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Wednesday, November 7, 2012

Joy and disappointment: Reactions to President Obama's re-election 
Courtesy of Obama campaign

By NBC News

UPDATED 3:22 a.m. ET - Twitter records fell. The New York Times released a sneak peek at its Wednesday front page. Ohio remained a battleground. Captain America saluted. And somehow, the Obama girls grew up.

Here's a look at the social media reaction to President Barack Obama's re-election victory and former Mass. Gov. Mitt Romney's defeat.


President Obama's re-election set the stage for his most-retweeted photo ever.

  • BarackObama
    Four more years. pic.twitter.com/bAJE6Vom

    Barack Obama

    15 hours ago

  • Soul-searching

  • What's next for the Republican party?
  • Do the Republicans have a "Latino problem"?
  • NBCNews.com Video Player
    MSNBC

    14 hours ago
    1 like
  • And President Obama faces some big questions, too.

  • 'A good night for pot smokers'

  • Washington and Oregon became the first states to legalize recreational use of marijuana. The development made for ample on-air and online banter:

    Remarked NBC News' Lester Holt: "You know, there are certain things you don't ever expect to see on TV and one of them is, 'It's been a good night for pot smokers."

    Brian Williams: "All right, try to keep your personal life out of this."

    Watch Holt and Williams discuss the results of several votes on marijuana use and gay marriage.
  • NBCNews.com Video Player
    MSNBC

    11 hours ago
    1 like

  • Big night for gay rights

  • Wisconsin Democratic Rep. Tammy Baldwin became the first openly gay U.S. senator on Tuesday, defeating popular former Gov. Tommy Thompson, NBC News projected. 
  • kcrw
    "I didn't run to make history, I ran to make a difference" reiterates Tammy Baldwin, says she feels "humbled" on @NPR

    KCRW

    13 hours ago
  • jesimullins
    Just want to take a moment to also celebrate Tammy Baldwin from Wisconsin, the first openly gay US senator! So proud of USA right now.

    Jesi Mullins

    15 hours ago
  • Same-sex marriage measures also scored victories in at least two states on Tuesday.
  • sheetalsheth
    Record 18 women won Senate seats. Marriage equality wins. Anti-womens' rights candidates overwhelmingly defeated. Will sleep soundly tonite.

    Sheetal Sheth

    12 hours ago
  • AdamJBerry
    Marriage Equality won tonight... America won tonight.

    Adam Berry

    12 hours ago

  • Women's night

  • Women made their influence felt at the voting booths, and were a key to President Obama's re-election victory. 
  • Women voters favored Obama 55 percent to 43 percent – about the same split as four years ago when 56 percent of women voters preferred Obama and 43 percent supported Republican candidate Sen. John McCain. Within the female vote there was a sharp divide between married and unmarried women: Married women backed Romney, 53 percent to 46 percent, while unmarried women preferred Obama by a better than 2-to-1 ratio, 68 percent to 30 percent.
    Voters back Obama despite economic concerns, exit polls show - NBC Politics

    11 hours ago
  • unechansondouce
    less binders full of women and more senate seats full of them.

    Caitlin Stouvenot

    13 hours ago
  • anildash
    Thank you to the women of America for making@BarackObama our President again.

    Anil Dash

    13 hours ago

  • Mixed emotions

  • Voters were sharply divided along lines of sex, ethnicity, age, income and religion, exit polls showed.

  • Embracing victory

  • Watch President Obama's speech to supporters in Chicago. "Thank you for believing all the way -- through every hill, through every valley ... I will always be grateful," the president said. "For the United States of America, the best is yet to come."
  • NBCNews.com Video Player
    MSNBC

    12 hours ago
    1 like
  • The president and his family in Chicago.

  • President Barack #Obama waves to a cheering crowd in #Chicago with his wife Michelle and daughters Sasha and Malia by his side prior to delivering his acceptance speech. #NBCPolitics #Decision2012
    nbcnews

    12 hours ago
    1 like
  • TODAY tweeted a photo of the Obama family tonight next to one from Election Night 2008. How the girls have grown!

  • todayshow
    Obama family on Election Night, then and now. Pic:twitpic.com/bb0rf7 #NBCPolitics

    TODAY

    13 hours ago
  • Here's your sneak peek at tomorrow's New York Times, according to a tweet from Times reporter Jodi Kantor.

