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Full speed ahead into four more years: US President Barack Obama and Vice President Joe Biden celebrate on stage after Obama delivered his acceptance speech on Nov. 7 in hometown Chicago.

Battleground states snag Obama 303 electoral votes, second term

BY ANYA ZENTMEYER
GVL EDITOR IN CHIEF

resident Barack Obama was greeted warmly by his hometown of Chicago Tuesday night after news organizations began declaring his victory over former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney in the 2012 presidential race around 11:20 p.m., carrying Americas first black president into his second term. Tonight in this election, you, the American people, reminded us that while our road has been hard, while our journey has been long, we have picked ourselves up, we have fought our way back, Obama said. We know in our hearts that for the United States of America, the best is yet to come. Predictions of a close race came to fruition, with the New York Times most recent numbers at time of publication totaling Obama at 50.4 percent (60,514,893) of the popular vote while Romney trailed behind with 48.1 percent (57,710,818). Republican and democrats nationwide watched nervously as electoral votes most notably in the battleground states topped out at 303 for Obama, and 206 for Romney, leaving 29 currently undecided. Obama swept Colorado, Iowa, Ohio, New Hampshire, Virginia and Wisconsin, also taking all 16 of Michigans electoral votes Romneys birth state as well as his home state of Massachusetts. This is an affirmation for the Obama presidency, said Roger Moiles, affiliated professor of political science at Grand Valley State University. It was a hard-fought battle, of course, but it was an affirmation. I think its a good thing for the country that we had a clear popular vote winner and electoral vote winner; the fact that Governor Romney could concede within a few hours after the polls had closed, that we had a clear definition on that. Whit Kilburn, also from GVSUs political science department, said Obamas victory was not a surprising one. Howev-

er, much like 2008, his victory was much bigger than himself. I think its also a victory for the kinds of politics we think America should have, Kilburn said. While theres no doubt that the campaign was at times shrill and negative, this is really nothing new in American politics. But the election, the exit polls, and the pre-election polls showed that ideas and demographics still mattered. It was not enough for Romney to campaign as the anti-Obama. He had to put together a compelling plan for how he would govern, but the results show that most Americans did not find it compelling enough. CLOSING THE PARTY GAP At 51, Obama faces a still-shuddering economy, record levels of national debt and a polarized congress. Republicans will still have control of the U.S. House of Representatives, with 209 versus 155 democrats and 71 undecided. Democrats still have Obamas back in the Senate, however, with 52 democrats versus 44 republican seats something Moiles said might help Obama in the long run, though it may be a very difficult and painful process. What Obama and democrats want is some tax increase to go along with spending cuts, and thats what more or less, the Tea Party has resisted, he said. With their particular power in the House and the republican majority, I think maybe with some support from some Senate republicans not all of them, certainly senate republicans will still hold to their principles and positions but, I do think he may be able to put together a little bit of a coalition that will put some leverage on that House majority. Gov. Romney and Obama both expressed strong sentiments of bipartisanship in their concession and acceptance speeches, respectively, Obama reminding SEE FORWARD, A2

We know in our hearts that for

the United States of America, the best is yet to come.

BARACK OBAMA
US PRESIDENT

ELECTORAL COLLEGE

303

BARACK OBAMA

206
MITT ROMNEY

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reminding the country on more than one occasion we are all in this together. I think its a little idealistic that its going to continue that way; its a good start, its a good direction to go into, Moiles said. The President talked about meeting with Mitt Romney and talking about ways to bring things together, there was a suggestion of compromise and cooperation on these sorts of things from Mitt Romney in his concession speech and I think that opens the door.

HITTING THE GROUND GAME RUNNING Moiles said Obamas ground game played an essential role in his victory over Romney, especially when it came down to getting out the vote with targeted demographics like women, youth ages 18-29 and Latino voters, who with 70 percent of the demographic voting in his favor, gave Obama perhaps his biggest popular A CHANGING LANDSCAPE vote advantage in the battleground states. Moiles said the tone of politics might also This was something really defined by the have an effect on public attitude and the Presiground game, thats an advantage theyve dents approval ratings in his second term. had all along, Moiles said. Its when they The tone of the politics whether peoreally shifted it into gear in the last several ple feel that their government is working for weeks of getting those populations. them or if its a matter of bickering for po60 percent of the youth vote went to litical gain I think thats something that he Obama, versus 37 percent to Romney; which, came into office with this view of post-parat 19 percent of the total electoral, indicates tisanship, that we can get past all of that, and a one-percentage I think he made point increase from efforts to do that, the 2008 election. to an extent, he Danielle Leek, 2012 may show that young said. But I think associate professor they have to find a voters will reshape the of communications way to rise above party line assumption at GVSU, said this that. They have election proves that to accept certain about politics. young voters will realities on all remain a consistent sides and be able feature of contemDANIELLE LEEK to come to that porary American PROFESSOR OF COMMUNICATIONS compromise. elections. Kilburn said A lot of people that this election argued that the proves the need shine would wear for Republicans off after the hoopla of social media and a to do some serious soul searching to stay first-time African American president in in the game in upcoming elections. 2008, Leek said. That lot of people was It cant continue to win elections if its wrong. demographic base is overwhelmingly white, Amanda Hogan, a GVSU senior and old, and male, he said. Demographics journalism major, said she isnt surprised matter, because characteristics such as race, either by the outcome of the race. gender, ethnicity, and age are all markers of The media and the polls have painted this a shared cultural experience and set of valelection as frighteningly close, but I never ues. The country as a whole is becoming thought Mitt Romney had a chance, espe- rapidly more diverse. cially when it came to the youth vote, HoThough voters cannot control the tone of gan, who assisted Leek on Tuesday night at politics in the White House, they can control the WZZM newsroom doing voter data entry. it on the ground floor, and Leek said young The Obama campaign did an interesting job voters might just be push republican and of making the campaign more about what democrats need to meet in the middle. Romney cant do, and why he is wrong for 2012 may show that young voters will the presidency, than focusing on what Obama reshape the party line assumption about has done and will do for the next four years. politics, she said. In a number of races, ReHogan said she never felt like Romney publicans won Congressional house & sentried to appeal to younger voters, coming off ate seats in the same districts where Obama as a stiff elitist. won the presidency. This means more votI think that the younger generation would ers are willing to split their ticket, and I behave been more accepting of a Republican can- lieve that a number of those voters are young didate if the right one had been chosen, espe- Americans who are willing to think outside cially since, as college students, we know how the traditional frames of political parties. high the stakes are going to be to find a job in editorial@lanthorn.com

this economy, and we are becoming more conservative with our money, Hogan said. The economy, Moiles said, will be Obamas toughest obstacle in gaining back voter support especially from the youth demographic namely college students, who are looking ahead apprehensively toward a still unstable job market. If the economy shows progress there now, thats going to mean avoiding setbacks, problems with the budget, things that will make investors nervous but if he can accomplish that, if he can work out these deals, then the Presidents approval rating will go up out of that and I think thatll be tied very closely to the economy, Moiles said. Don Zinman, assistant professor of political science, said in his second term, one of Obama will have to convince the younger and more idealistic voters of 2008 that change does not come quickly and without resistance.