EDMOND —
President Barack Obama won a decisive victory of 285 electoral votes to re-elect him for another term as president while Republican contender Mitt Romney ended the night with 203 electoral votes. Democrats retained control of the Senate and Republicans kept control of the House.
While the electoral college gave Obama four more years, the popular vote across the nation was extremely close between the two rivals, with Obama reaching 50 percent of the popular vote.
Oklahoma proved itself as the reddest state in the union giving former Massachusetts Gov. Romney the lion’s share of its votes. With 1,913 of 1,960 precincts reporting, Romney had 856,694 votes, or 66.8 percent, to Obama’s share of 425,341 votes, or 33.2 percent, according the Oklahoma State Election Board.
“We’re in trouble as a nation with $16 trillion of record debt and 23 million Americans unemployed,” Gov. Mary Fallin said Tuesday night at the Republican watch party at the Oklahoma City Marriott Hotel.
“We’re not going to give up hope tonight. We’re going to keep fighting until the very last vote,” Fallin said.
As returns trickled in and states went in Obama’s electoral college total, Democrats gathered at the Oklahoma Democratic Party watch party in Midwest City. One of the biggest cheers of the night erupted when California went into the president’s column.
Wallace Collins, chairman of the Oklahoma Democratic Party, said the crowd at the Reed Conference Center was excited and he was excited. At the moment, many guests were watching the returns on TVs in the room.
“Obviously the presidential race is our primary focus at the moment,” Wallace said. “However, we will be focusing on some of the state races and some of the state questions.”
Wallace said Obama ran a strong campaign with a notable exception during the first presidential debate.
“Obviously he slipped a little bit during that first debate and let Mitt Romney back in the race,” he said. “I think he had him on the ropes until that point. I think he’s going to pull it out.”
Among the speakers during the event was state Rep. Anastasia Pittman, D-Oklahoma City, who assembled family members and a diverse group of supporters.
Earlier, Pittman said the Obama campaign had a strong ground game in Oklahoma where many voters were energized and excited.
“It’s amazing to see people still having hope, still having a desire to just have a better life,” she said. “I think the support for the Obama campaign in Oklahoma has been undermined. It doesn’t get the visibility that it should. President Barack Obama has strong support in Oklahoma.”
Pittman said she was proud to be a part of the United We Stand Coalition and walk to the polls and march and make sure that folks voted early because of fear of disenfranchisement. She praised the Oklahoma County Election Board for handling the large voter turnout.
“Every early voting day the lines were still long and people were participating,” she said.
Paul Stephens, who served in the U.S. Air Force as chief of air traffic control form 1972-92, said he has been a longtime Obama supporter. He was concerned about implications of a Romney presidency regarding issues related to women.
“Mr. Romney is a knucklehead. I feel for him,” Stephens said. “He doesn’t have a plan, he doesn’t have a program.”
Stephens praised the president’s health care reforms.
Local News
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Olivier Douliery | MCT News President Barack Obama and the first family enter the stage Tuesday in Chicago after the election results.
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MARK SCHLACHTENHAUFEN | THE EDMOND SUN State Rep. Anastasia Pittman, D-Oklahoma City, thanks supporters during the Oklahoma Democratic Party election night watch party in Midwest City.
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America chooses Obama
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EF-5 tornado called 'worst in history'
President Barack Obama pledged the federal government’s full support for disaster relief in what is being called one of the most devastating tornadoes in history. The Federal Emergency Management Agency has deployed a team to the state.
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Edmond detective describes tornado devastation
Like other Oklahomans, Edmond Police Detective Marion Cain was keeping an eye on the weather Monday.
The storm, which produced the tornado began at 2:45 p.m., about 4.4 miles west of Newcastle and its 20-mile long path went through Newcastle, Moore and south Oklahoma City. About 10 minutes after it formed, it was already causing EF4 damage. Maximum winds of the tornado, upgraded to an EF5, were 200-210 mph, according to information released at 2:50 p.m. Tuesday by the National Weather Service. Its estimated maximum width was 1.3 miles. -
UPDATE: How to donate, find drop-off locations for relief supplies
Below is a listing of where donations may be taken in the Edmond area to help the Moore/Oklahoma tornado victims:
• The Edmond Sun is serving as a drop-off location for the downtown Edmond area. Supplies only may be dropped off at 123 S. Broadway and residents may use the backdoor to enter the building. Parking is available behind the building at the Festival Market Place. From 5-10 p.m. donations may be taken to Café Evoke, 103 S. Broadway.
• Edmond North High School is serving as a drop-off location for bottled water through today
• Memorial High School is serving as a drop-off location for food through today.
• Santa Fe High School is serving as a drop-off location for supplies such as work gloves, tools, etc. through today. -
Edmond high schools aid Moore, OKC tornado victims
Sometimes good things come from texting.
Monday afternoon, Sydney Richardson, who will be Santa Fe’s student body president next year, was driving home and it was raining. Once home, she talked to her mother, who told her about the tornado in Moore. Then she began seeing the damage on TV.
“It was devastating,” Richardson said. “We watched it all night long. I just felt like we needed to do something immediately.” -
City schedules debris collection for May 28
The City of Edmond’s Field Services Division of Public Works will be collecting storm-related debris from the May 19 tornado in accordance with the City of Edmond’s Emergency Operation Plan’s Level Two Response.
Affected areas where debris pick up will occur include in the area beginning one-half mile south of 15th Street to 33rd Street and from Boulevard Avenue east to I-35; and the Territories and Timberlake additions. Please see the map for clarification. Pick up is available for residential homes located within the designated boundaries.
Tree debris must be cut into no more than 6-foot sections and must be placed by the curb of the residence no later than 8 a.m. May 28. Crews will begin collection on Tuesday and continue until they have covered the area. -
Storm shelter inquiries up; customers take a number
After the horrific tornado set down in Moore Monday afternoon, storm shelter inquiries hit new highs.
Tuesday Ashley Cunningham, office manager for Red Dirt Septic on Waterloo Road in Edmond, and Mark Webb, owner of the Armor Vault Tornado Shelter in Oklahoma City, said their phones have been ringing consistently starting Monday afternoon. -
Insurers respond to Moore disaster
Insurers, like other agencies related to the Moore tornado disaster, are assessing the damage.
The Oklahoma Insurance Department has made an emergency declaration, allowing out-of-state adjusters to work storm damaged areas, said agency spokeswoman Calley Herth. It’s too soon to have tabulated damage estimates, Herth said.
“We are working hard to collect any and all numbers, but it’s just too soon at this moment,” she said. -
AG issues charity fraud and schemes alert
Oklahoma Attorney General Scott Pruitt Tuesday issued a warning for Oklahomans and donors around the country to beware of charity fraud and scams following the severe storms in Oklahoma.
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VIDEO: Pres. Obama's remarks on the Okla. tornado
President Obama speaks on Monday's deadly Okla. tornado.
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Photos: Aftermath of massive tornado in Moore
Storm victims were pulled from the rubble and residents began surveying the damage late Monday and early Tuesday in the Oklahoma City suburb of Moore, where a powerful tornado destroyed entire neighborhoods and left dozens dead.
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