President Obama survived sustained attacks about his record on coal and other fossil fuels to secure victories last night in key states where energy industries are pivotal to the economy. In the sharply contested swing states of Ohio and Virginia, where Mitt Romney made the case for expanded production of domestic oil and natural gas, and a defense of the coal industry, Obama cruised to victory, narrowly winning their crucial electoral votes. The president beat Romney in Ohio 50 percent to 48 percent and in Virginia 51 percent to 48 percent, overcoming months of attacks accusing Obama of a "war on coal."

When Hurricane Sandy smashed into the northeastern United States eight days before the election, it blew an "October surprise" into a race that for many months had seen President Obama and challenger Mitt Romney running neck and neck in the polls. The Category 1 storm, which made landfall nearby Atlantic City, N.J., left a thousand-mile-wide wake of destruction in its path and provided Obama, who won re-election last night, with an opportunity to overshadow his Republican challenger.