President Barack Obama's victory rally in Chicago, Nov. 7. (Jim Bourg/Reuters)
President Barack Obama won a second term in the White House after a strong showing in the battleground states.
Ohio, a crucial state for Republican Mitt Romney, tipped the balance in Obama’s favor late Tuesday night. Florida voters were as divided as most observers expected and the result remained too close to call Wednesday afternoon.
There had been talk of a change in the balance of power in Congress, but Republicans maintained their majority in the House of Representatives, as did Senate Democrats.
High-profile Senate victories came in Virginia, where Democrat Tim Kaine defeated George Allen, and in Massachusetts, where Democratic challenger Elizabeth Warren defeated incumbent Scott Brown. Missouri’s incumbent Sen. Claire McCaskill fought off Republican Rep. Todd Aiken, who made news this summer for controversial rape comments. Another Senate candidate whose rape-related comments caused a backlash was Indiana Republican Richard Mourdock, who lost to Rep. Joe Donnelly.
And Wisconsin voters made history by electing the first openly gay senator: Tammy Baldwin. Her win helped set a record for the number of women in the U.S. Senate.
Beyond the presidential and congressional races, several ballot measures attracted national attention this year. Residents of Maryland and Maine voted to legalize same-sex marriage. It marked the first time voters decided by referendum to give same-sex couples the right to marry. Colorado and Washington became the first states to legalize recreational marijuana, setting up a possible battle with the federal government.
After a bruising campaign, the focus shifted to what a second Obama term would look like. In a pre-election interview with an Iowa newspaper, Obama discussed the impending showdown on the federal deficit. He also mentioned comprehensive immigration reform as a second-term priority.
A top concern was whether the president would be able to unify the country and work more effectively with a still-divided Congress. Unity was a theme in Obama’s victory speech.
“We may have battled fiercely, but it’s only because we love this country deeply and we care so strongly about its future,” he said. “Tonight, despite all the hardship we’ve been through, despite all the frustrations of Washington, I’ve never been more hopeful about our future.”
Check out the photos and video below for more from Election Day 2012. Visit our fan page for additional election analysis.
Residents of Chicago's Hyde Park neighborhood wait near the private home of President Barack Obama on Nov. 7. (Jason Reed/Reuters)
People watch President Barack Obama's victory speech broadcast live in New York's Times Square on Nov. 7. (Andrew Kelly/Reuters)
Ajay Narayan cheers as a television network calls the race for Obama during the Nevada state Democrats' election night party at the Mandalay Bay Resort in Las Vegas. (SAM MORRIS / REUTERS)
Simone du Sablon, left, hugs Angela Holloway at the Marriott in downtown Raleigh, N.C., after hearing that President Obama won the election. (Ted Richardson / For The Washington Post)
Mitt Romney and his wife, Ann, stand with Paul and Janna Ryan after Romney conceded defeat to President Barack Obama on Nov. 7. (Emmanuel Dunand/AFP/Getty Images)
Revelers celebrate on H Street NW after President Obama won a second term. (Lucian Perkins / For The Washington Post)
U.S. President Barack Obama celebrates with his family at their election night victory rally. (REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque)
Romney supporters react to the announcement of the re-election of President Barack Obama in Utah on Nov. 6. (George Frey/Reuters)
The Washington Post’s Dan Balz, Karen Tumulty and Chris Cillizza break down what the next four years in Washington, D.C. will look like.