  • jodikantor
    Page one. pic.twitter.com/gOMfE1Ap

    jodikantor

    13 hours ago
  • From the White House's official Flickr account: "President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama embrace Vice President Joe Biden and Dr. Jill Biden moments after the television networks called the election in their favor."

  • P110612PS-0894

    The White House

    13 hours ago
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    MSNBC

    11 hours ago

  • The sting of defeat

  • "At a time like this, we can't risk partisan bickering," Mitt Romney said in his concession speech. He added that he and Paul Ryan "have left everything on the field" and that "Ann and I join with you to earnestly pray for [President Obama] and for this great nation."
  • NBCNews.com Video Player
    MSNBC

    13 hours ago
  • Our PhotoBlog has been updated with the latest photos from election reaction across the nation, including Jon Angell, dressed as Captain America, saluting Mitt Romney's concession speech from Minnesota Republican election headquarters in Bloomington, Minn. See more photos here.

  • Msn

    12 hours ago
  • Romney's concession speech earned praise from msnbc's Chris Matthews.

  • Celebs sound off

  • realDonaldTrump
    The electoral college is a disaster for a democracy.

    Donald J. Trump

    15 hours ago
  • johncusack
    Real pressure from left will move the center back from far right --dem victory was less an endorsement of O but a repeal of far right

    John Cusack

    16 hours ago
  • MCHammer
    America is making a huge statement !!! Humanity is primary.The people need access to medical care and we Appreciate and Respect Women !!!

    MC HAMMER

    14 hours ago
  • Miranda_Lambert
    Night yall! Im always proud everytime I see red, white, and blue no matter what! #proudtobeanamerican (and a texan) :)

    Miranda Lambert

    14 hours ago

  • Colorful race to 270

  • A look at the Rockefeller Center ice rink as the states fill in.

  • The #DemocracyPlaza rink map updated. #NBCPolitics
    nbcnews

    14 hours ago
  • The president is a slender man, but he's not this slender.
  • rebeccagberg
    Someone carrying an Obama cardboard cutout thru the crowd outside the WH. A woman yells, “There he is! Obama!” People cheer for the cutout.

    Rebecca Berg

    14 hours ago
  • All kinds of Twitter records falling tonight. An earlier tweet from President Obama was Twitter's most popular tweet ever.
  • gov
    Peak to 327k TPM following @BarackObama's re-election was by far the most-tweeted moment of#Election2012.

    Twitter Government

    14 hours ago
  • Red, white and blue lights and cheers for the president light up Democracy Plaza.

  • NBCNews
    Photo: #DemocracyPlaza erupts as NBC News declares that Barack Obama has won re-electiontwitpic.com/bb034t #NBCPolitics

    NBC News

    14 hours ago
  • Video of Brian Williams announcing that President Barack Obama has been declared the winner of the 2012 presidential race.
  • NBCNews.com Video Player
    MSNBC

    15 hours ago
  • Here's our earlier blog that followed the ups and downs of Election Day.
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    Pence in as governor of Indiana; Hassan wins N.H.



     Darron Cummings / AP
    Indiana gubernatorial victor Republican Mike Pence speaks to supporters with his family at his side on Tuesday, Nov. 6, 2012. Pence defeated Democrat John Gregg and Libertarian Rupert Boneham.
     By NBC News' Kari Huus and wire services
    Updated 12:48 a.m. ET: Rep. Mike Pence, a notable social conservative in Congress clinched the Indiana state house in a race against Democrat John Gregg, a former Indiana House speaker. Pence will take the seat vacated by Gov. Mitch Daniels, who is up against term limits.

    Pence is known, among other things, for his outspoken views against Planned Parenthood, which he sought to strip of funding, not just for abortion but for all functions.

    In 11 governor’s races around the country, Republican candidates gained at least one state house for their party, bringing the total to 30.

    In North Carolina, Pat McCrory, a former Charlotte mayor, won the seat being vacated by Gov. Bev Perdue, becoming the first Republican to hold that office in 20 years.

     McCrory, who cast himself as a pragmatic centrist, defeated Democratic Lt. Gov. Walter Dalton, to replace the Perdue whose administration was sullied by an investigation that led to charges against her former campaign aides.


