Decision Time! Live blog of results for president, Senate, Georgia races
UPDATE at 11:25 p.m.: And that’s it. Ohio has been called for Obama, and it looks likely that Florida will follow suit. A couple of near-billion-dollar campaigns, and it looks like two states (Indiana and North Carolina) will have flipped, maybe three if Romney ekes out a win in Virginia.
We’ll have plenty of time in the weeks to come to talk about what comes next for the GOP nationally. Tonight is for Obama and his supporters.
The silver lining here in Georgia, for me: The charter schools amendment passed, giving students and parents more choices in the near future.
—
UPDATE at 9:56 p.m.: With Michigan and Pennsylvania being called for Obama, Romney is right where most people thought he would be: needing to sweep Florida, North Carolina, Virginia and Ohio, plus one more smaller state, to win. None of those four has been called yet, and all are within reach. But the hour is getting late, and his margin for error is gone.
Incidentally, and just for the record: Some news outlets have called Wisconsin for Obama even though the votes that have been counted there show Romney leading. Admittedly, the exit poll there doesn’t look good for Romney. But it reminds me of Florida in 2000, when I was looking at the AP feed of votes counted and seeing George W. Bush leading even as the state was called for Al Gore. I’m not saying that’s going to happen this year in the Badger State, but I will wait a bit longer before handing that state to Obama.
—
UPDATE at 8:42 p.m.: Most media outlets are projecting that Georgia’s 16 electoral votes will go to Mitt Romney. This is not surprising, of course, and I wish we were getting exit polls to give us an idea of how the state might have changed since the 2008 election, but there it is for the record.
In other Georgia news, the charter-schools amendment is doing better than expected outside metro Atlanta, which wasn’t necessarily expected to be the case since the issue isn’t as well-known in other parts of the state. With about 800,000 votes counted, the “yes” vote is ahead by more than 50,000 votes, or about 6.5 percentage points.
Nationally, it’s becoming clear — again, not surprising at this point — that Democrats will retain control of the U.S. Senate. Florida’s Bill Nelson is projected to retain his seat, which is one Republicans probably had to flip if they were going to take the Senate.
In the presidential race, I’m seeing some disagreement among Virginia-minded pundits about what’s happening in that state. The exit polls didn’t really bode well for Romney, but you can ask President John Kerry about how much that matters. Obama seems to be holding his edge in certain parts of that state, but not all of them. It will probably be a while longer before we see how that state shakes out. If Romney can’t take it, he will be hard-pressed to string together enough other states to get to 270 electoral votes.
—
UPDATE at 7:08 p.m.: The polls in Georgia closed a few minutes ago. I am going ahead and calling a majority in the state House and Senate for the Georgia GOP. Shocker, I know.
After all, Republicans entered today with 29 guaranteed seats in the Senate to the Democrats’ 15, and 90 in the House to the Dems’ 48. That’s 182 of 236 state legislative seats (77 percent) decided before the polls opened, much less closed, because they weren’t contested in the general election. That lack of competitiveness shouldn’t surprise me at this point, but somehow the magnitude of it always does.
The real Gold Dome drama tonight, of course, centers on whether the GOP can achieve super-majorities of two-thirds in each chamber. That, and what happens with the charter schools amendment.
Also, the AP has called Kentucky for Romney and Vermont for Obama. So, Romney leads 8 electoral votes to 3. LET’S JUST END IT NOW AND GO HOME!!
Kidding. Of course. Sort of. No, really.
—
ORIGINAL POST:
The first polls closed at 6 p.m. in Indiana and Kentucky. Georgia’s polls close at 7 p.m., as do a number of other states. The flood of election results will begin in earnest sometime thereafter.
Follow it all here and on Twitter, as I’ll be posting updates on the charter-schools amendment, the race in Georgia’s 12th Congressional District, the balance of power in the statehouse and the U.S. Senate — oh, and that other election between Mitt Whatshisname and Somebody Obama.
And if Twitter, blogging, and the Google+ Hangout from earlier today — along with the next Hangout we’ll do either tonight or tomorrow morning — aren’t enough, tune into WABE, 90.1 FM, around 9:45 p.m. and 10:45 p.m. to hear me discuss the results during the station’s election coverage.
OK, I think that’s it … join us one way or another.
– By Kyle Wingfield
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492 comments Add your comment
iggy
November 6th, 2012
11:52 pm
You also Black Label!
Aquagirl
November 6th, 2012
11:53 pm
iggy mans up.
Fox news…not so much.
