Barack Obama will become the 44th president of the United States and the nation’s first African-American president. His victory on November 4 was resounding, with a 51-48 percent popular vote total projected by MSNBC and an electoral vote margin of 338 votes for Obama and 156 for McCain. (Several states have still not been called.)
Congressman John Lewis: “We were fighting to end segregation at lunch counters … We were just trying to break down barriers and bring down signs that said ‘white men, black men, white women, colored women’ … When you really look at it, when you really think about it, we have witnessed tonight in America a revolution in values, a revolution in ideas, we have witnessed a transformation in American politics and it will have unbelievable influence … around the world.”
Senator John McCain conceded shortly after the polls closed on the West Coast. President-elect Obama is expected to speak at 11:00 p.m. Central Standard Time.
“Happy America-got-it-right day!” Text message
In Minnesota, the Senate race continues close at 10:30 p.m. All of the incumbents in Congressional races appear to have won: Democrat Tim Walz in the First District, Republican John Kline in the Second District, Democrat Betty McCollum in the Fourth District, Democrat Keith Ellison in the Fifth District, Republican Michelle Bachmann in the Sixth District, Democrat Collin Peterson in the Seventh District, Democrat James Oberstar in the Eighth District. In the Third District, where Republican Jim Ramstad is retiring, Republican Erik Paulsen appears to have won.
The two most hotly-contested races were in the Third and Sixth Districts. At 10:30 p.m., the Secretary of State’s office said 40% of all precincts in the Third District had reported, and that the Republican Erik Paulsen held a lead of 64,706 to 56,763 Democrat Ashwin Madia. At 10:30 p.m., the Secretary of State’s office said 54% of all precincts in the Sixth District had reported, and that the incumbent Michelle Bachmann held a lead of 106,598 to 94,930 for challenger El Tinklenberg.
For full, current election results, including legislative and judicial results, see the Secretary of State’s web site.
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