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    Becoming the first Republican governor in North Carolina in 20 years, Pat McCrory thanks his supporters.

     The outcome of all but two governors’ races had been determined by midnight ET, but races in Washington and Montana remained too close to call.

     Democrat Margaret "Maggie" Hassan clinched the governorship in New Hampshire Tuesday in a hard-fought race, retaining the seat for her party. It was one seat that Republicans had hoped to add to their state house seats.


    Cheryl Senter / AP file

    Democrat Maggie Hassan is shown addressing supporters in Manchester, N.H. on Tuesday, Sept. 11, 2012.

     Hassan defeated Republican Ovide Lamontagne by a greater margin that pundits predicted in a race dominated by taxes and social issues, for the seat of Gov. John Lynch, a retiring Democrat.

     Both Hassan and Lamontagne's campaigns attempted to portray their competitors as ideological extremists on social issues including abortion and same sex marriage, but both had to court the independent voters who account for 39 percent of the electorate in that state, according to the Union Leader.

     Hassan, who is pro-choice and supports same sex marriage, received millions of dollars worth of help in attacking her rival from groups such as EMILY's List, Planned Parenthood Action and NARAL, the Leader reported. Polls indicated the attacks created, or widened, a significant gender gap between the two candidates, according to the report.

     Six incumbent governors were projected winners, including two Republicans and four Democrats: Gov. Jack Dalrymple (R) of North Dakota, Utah Gov. Gary Herbert (R), Gov. Jack Markell (D) of Delaware, Gov. Peter Shumlin (D) of Vermont, and Gov. Jay Nixon (D) of Missouri. West Virginia Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin (D) also retained his seat. Tomblin became governor in 2010 after then-Gov. Joe Manchin resigned. He defeated coal businessman William "Bill" Maloney.

     Nail-biters in Montana, Washington
    Montana and Washington state contests were the only two gubernatorial races for which the outcome was still outstanding as of midnight ET.

     In Washington, the race was neck-and-neck heading into the final stretch between former Washington Attorney General Rob McKenna, a Republican, and former Rep. Jay Inslee, the Democrat.

     Although Washington voters had not elected a Republican governor since 1980, the seat being vacated by retiring Gov. Christine Gregoire is hotly contested, and witnessed a large influx of outside money.

     According to the Seattle Times, the race was expected to cost more than $46 million, with the single biggest share of spending coming from out-of-state interest groups.

     Both candidates put job creation at the top of their to-do lists.

     Inslee touted his jobs-creation program based on green energy technology, was pro-choice and favored Obama’s health care plan.

     McKenna ran on creating jobs by cutting red tape and taxes for the state’s business owners.

     Dispute over election contribution
    The race in Montana was also a toss-up as voting day approached, with a dispute over a $500,000 contribution forcing the two-year battle for governorship into court in the final stretch.

     Democrat Steve Bullock, the state’s Attorney General was vying with Rick Hill, a Republican who served in the U.S. House.

     Hill argued that Montana needed to lift burdensome state regulations to generate jobs, and supported anti-union, right to work laws.

     Bullock rejected much of his opponent’s criticism of Montana's business and regulatory position and said that outgoing Gov. Brian Schweitzer was leaving the state in a relatively strong position to draw more business.

     Just weeks before voting day, a legal battle erupted over a $500,000 donation to Hill from the Republican Governors Association, and a judge's order barring him from using it.

     The donation came after a federal judge ruled that Montana’s campaign contribution limits were unconstitutionally low on Oct. 3, and before the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals blocked that ruling on Oct. 9, restoring the limits pending appeal.

     The legal distraction may have diverted attention from Hill’s message, according to The Republic. Another source of uncertainty for him was whether Libertarian candidate Ron Vandevender would attract enough Republican votes to undermine Hill.

     Republicans controlled 29 governorships going into Tuesday's elections, with Democrats holding 20 and an independent as governor in one — Lincoln Chafee of Rhode Island. If the GOP were to win both Montana and Washington, the party would be in charge of 32 state houses.

     Kate Hansen, a spokeswoman for the Democratic Governors Association, acknowledged that this is a tough year for Democrats, since they had more seats to defend.

