Washington: Barack Obama seized command of the race for the White House Tuesday night, defeating John McCain in Ohio and building a near insurmountable Electoral College advantage as he bid to become the first black president. Fellow Democrats gained strength in both houses of Congress.
Obama's Ohio victory denied McCain particularly precious territory. No Republican has ever won the presidency without the state.
The 47-year-old Illinois senator watched returns at a downtown Chicago hotel, then went home to a family dinner after a marathon campaign across 49 states and 21 months.
A jubilant crowd of thousands gathered in Grant Park across town on an unseasonably mild night. Cheers went up each time Obama was announced the winner in another state. The roar was particularly loud when Pennsylvania fell – the Democratic-leaning state where McCain had tried hardest to break through.
