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In West Fargo, N.D., voters have a tradition of sending one party to the White House and the other to Congress. Two voters maintained that tradition — but not as you'd expect. North Dakota's Senate race is still too close to call.

Why didn't the Republicans win the White House Tuesday night? For insight, Steve Inskeep talks to Michael Gerson, a Washington Post colmnist and a former speechwriter for President George W. Bush.

Israel is the United State's closest ally in the Middle East, and home to a large number of overseas American voters. Israelis have been debating which candidate, Barack Obama or Mitt Romney, would do more to ensure their country's security.

If you were plugged into the polls, odds are nothing really surprised you about last night.

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STEVE INSKEEP, HOST:

In China, President Obama's re-election has been greeted with muted relief, as NPR's Louisa Lim reports from Beijing.

LOUISA LIM, BYLINE: As the vote closed in the U.S., ballots were still being cast in Beijing at a mock voting booth at the U.S. embassy's election party. For Chinese students like Lily Zhang and Zhang Weiwen, the novelty of voting was a heady experience.

LILY ZHANG: It was great. The first time I vote for the American president. That's very amazing and I'm very honored.

LIM: So who did you vote for?

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RENEE MONTAGNE, HOST:

Good morning. I'm Renée Montagne. First-time mother and first-time voter Galicia Malone of Chicago didn't expect to become both on the same day. After going into labor a 3:00 AM, the 21 year old stopped by New Life Celebration Church to vote before driving to the hospital where she delivered a baby girl.

Although exit polls showed a majority think the country is on the wrong track, voters still gave President Obama a second chance and four more years to govern. For a look at what to expect in a second term, Renee Montagne talks to Neera Tanden, who runs the Center for American Progress, a liberal think tank in Washington, D.C.

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STEVE INSKEEP, HOST:

Once the news of President Obama's reelection spread, the congratulations started raining in.

NPR's Philip Reeves reports that one of the first messages came from British Prime Minister David Cameron.

"Above all congratulations to Barack Obama," Cameron said during a trip to Jordan. "I enjoy working with him, I think he is a very successful American president and I look forward to working with him in the future."

Correspondent Terri Schultz reports from Brussels that some leaders congratulated Obama through Twitter.

After last night's election, New Hampshire became the first state to have an all-female congressional delegation and a female governor.

The Boston Globe reports:

"Democrat Maggie Hassan, the former majority leader of the state Senate, beat Republican Ovide Lamontagne in the race to succeed Governor John Lynch.