President Obama Wins Second Term!

President Obama has won reelection!

FOX News: "President Obama will win re-election, Fox News projects. The call comes after the president was the projected winner in the crucial battleground of Ohio, and subsequently won both Iowa and Oregon. This put Obama over the required 270 electoral votes."

Claire McCaskill Defeats Todd 'Legitimate Rape' Akin, Wins Re-election to Missouri Senate Seat

Senator Claire McCaskill is the projected winner of the Missouri race for U.S. Senate, defeating Rep. Todd Akin, whose August statement - “First of all, from what I understand from doctors [pregnancy from rape] is really rare. If it’s a legitimate rape, the female body has ways to try to shut that whole thing down.” - put a national focus on women's rights.

Tammy Baldwin Wins in Wisconsin, is First Out Gay U.S. Senator

Representative Tammy Baldwin is the projected winner in the Wisconsin race for U.S. Senate, defeating Republican Tommy Thompson. Baldwin is the first openly gay U.S. Senator.

UPDATE: FOX News called it early, but nobody else has called it. There is growing concern here that it was called too early. Let's hope that's not the case.

UPDATE II: Reuters calls it, but does not cite numbers.

Elizabeth Warren Wins U.S. Senate Race in Massachusetts

Elizabeth Warren is the projected winner of the U.S. Senate race in Massachusetts, defeating Republican Scott Brown.

Boston Herald:

“Over the past year, we built something amazing together,” Warren said in an e-mail to supporters moments after polls closed. “We showed the world that we had heart, that we had guts, and that we were willing to get in the ring and fight for a principle — that together we will build a future of growing opportunities for ourselves, our children and our grandchildren.

The epic battle for the seat drew record campaign contributions from across the country and ended with a mammoth get-out-the-vote effort and hours-long waits at polls across the state.

Election 2012 Live Blog

Towleroad Talking Points: Election Day 2012

PHOTO OF THE DAY: Mitt Romney has the masochistic closeted power bottom vote nailed. 

BY SAM GREISMAN

A look back at the top stories on Election Day

ELECTION 2012

Today is the day at long last. We will be live blogging the big night starting at 6:45pm EST.  It has come down to this and while the two candidates make their last ditch efforts to squeeze out every last vote, Nate Silver's belief in an Obama win is up to 92 percent. Check out Silver explaining his number crunching techniques with Stephen Colbert last night. In Pennsylvania, squeezing out every last vote may include machines that vote for the other guy. 

Obama made his final campaign speech last night in Iowa, the state that started his Presidential bid back in 2008, and he got a little teary eyed. No matter what happens tonight there is little doubt that this is a very divided electorate, Rachel Maddow and Frank Rich take a look at the shifting demographics in America. 

For a bit of levity tonight we present this video of the Presidential Debates getting the bad lip reading treatment. 

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GAY RIGHTS AND FIGHTS

Ohio Senate Candidate Josh Mandel has tried to walk a non-sensical line by saying that he was against the repeal of DADT, but will also be "blind" to sexual orientation and support everyone in Ohio. Well a family member just blasted his hypocritical beliefs in a Cleveland newspaper. Further east, Protect Marriage Maine (the group trying to stop marriage equality in the state) has released (and then revoked) a final desperate plea against gay rights. 

Good news across the Atlantic where Spain has ruled gay marriage is constitutional. 

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VIDEOS OF THE DAY

With just a few hours until the first polls close, Cartman may have the secret weapon that will decide the race. Also Christina Aguilera's second single off her latest album has reportedly leaked online.