Black Label
November 6th, 2012
11:54 pm
td
Actually if you look at the voting demographics for the 08 election, it shows you to be what you know you are……… A LIAR
I’m sure the 2012 will do the same
Cry on big baby, cry on
ATLien
November 6th, 2012
11:55 pm
Obama won. Etch A Sketch lost. Why am I not surprised that the south is lock step for Romney. Idiots.
BW
November 6th, 2012
11:55 pm
Kyle
You need to stage an intervention for Karl Rove right now! The man is falling apart before our eyes!
Lord Help Us
November 6th, 2012
11:56 pm
Karl being talked to like a two year old…by his own people…
BW
November 6th, 2012
11:56 pm
td
You’re in the denial phase right now….don’t worry it’ll get better
Progressive Humanist
November 6th, 2012
11:58 pm
You’re wrong td, yet again. Because that’s the way you live. Out of the top 10 states whose populations pay no income tax, 9 of them are red states. Georgia, our deep red state, is number two in terms of the amount of people who don’t pay taxes. You can look at this map and the accompanying chart with the facts, but considering your track record of believing complete bs (like believing Romney had a shot) there’s no reason to think you’ll abandon your delusions now.
http://taxfoundation.org/article/states-vary-widely-number-tax-filers-no-income-tax-liability
MotherOfTwo
November 6th, 2012
11:58 pm
Karl Rove is acting like a sore looser……. with the Ohio nonsense. He is so praying for a recount.
I hope Mitt Romney mans up and gives his concession speach soon. But, I won’t hold my breath. Good Night
Aquagirl
November 6th, 2012
11:59 pm
Karl being talked to like a two year old…by his own people…
It’s like trying to explain Squeaky the mouse is not sleeping and we need to bury him when he hasn’t moved for a week.
Mr. Snarky
November 7th, 2012
12:00 am
Kyle, sounds like you need to get a new gut…or maybe a smaller one.
Black Label
November 7th, 2012
12:02 am
Votes are still piling up for Obama and Rove along with his little buddy td are crying the blues…..
Oh well, td it was expected from you.
But keep researching those sites that are brainwashing you about oversampling.
Man, you are one gullible guy
ATLien
November 7th, 2012
12:03 am
LBB
Real America showed up tonight. Full of diversity and optimism. Your type of conservatives try to drag the country down
Atlanta Mom
November 7th, 2012
12:03 am
Hope you enjoyed your echo chamber Kyle.
Lord Help Us
November 7th, 2012
12:05 am
All those bold predictions from the ’smart’ GOP pundits and their sheep…
So many are ABSOLUTELY CERTAIN of their conclusions, AND, simultaneously, ABSOLUTELY CLUELESS about everything that spews from their piehole…
iggy
November 7th, 2012
12:06 am
Virgil Goode pulled down 12,962 votes in VA. LOL…I wonder who voted for him?
Black Label
November 7th, 2012
12:06 am
Talk radio will be the best tomorrow
Tears will come through your speakers……………… along with a million excuses
wow
November 7th, 2012
12:07 am
HATE
wow
November 7th, 2012
12:08 am
hate and bigotry lost tonight….speaking of hate whassup TD and cc…lol…
Progressive Humanist
November 7th, 2012
12:09 am
Nicely put, ATLien.
TED NUGENT
November 7th, 2012
12:09 am
bu bu but bu ….
fair and balanced
November 7th, 2012
12:10 am
Romney is on the phone with Adelson- he wants a refund! Kock Brothers also calling for a refund.
iggy
November 7th, 2012
12:10 am
CO goes to Obama.
Lord Help Us
November 7th, 2012
12:13 am
Reality has invaded the con world on Fox…
Progressive Humanist
November 7th, 2012
12:15 am
With Colorado and Nevada, Obama’s lead is now enough that even if there was a dispute over Ohio’s outcome, he would still have 270. Mitt needs to be a man for once in his life, just once, and call to concede.
Tap Out
November 7th, 2012
12:16 am
Are you repubs gonna buy up all the bullets again? LOL
Progressive Humanist
November 7th, 2012
12:18 am
And I love how all the cons who were talking tough for the last 6 months are now hiding in their closets. Where are you guys? I want to know if you’re really, really angry or it just hurts real bad.
iggy
November 7th, 2012
12:19 am
“conservatives already didnt like him and now hes useless to them.”
True. He was our only alternative but thats yesterday news. He should give his darn concession speech, go to dinner have a drink and be glad he retires with his millions.
Progressive Humanist
November 7th, 2012
12:20 am
Maryland has voted for marriage equality. Colorado and Washington have voted to legalize marijuana for recreational purposes.
