On the road with Romney: concession


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BOSTON, Mass. — Mitt Romney is conceding that his hard-fought presidential bid has ended in failure. He told supporters in Boston that he gave it his all and that he is now praying that President Barack Obama will be successful in guiding the nation.

Romney said, "This election is over, but our principles endure."

Obama, meanwhile, tweeted to supporters, "This happened because of you. Thank you."

Obama was chalking up additional victories in states that the polls had said could go either way. After winning Virginia's 13 electoral votes, he had a margin of 100 electoral votes - 303 to 203 - with just Alaska and Florida still to count.

Florida's result remained too close to call, hours after the polls closed.

Despite Obama's sizeable margin in the electoral vote count, he held just a slim advantage in the popular vote.

Hesitation on concession

BOSTON, Mass. — While the most of the major media outlets in the United States have called the 2012 presidential election for President Barack Obama, the Romney campaign is not ready to concede.

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The crowd gathered in Romney's election night headquarters isn't giving up either. With the race so razor thin, they're still watching numbers trickle in from battleground states like Florida, Virginia and Ohio.

In Ohio in particular, there are a large number of provisional ballots — more than 100,000 — that can't be counted for 11 days. If it comes down to that, it could make the difference.

In order to still pull off a win, Romney needs reclaim the lead in Ohio as well as win Virginia, Florida and Colorado — which, again, are all extremely close races. While it could happen, few people outside Romney headquarters are optimistic that will happen.

Still, the country awaits a concession speech.

A tough race on Romney's home turf

BOSTON, Mass. — In a close presidential race, GOP nominee Mitt Romney is expected to lose Massachusetts — the state where here served as governor.

A lot of people in Boston say the Mitt Romney running for president is not the same Mitt Romney that ran for governor a decade ago. While some people like that, many don't.

Voters in the small town of Medford, Mass., will tell you what's on their mind, if you ask. There are plenty of Obama supporters, like former state legislator Goerge Sacko.

"President Obama is a very special person. Mitt Romney, I also know well, and he's a very special money maker," Sacko said.

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But as voters trickled in to their polling locations, Romney supporter Maureen Malatesta calmly spoke of an urgent situation: a nation in need of healing.

"He's a business man, and I think we need more business and less government," she said.

A few miles north, New Hampshire mirrors other swing states this year: almost evenly split in this presidential election. Voters are motivated in the small town of Derry, where two precincts packed in a steady stream of voters in record numbers.

Outside, where people can talk about who they support, there is equal passion. One Obama supporter was critical of Romney's record.

"What he did with Massachusetts with Romney-care is pretty much the same thing (as Obamacare), and now he's flip-flopping on that saying he wants to get rid of Obamacare," Marcie Zingo said.

But another Romney supporter smelled victory in the fall new Hampshire air.

"I think with the Romney campaign there's been good energy out there. It might be tight, might be a squeaker, but I think we're going to do it," Lori McLaughlin.

A busy day of campaigning

BOSTON, Mass. — Polling shows we could be looking at the closest presidential race in history, and GOP presidential nominee Mitt Romney kept a busy schedule Tuesday, even on Election Day.

Romney began his day by joining his wife, Ann, to cast their votes in their hometown of Boston, and then he just kept on campaigning. It's the hard work he believes he needs to do continue doing in order to declare victory Tuesday night.

Romney made stops in Cleveland and Pittsburg to thank supporters and remind voters in each of those cities to hit the polls. He also talked about making this a big day for change.

He and vice presidential nominee Paul Ryan have reunited in Boston to await the results.

According to an NBC News press reporter, Romney apparently told media members on the press plane Tuesday that he had flipped his mindset from knowing intellectually that he is going to win to knowing emotionally that he is going to win. He also said there will be no rest after the campaign, the work as president will begin Wednesday.

Romney favorite to win in Utah

SALT LAKE CITY — In Utah, Romney handily won his bid for presidency in Utah's general election.

As a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and graduate of Brigham Young University, who oversaw the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City, he is a hugely popular figure in Utah the state, where more than 60 percent of residents Mormons.

The former Massachusetts governor took 90 percent of the vote in Utah's 2008 presidential primary and received 93 percent in this year's primary.


US President Results
CandidateVotes %Winner
Virgil Goode /James N. Clymer (CON)0%
Barack Obama /Joseph Biden (DEM)47%
Jill Stein /Cheri Honkala (GRE)0%
Rocky Anderson /Luis Rodriguez (JUS)0%
Gary Johnson /James Gray (LIB)0%
Mitt Romney /Paul Ryan (REP)50%
Gloria La Riva /Filberto Ramirez Jr. (Unaffiliated)0%
100% of precincts reported.
For a complete listing of election results, click HERE.

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Richard Piatt and The Associated Press

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