Barack Obama is headed toward a decisive victory Tuesday with the potential of crushing John McCain in almost every battleground state. On January 20, he will become the nation's first black chief executive.
Exit poll data show Obama beating McCain by an overwhelming 57-41 margin among women, and carrying men by four points, 51-47. Obama is positioned to become the first Democrat since Jimmy Carter in 1976 to win break 50 percent of the popular vote, something Bill Clinton failed to do in both 1992 and 1996.
Among the key battleground states called by the networks by 10 pm, Pennsylvania went for Obama 55-45; New Hampshire 55-43; and Ohio 53-46:
While not among the early network calls, exit polls in Virginia -- which has not voted for a Democratic presidential candidate since 1964 -- showed Obama ahead 54-45; Indiana, once considered a Republican bastion, appeared to be solidly in Obama's camp, with women backing him 55-44 and men split 49-49.
Nationwide, according to network exit polls, Obama did far better among whites that his recent Democratic predecessors. Kerry lost white men to George W. Bush 62-37, a 25 point spread; Obama lost white men by 14 points, 42-56. Similarly, Kerry lost white women by 9 points, Obama by 5.
While all white voters over the age of 30 cast majorities for McCain, those under 30 backed Obama by a decisive 57-41 margin.
Obama, like other Democrats, continued to have difficulty winning the support of less affluent whites. Among whites with incomes of $50,000 or less, Obama lost by a slight margin, 48-50. Among whites without college degrees, Obama lost decisively to McCain, 41-58. Whites with college degrees were split, 49-50.
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