Summit County Citizens Voice

President Barack Obama.

Colorado stays blue; votes to approve marijuana

By Summit Voice

FRISCO — In a race that wasn’t nearly as close as Republican pundits wanted it to be, Barack Obama won a second term to the White House by hanging on to Ohio, a white, working-class state that was crucial to Mitt Romney’s hopes for pulling off a GOP upset.

Obama was also leading by a razor-thin margin in Florida when major networks called the presidential election for the Democrat from Illinois.

The Democrats won by maintaining their margin of victory in traditional strongholds in the Northeast, the Midwest and along the West Coast, with a wide swath in the middle of the country remaining red, showing the deep ideological gulf between coastal urban areas and the country’s heartland.

In Colorado, voters approved Amendment 64, which legalizes possession and use of marijuana. Gov. Hickenlooper said the state will respect the will of the voters.

“The voters have spoken and we have to respect their will. This will be a complicated process, but we intend to follow through. That said, federal law still says marijuana is an illegal drug so don’t break out the Cheetos or gold fish too quickly,” he said in a press release.

Mitt Romney conceded the election at about 11 p.m.

“This is a time of great challenges for America, I hope the president will be successful in leading our nation,” Romney said, thanking his family and his running mate, Paul Ryan.

“At a time like this we can’t risk bickering and political posturing,” he continued, calling on both parties to work together to tackle critical issues.

Filed under: world news Tagged: | 2012 election, Amendment 64, Barack Obama, Colorado, Mitt Romney, politics, presidential election