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Obama wins second term, Murphy defeats West

By Palm Beach Business.com

DELRAY BEACH — President Barack Obama won a second term Tuesday, winning the Electoral College by a rather wide measure. But whether he won Florida was still up in the air Wednesday morning.

The Associated Press and the major television networks called the election for Obama around 11:15 p.m. after projecting that would take the three west coast states, and then Ohio. Republican challenger Mitt Romney conceded the election early Wednesday.

With 98.78 percent of Florida’s precincts counted, Obama lead Romney 4.10 million to 4.05 million. Parts of Palm Beach, Brevard, Volusia and Miami-Dade had yet to be counted. Provisional and federal absentee ballots were mostly uncounted statewide. Turnout neared 70 percent of Florida’s registered voters.

In Palm Beach County, Obama beat Romney 322,290 to 226,513.

With Florida yet to be called, Obama had secured 303 electoral votes to Romney's 206. The popular vote remained close.

In one of the most closely watched and heavily contested congressional races, Democratic newcomer Patrick Murphy defeated Republican freshman Rep. Allen West in Florida’s 18th district by 159,959 to 157,578.

West, a Tea Party favorite from Broward County, became a target for national Democrats because of his confrontational style, once labeling the House progressive caucus as a collection of Communists. West spent more than $7 million in his bid for a second term in the House.

In other races, incumbent Democratic Sen. Bill Nelson held onto his seat, defeating Republican Rep. Connie Mack, while former West Palm Beach Mayor Lois Frankel, a Democrat, defeated Delray Beach Republican Adam Hasner in the race for House seat from the 22nd district. Democrat Maria Sachs defeated Ellen Bogdanoff for the State Senate representing parts of south Palm Beach County in a race that pitted two incumbents against each other because of redistricting.

Only three of the 12 proposed constitutional amendments reached the 60 percent threshold require for passage and all involved extending homestead exemptions to veterans disabled by combat injury, low-income, long-time resident senior citizens and the surviving spouses of military veterans and first responders.

A proposal to allow slot machines under certain circumstances in Palm Beach County also passed.