     "We're pleased with the shape of the more competitive tossup races going into the homestretch — because we have excellent candidates focused on creating jobs and expanding opportunity, and we've made smart and early investments throughout the year," Hansen said.
    The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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    In costliest-ever Senate race, Warren beats Brown for Massachusetts seat


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    Democrat Elizabeth Warren wins the Senate seat in Massachusetts, defeating GOP incumbent Scott Brown.
    By Jeff Black, NBC News

    In perhaps the most-watched Senate race in the 2012 election, Harvard professor Elizabeth Warren is the projected winner of the Massachusetts seat once held by the late Sen. Edward Kennedy, NBC News reported.

    Warren faced Republican Sen. Scott Brown, who swept to an upset victory in a January 2010 special election. Still, Brown was the underdog in the race against a Democrat known for her role in establishing the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.

    Brown — who referred to his opponent as "Professor Warren" at nearly every stop — suggested Warren had exploited her Native-American heritage to get jobs or get into schools. Warren said she heard about her Native-American roots from her mother and never use it to gain an advantage in her career.

    “So much intensity in that race,” said NBC News' David Gregory, who moderated one of the debates between the candidates. “And don’t forget what Scott Brown represented. He was the vote against health care. He was the backlash that really represented and carried Republicans to the House and led the charge in the midterm election. He was also someone who tried as a mass moderate to work with the president and yet it wasn’t enough.”

    The two candidates, The Associated Press reported, agreed to no outside money by super PACs and other independent groups then together spent $68 million on their campaigns, shattering all previous fundraising and spending records in Massachusetts.

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    NBC's Andrea Mitchell, Tom Brokaw and Brian Williams take a look at some key races at the state level across the U.S.

    The Federal Election Commission reported Warren had raised $38.5 million in political donations as of mid-October, compared to Brown's $26.7 million. Brown's total doesn't include the $6 million left in his campaign account after the 2010 special election that propelled him into the Senate.

    “Scott Brown would have had to win 20 percent of the Democratic vote to win against Elizabeth Warren,” said NBC News' Andrea Mitchell. “It was a very expensive, very hard fought race.”

    Warren, 63, attempted to paint Brown, 53, as beholden to millionaires, billionaires and "big oil,” though the incumbent suggested he was an independent and moderate.

    "I've kept my promise to be an independent voice. I put people ahead of politics and now I need your help to keep that independent tradition alive in Massachusetts," Brown said in his final ad, which features him embracing voters and driving his pickup truck. Still, he avoided any mention of Brown's party affiliation.

    While Massachusetts is home to Republican challenger Mitt Romney — whose campaign Brown has endorsed — the only image of a presidential candidate in the 60-second ad is Democrat Barack Obama, according to The Associated Press.


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    Scott Brown tells his supporters, "I don't want to see any sad faces out there. We ran a fantastic campaign." Watch his concession speech.

    NBC News has projected the president as the winner in the state by a commanding margin over Republican challenger Mitt Romney.

    Warren cast herself as a fighter for the middle class.

    “This victory belongs to you. You did this,” Warren said at her election party on Tuesday. “For every family that has been chipped and squeezed and hammered, we’re going to fight for a level playing field and we’re going to put people back to work."

    Both campaigns boasted about their efforts to get out the vote. Warren's camp hoped to knock on a million doors and make 2 million phone calls in the campaign's final days.

    The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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    Rape remarks sink two Republican Senate hopefuls



    Whitney Curtis / Getty Images


    U.S. Sen. Claire McCaskill greets supporters during an election night party in St. Louis on Tuesday.
    By Jeff Black, NBC News

    Democrats prevailed against Republicans in two U.S. Senate races in which abortion and controversial remarks about rape played a pivotal role.

    U.S. Rep. Todd Akin of Missouri — who set off a firestorm after using the phrase “legitimate rape” — and Indiana State Treasurer Richard Mourdock — who said, “even when life begins in that horrible situation of rape, that is something that God intended to happen” — were projected to lose their Senate races, NBC News reported on Tuesday.

    Their Democratic rivals, Missouri Sen. Claire McCaskill and Indiana U.S. Rep. Joe Donnelly, are the projected winners.



    Sen. Claire McCaskill wins re-election in Missouri, beating Rep. Todd Akin who came under fire for saying women had ways of preventing pregnancies in the case of "legitimate rape."

