AP Confirms: Color North Carolina Blue! Obama Wins It!
Obama has been declared the unofficial winner of North Carolina. From the Raleigh News-Observer and the North Carolina State Board of Elections:
Democrat Barack Obama is the unofficial winner in North Carolina, but the victory over Sen. John McCain won't be sealed until provisional ballots are counted and certified next month.
Unofficial returns show Obama ahead by 13,746 votes.
Trends over the last 14 years point to Obama having a wider lead after the provisionals are counted, said Gary Bartlett, executive director of the State Board of Elections.
http://www.newsobserver.com/politics/story/1283680.html
And now, some 18 hours later, the Associated Press confirms:
RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) -- President-elect Obama has won North Carolina, a symbolic triumph in a state that hadn't voted for a Democrat in more than a generation.
The Associated Press declared Obama the winner Thursday after canvassing counties in North Carolina to determine the number of outstanding provisional ballots.
That survey found that there are not enough remaining ballots for Republican John McCain to close a 13,693-vote deficit.
North Carolina's 15 electoral votes brings Obama's total to 364 - nearly 100 more than necessary to win the White House. Missouri is the only state that remains too close to call.
Obama's win in North Carolina was the first for a Democratic presidential candidate since Jimmy Carter won the state in 1976.
Next stop: Missouri!!!
Thanks for this! I've been waiting, had already checked out the State Board of Elections so knew the vote count. But when I last viewed the N&O the story you link wasn't up. We went with the Dem's for Senator, Governor and Lt. Governor, as well. See ya, Mrs. Dole.
November 5, 2008 7:21 PM | Reply | Permalink
Hey M -- there is hope; NC is the thin edge of the southern wedge. Congratulations! (Wish that SC had been the same, but maybe next time.)
November 6, 2008 12:49 PM | Reply | Permalink
You telling me it is going to take an entire MONTH before we can have our 364 Electoral votes? LANDSLIDE!
November 5, 2008 7:44 PM | Reply | Permalink
The Obama camp is claiming victory now as well:
From a Daily Kos post (link when I find I find it):
November 6, 2008 11:58 AM | Reply | Permalink
Pollster.com has useful map for this. Shows which major orgs (ABC, CBS, Fox, CNN, AP, NBC) have called which states.
November 6, 2008 2:20 PM | Reply | Permalink
Pollster.com and Nate Silver's fivethirtyeight.com are two of my favorite websites. I don't know how many times a day I check them, but it's a lot.
November 6, 2008 3:55 PM | Reply | Permalink
Oh my, the pigs are flying this season. This is more gratifying than Sally Fields' second oscar. Methinks I'll extend my celebrating a tad.
November 6, 2008 3:33 PM | Reply | Permalink
Next, one of Nebraska's electoral votes.
November 6, 2008 4:41 PM | Reply | Permalink
I have lived in NC for 12 years and I cannot even begin to tell everybody how incredibly proud I am to have my state turn blue. Living in deep red Western NC, this is the closest to heaven on earth as it gets!!
November 6, 2008 4:01 PM | Reply | Permalink