Karl Rove
November 7th, 2012
12:21 am
Those damn commie liberals in the Ohio Secretary of State office allowed too many of those minority moochers to vote early. I told them not to do it. Same thing in Florida. Now we will have to find some legal basis to find Romney’s civil rights were violated like poor George W. in 2000. No way is this the fault of our two candidates – they were just spinning the facts based on extensive research by Rush and Grover…
So what if they turned off all minorities , gays, women and middle class voters?? The Chinese and the 1% love them , This has got to be a Muslim conspiracy led by that commie Muslim in the White House.
Remember if you pass gas in public just find a minority or a Muslim to blame it on.
iggy
November 7th, 2012
12:22 am
“I want to know if you’re really, really angry or it just hurts real bad.”
Angry? No.
Hurt? No.
Disappointed? Yes.
But, it doesnt matter. The die has been cast so best just to get back to enjoying life.
Progressive Humanist
November 7th, 2012
12:23 am
Hispanics won this election tonight. And our numbers will just keep growing. Republicans have alienated Hispanics for a generation or more. Republicans lose and will keep losing.
iggy
November 7th, 2012
12:23 am
“Remember if you pass gas in public just find a minority or a Muslim to blame it on.”
LMAO!!
@@
November 7th, 2012
12:25 am
Gotta “luv” the side by side on the AJC site:
“Victor Hill headed toward sheriff’s office again”
“Obama wins re-election”
schnirt
Progressive Humanist
November 7th, 2012
12:25 am
Well, iggy, you’re one of the few cons who had the juevos to man up tonight. Props.
BW
November 7th, 2012
12:28 am
Talk about class? Mitt Romney….please do a service to your country and get out there and concede this race!
Aquagirl
November 7th, 2012
12:30 am
Well, iggy, you’re one of the few cons who had the juevos to man up tonight. Props.
The bad news: he’ll never, ever work for Faux.
Progressive Humanist
November 7th, 2012
12:33 am
A big blue wave swept the country tonight. It’s difficult to find any bright spots for the cons on this evening. America wins.
hsn
November 7th, 2012
12:35 am
Looks like O will put the icing on the cake with FL, and VA as well
independent thinker
November 7th, 2012
12:38 am
Rove, Romney and Ryan frantically looking for life vests and a raft as the Titanic slips under the water.
Progressive Humanist
November 7th, 2012
12:41 am
It looks like Michele Bachmann and Allen West might lose tonight. That might be a bright spot for Republicans. They need to thin the herd of crazies from their ranks.
Progressive Humanist
November 7th, 2012
12:44 am
I think Romney hasn’t conceded because he’s on the phone with planet Kolob trying to figure out why the magic undies didn’t work.
iggy
November 7th, 2012
12:46 am
“Titanic slips under the water.”
LOL…no denying that. Only thing I would add is the Titanic is under and going the way of Davy Jones Locker.
Progressive Humanist
November 7th, 2012
12:48 am
I’m still trying to figure out what Nate Silver got wrong. So far he’s gotten every state right pending the outcome of Florida and Virginia (which he had for Obama). And it looks like he’ll be right on with the popular vote as well.
Progressive Humanist
November 7th, 2012
12:50 am
Romney plans to come out to speak (concede?) in 5 minutes. I guess he got word back from planet Kolob. The only question left is how weak he will appear in defeat.
Tealiban Party
November 7th, 2012
12:51 am
Concession speech imminent
iggy
November 7th, 2012
12:52 am
6:00 a.m. is rolling up fast. Night all!!
You too Finn!
Progressive Humanist
November 7th, 2012
1:05 am
I watched the concession speech but I couldn’t see Romney. All I saw was an empty suit behind a podium. And that ends that. On to the next four years.
johnc
November 7th, 2012
1:52 am
guess that gut feeling was just indigestion.
Michael H. Smith
November 7th, 2012
3:09 am
Congratulations moocher class, your ebt cards, foo stamps, section 8 housing, free obumer cell phones and obumerCare are save as long as China is willing to lend your Prezident money. Don’t expect any concessions from the right for more social(ist) government welfare spending, the differences between Capitalism and Socialism, between a Representative Republic and “Social Democracy” which has divided us before tonight has only now been widened in what you can call your victory with no real popular mandate worth speaking of to unite a very diametrical polarized America.
Oh, and a special congratulation to Comrade Mary Elizabeth on her charter school amendment victory. I’m sure she is hating it as much as I’m celebrating it.