    “This is a race Republicans were counting on winning,” NBC News' Andrea Mitchell said of Mourdock’s projected loss. “This is a pickup for the Democrats, and a very important one.”

    Indeed, early on in the campaign Republicans had McCaskill, 59, in their sights as a seat to pick up.


    Michael Conroy / AP

    Democrat Joe Donnelly, right, takes the stage in front of former Sen. Evan Bayh, after winning the U.S. Senate seat on Tuesday.

    That seemed a fair possibility until August, when Akin, 65, was asked in a TV interview whether abortion should be legal in cases of rape. "From what I understand from doctors, that's really rare,” he replied. “If it's a legitimate rape, the female body has ways to try to shut that whole thing down."

    Akin ignored calls to quit the race from Republicans, including presidential nominee Mitt Romney and all five living Republicans who had represented Missouri in the U.S. Senate.

    Akin later apologized, saying his comment was “ill conceived and wrong.” He also explained that he opposes abortion in cases of women who become pregnant after being raped because "rape is a tragedy, and I don't think it helps the first tragedy to add a second tragedy to it.”

    Abortion was also an issue in the Indiana Senate campaign. When Tea-Party backed Mourdock, who had defeated six-term Sen. Richard Lugar in the primary, was asked about his opposition to abortion in all cases except when the mother’s life is endangered by the pregnancy, he left an opening for the moderate Democratic congressman Donnelly, 57, to pick up the seat.



    Todd Akin says that called Claire McCaskill to concede after being defeated in the Missouri Senate race.

    "I struggled with it myself for a long time, Mourdock, 61, said. “But I came to realize life is that gift from God, and I think even when life begins in that horrible situation of rape, that it is something that God intended to happen."

    Donnelly's projected victory comes in a state Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney was projected to win.

    Mourdock later attempted to clarify his remarks, saying he did not think God intended for rape to happen, but by then Democrats were already targeting his seat. For his part, Lugar stayed out of the race and never campaigned for Mourdock.



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    To add insult to the Northeast, we are in for a Nor'easter.  More rain, tidal surge, and snow, yes I said snow. Yikes, talk about a double whammy!!!!!!!!

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    Same-sex marriage gets OK in Maryland, Maine
    By Allison Linn, NBC News


    Voters in Maryland and Maine on Tuesday approved measures to allow same-sex marriage, NBC News projected, marking the first time gay marriage has been approved by statewide popular votes.

    In all, voters in four states – Maine, Maryland, Washington and Minnesota - considered ballot measures Tuesday on the issue of same-sex marriage.

    In Washington and Minnesota, the votes were too close to call early Wednesday morning.

    Proponents of same-sex marriage were happy to celebrate their first victories by popular vote.

    “Tonight we’ve taken the talking point away that marriage equality cannot win at the ballot box,” said Fred Sainz, vice president of communications with the Human Rights Campaign, which invested millions of dollars in same-sex marriage initiatives.

    Sainz gave some of the credit for the victory to President Barack Obama’s support for same-sex marriage.

    The president said that his decision was informed by speaking with Americans including servicemen and women he met during the work to end Don’t Ask Don’t Tell. Obama won re-election Tuesday night.

    Obama’s challenger, Mitt Romney, had said that he would support and champion legislation defining marriage as between a man and a woman.

    But in general, Sainz said he thought Americans have become more understanding of why gay and lesbian couples want to marry.

    “The hearts and minds of the American public have changed,” he said. “For years now we’ve been having a long extended conversation and connecting with them about how marriage equality is about love, family and commitment, which are common human factors."

    Opponents of same-sex marriage dismissed that argument, however. Brian Brown, president of the National Organization for Marriage, noted that dozens of states have passed laws defining marriage as between a man and a woman.

    He called states like Maryland “the most liberal of liberal states” and not a proxy for the general population.

    “For the gay marriage groups to win in the most liberal states is not a tipping point at all,” Brown said.

    The measures come as Americans appear to be growing more comfortable with the idea of gay marriage.

    A Pew Research Center poll this summer found that 48 percent of Americans favor same-sex marriage, up from 31 percent in 2004.

    Democrats were the strongest proponents, with 65 percent favoring same-sex marriage in the Pew survey. Only 24 percent of Republicans favor gay marriage, while 51 percent of independents favor it.

