Obama beats Romney in Michigan

DETROIT (AP) - President Barack Obama has won Michigan in his bid for a second term.

Obama developed a reservoir of good will in the state by championing federal assistance to General Motors and Chrysler, which were on the brink of bankruptcy when he took office in 2009. The bailout has been credited with saving more than a million jobs. "Osama bin Laden is dead and General Motors is alive" was a rallying cry for Obama supporters.

Republican challenger Mitt Romney was a vocal opponent of rescuing the car companies, labeling it "crony capitalism" and saying the industry would have fared better without government help.

The Democratic president benefited from strong ties to organized labor and heavy support from black voters in Detroit and other population centers. He also carried Michigan in 2008.