Barack Obama Wins Wisconsin

President Barack Obama has won Wisconsin, considered by political pundits as a major swing state that would go a long way in deciding the 2012 presidential election.

Obama was declared the state’s projected winner over Gov. Mitt Romney. Obama and running mate Joe Biden overcame the popularity uptick Romney undoubtedly received when he announced Wisconsin congressman Paul Ryan of Janesville as his vice presidential candidate this summer.

With the victory, Obama picked up 10 important electoral votes toward the 270 required to win the presidency. At approximately 10:15 p.m., CNN declared Obama a winner in Ohio, essentially giving him the election.

As of 1 a.m. Wednesday, with 91 percent of the vote counted in Wisconsin, Obama was leading Romney by a margin of 52 percent to 47 percent, according to FOX6 News.

Tammy Baldwin, who won Wisconsin's U.S. Senate race over former Gov. Tommy Thompson, said the people's voice was heard Tuesday in Wisconsin.

"I am honored, and humbled, and grateful," Baldwin said, "and I am ready to get to work...ready to stand with President Barack Obama. Ready to fight for Wisconsin’s middle class."

GOP wonders what happened

When Ohio's win was announced at the GOP election night party in Pewaukee, the crowd went dead silent, except for heavy sighs.

State Sen. Glen Grothman said Thompson and Romney lost in Wisconsin because neither candidate could run on something of substance. He said Gov. Scott Walker won in the state because he had proof of his ability to be a fiscal conservative.

"They did not do a good job of explaining their conservative values," Grothman said. "I think Tom Barrett was a stronger candidate than Tammy Baldwin. I think the Walker election was about balancing budgets, and making tough choices. I don't think Mitt Romney or Tommy Thompson did a good job explaining they were there to make tough choices."

According to MSNBC, Wisconsin exit poll data showed 54 percent of voters thought Romney favored the rich, while 43 percent said Obama had the middle class first in mind.

Democratic congressional candidate Rob Zerban, said he was disappointed he lost, but happy with the presidential outcome.

“I am thrilled that the American people have voted tonight for four more years of progress — for a president who wants to expand the American Dream, open new doors of opportunity, and secure a strong future for middle-class families across our country," Zerban said. "Tonight, that should give us all cause for celebration."

Path to victory 'not rocket science'

Sachin Chheda, Milwaukee County Democratic Party chair, said the party’s plan to get out the vote today was not rocket science — knocking on doors and calling people on the phone and to tell them, today is Election Day and here’s why it's important to go vote.

“We’re feeling really good,” he said Tuesday night. “We feel really good that Tammy Baldwin is going to pull this out in Wisconsin, and Obama, it seems, has already won Wisconsin, though we want to see some more results.”

In 2008, Obama and Biden won Wisconsin with 56.2 percent of the vote over Republican’s John McCain and Sarah Palin.

Obama received 1,677,211 votes compared to McCain’s 1,262,393 in 2008.

Tuesday’s victory is the seventh consecutive presidential win for Democrats in Wisconsin since 1984.