    There are some states that issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples following legislative or court action. Those include Massachusetts, Connecticut, Iowa, Vermont, New Hampshire, New York and the District of Columbia, according to the National Council of State Legislatures.

    More than 30 states, including Arizona, Colorado and Texas, have laws or constitutional provisions defining marriage as between a man and a woman, according to the National Council of State Legislatures.

    Here’s a look at the four states voting on the issue in this election.

    Maine: This is the second time voters in Maine will decide about same-sex marriage. A bill allowing same-sex marriage was passed by the state legislature in 2006, but voters overturned it in 2009.

    Maryland: In Maryland, voters are being asked to uphold a law allowing same-sex marriage that the governor signed into law last March.

    Minnesota: In Minnesota, voters are being asked whether the state constitution should explicitly define marriage as between one man and one woman.

    Washington: In Washington state, the legislature approved same-sex marriage earlier this year, and the law was scheduled to take effect in June. But opponents of the law were able to get a referendum on the ballot asking voters if they want to uphold the law.
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    Colorado, Washington approve recreational marijuana use
    By Allison Linn, NBC News

    Voters in Colorado and Washington on Tuesday approved measures allowing adults to use marijuana for any purpose, NBC News projected, marking an historic turning point in the slow-growing acceptance of marijuana usage.

    In Massachusetts, voters also approved an initiative allowing people to use marijuana for medicinal purposes, NBC News projected. In Arkansas, a similar initiative failed, according to NBC News projections.

    In all, voters in six states were being asked to decide on a wide array of laws around legalizing marijuana for medicinal or recreational purposes.

    In three of those states – Colorado, Oregon and Washington – voters were deciding whether to allow people over 21 to use marijuana for any purpose. In Oregon, NBC News projected that the initiative to legalize marijuana had failed.

    In Montana, NBC News projected that voters had approved a plan to to revamp an existing medicinal marijuana law to make it more restrictive.


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    NBC's Lester Holt takes a look at states where voters approved recreational use of marijuana.

    The laws legalizing marijuana for recreational or other purposes could face federal challenges, because marijuana possession is still a federal crime. But so far, the Justice Department has declined to discuss how it might react if the laws pass. Late Tuesday, a spokesman said in an e-mail that they were reviewing the Colorado initiative and had no immediate comment.

    Proponents say it’s about time pot was made legal and that it would create new avenues of tax revenue. But opponents say legalization would lead to more drug abuse and concerns about things like driving while impaired.

    Opponent Kevin Sabet, a former senior advisor to the Obama administration and an assistant professor at the University of Florida’s college of medicine, said he was expecting legal challenges at the state and federal level.

    “This is just the beginning of the legalization conversation, so my advice to people who want to toke up legally or think that they can buy marijuana at a store tomorrow is that we’re a very long way from (that),” Sabet said.

    Proponents of the legislation also said they expected some legal wrangling.

    “It sets up a clear and obvious challenge with the federal government,” said Allen St. Pierre, executive director of NORML, which has fought for years to legalize cannabis.


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    But proponents also were celebrating what they saw as a turning point in a long-running battle to make marijuana more available to the general public.

    “We are reaching a real tipping point with cannabis law reform,” said Steve DeAngelo, a longtime advocate for legalizing marijuana and the director of the nation’s largest medical cannbabis dispensary, Harborside Health Center in Oakland, Calif.

    Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper acknowledged legal challenges but said the state would work to resolve the conflict between federal and state laws.

    "It's probably going to pass, but it's still illegal on a federal basis. If we can't make it legal here because of federal laws, we certainly want to decriminialize it,” he told NBC’s Brian Williams.

    Seventeen states and the District of Columbia already have laws allowing for the medical use of marijuana, according to the National Council of Legislatures.

    The initiatives in Washington, Oregon and Colorado would take things one step further, explicitly allowing people to smoke pot for more than just medicinal purposes.

    The idea of legalizing marijuana has gained acceptance in recent years. A Gallup poll released in October of 2011 found that 50 percent of Americans now favor legalizing pot. A decade ago, only around 34 percent were in favor. Liberals and adults under 29 are the most likely to approve of legalizing use of the drug.

    Here’s a look at the states considering marijuana laws Tuesday.

