Staff Reports

George Bush handily defeated Democrat John Kerry in Alabama, giving the Republicans their seventh straight presidential victory in the state although the campaign was still undecided nationally.

At midnight, Ohio, Navada, New Mexico, New Hampshire, Minnesota, Hawaii, Iowa, Wisconsin, and Michigan were still up for grabs, with Bush holding on to a strong lead, but short of the 270 electoral votes needed to win.

With 270 votes needed, Bush won 26 states for 249 votes. Kerry won 14 states plus the District of Columbia for 205 votes.

The lynch pin state was Ohio with its 20 electoral votes. Fox News was reporting Bush had won the state and the presidency.

With 80 percent of the vote reported in New Mexico, Bush had garnered 52 percent of the vote, with 5 electoral votes up for grabs.

With 78 percent of the precincts reporting in Alabama, Bush had 815,818 votes, or 61 percent, while Kerry polled 506,781 votes, or 38 percent. The other three candidates had about 1 percent combined.

Bush, as reported by the Associated Press, was able to win Florida.