supporters in Chicago after his US Elections 2012 re-election in which he said that he would discuss with Mitt Romney "where we can work together to move this country forward".

He was able to win the US Elections 2012 despite widespread disappointment over US economic performance for the duration of his first term, something which Mitt Romney campaigned hard on.

The Democratic party was also able to keep their majority in the Senate which they've had since 2007. The Republicans, meanwhile, maintained control of the House of Representatives.

Many political analysts think this will mean more gridlock, something that dogged Obama's first term, thanks to the House and the president disagreeing on a lot of legislation.

 In his US Elections 2012 victory speech, Obama challenged the Republicans to work with him for an improved America.

 

Florida's 29 electoral votes still haven't been decided, but Barack Obama now has 303 electoral votes compared to Mitt Romney's 206 and so has enough to win the US Elections 2012.

The US Elections 2012 is determined by the number of electoral votes won, 270 being the number needed to win. Those votes are given in approximate proportion to population.

Symbolically and politically, however, the precise number of votes received by each candidate is thought to be important and that race is still very tight.

Obama's speech included congratulations for Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan, the Republican vice-presidential candidate, for their hard-fought campaign.

Obama said: "We have picked ourselves up, we have fought our way back and we know in our hearts that for the United States of America the best is yet to come."

He also said that he would go back to the White House "more determined, and more inspired than ever about the work there is to do, and the future that lies ahead".

Obama pledged to work with Republican leaders in Congress to bring down the government budget deficit, overhaul the tax code and improve the rules on immigration.

He said: "We are an American family and we rise and fall together as one nation."

Mitt Romney gave his US Elections 2012 post-election speech in Boston which was the base of his campaign.

He congratulated Barack Obama saying that both he and Paul Ryan had "left everything on the field" and put all the had into their campaign.

Talking about the economy, Mitt Romney said this wasn’t the time for "partisan bickering and political posturing", and Republicans and Democrats need to "put people before politics".

Mitt Romney said: "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 I join with you to earnestly pray for [Barack Obama] and for this great nation."

Obama was able to win the US Elections 2012 by retaining solid Democratic states and securing several important swing states including Colorado, Iowa, Pennsylvania, Michigan, Minnesota, Virginia and Wisconsin.

His narrow win in Ohio, traditionally one of the closest swing states, secured the US Elections 2012 victory.