    Arkansas: Voters in Arkansas will consider whether to legalize marijuana for medical purposes.

    Colorado: Voters in Colorado are being asked to approve a bill that would allow people 21 and over to possess and use a small amount of marijuana for recreational purposes. A similar measure was defeated in 2006.

    Massachusetts: Voters in Massachusetts are being asked to vote on whether it’s OK to legalize marijuana for medical purposes.

    Montana: In 2004, voters in Montana approved a law allowing marijuana for medical purposes. Then, in 2011, the legislature approved replacing it with a new, more restrictive one. Voters on Tuesday will decide whether to allow those restrictions to be upheld.

    Oregon: Voters in Oregon are being asked to decide whether to legalize marijuana use for people who are 21 years or older, and to tax and regulate it in the same way as alcohol.

    Washington: The Washington bill would allow people over age 21 to possess a small amount of pot for personal use.
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    Tea Party favorite Michele Bachmann wins tight race in Minnesota
    By NBC News staff and wire reports

    MINNEAPOLIS – Representative Michele Bachmann of Minnesota, the Tea Party champion and failed Republican presidential nomination candidate, secured a fourth term by winning a very tight race for re-election against Democrat challenger businessman Jim Graves early on Wednesday.

    Bachmann led Graves by 3,256 votes - or just under one percentage point - out of more than 351,000 votes cast in the Minnesota 6th Congressional District with 98.2 percent of precincts reporting, according to unofficial state elections returns.

    In a statement released to NBC News, the Congresswoman said: "It has truly been an honor and a privilege to represent the people of Minnesota's Sixth District in Congress, and I am humbled that they have placed their trust in me for another term.

    "I pledge to continue to work everyday to create jobs and do everything I can to make life more affordable for Minnesota's families. Our children and grandchildren deserve a future filled with opportunity in a country that is safe and secure, and that's what I'm fighting for in Washington."

    A champion of Tea Party backers of smaller government and conservative on social issues such as abortion and gay rights, Bachmann was running in what has been regarded as the most conservative-leaning district in Minnesota.

    Slideshow: The political life of Michele Bachmann
    Mark Wilson / Getty Images
    A look at the political life of the third-term Minnesota congresswoman who's running for the GOP nomination.
    Launch slideshow
    Her bid for the Republican presidential nomination until early in 2012 raised her name recognition nationally, but left her vulnerable to accusations by Graves that she was not representing district interests.

    Her remarks, including an insistence on a link between an aide to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and the Muslim Brotherhood, were denounced by some in her own party.

    Bachmann, a former Minnesota state senator, has never won more than 53 percent of the vote in the district and won by only 3 percentage points in the last presidential election year of 2008.

    The redrawing of districts after the 2010 census put Bachmann, who lives in Stillwater near the Minnesota border with Wisconsin, outside of the sprawling district that takes in suburbs to the east, north and west of Minneapolis and St. Paul and stretches northwest to include farms and smaller cities.

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    Friday's Deep Dive features NBC's Luke Russert giving a special look at Michelle Bachmann's uphill reelection battle for her House seat in Minnesota. MSNBC's Melissa Harris-Perry, Republican strategist Phil Musser, and The Washington Post's Ruth Marcus also join the discussion.

    It was the nation's most expensive House race in terms of both money raised and spent by the candidates as of mid-October, according to the Center for Responsive Politics. The candidates had raised a total of $22.7 million and spent $20.8 million, the center reported, but Bachmann had outspent Graves by more than 12-to-one.

    Bachmann sought to tag Graves, founder of the AmericInn hotel chain and now the head of Graves Hospitality, as a supporter of President Barack Obama's health reform law in television ads early in the campaign.
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    U.S. Rep. Michele Bachmann's attacks against an aide to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton prompted Sen. John McCain to denounce her from the Senate floor on Wednesday. NBC's Kelly O'Donnell reports.

    Later Bachmann commercials portrayed the congresswoman as focused on the needs of district residents and able to work across party lines to reach goals.

    Graves, who describes himself as fiscally conservative, has said there are positives in the Obama healthcare program, but the "heavy lifting" has not yet begun. Graves also has said he believes Bachmann has been ineffective as a congresswoman.

    Reuters contributed to this report.,
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