Florida Democratic Party chair Rod Smith said in a statement Thursday that blame for the slow count and long voting lines —up to six hours in some areas—lies with Republican Gov. Rick Scott and Republicans in the Florida state legislature who approved a law reducing early voting.

Florida’s new election law, passed by a Republican-led Legislature in 2011, cut the early voting period from 14 days to eight.

Despite long wait times and a still uncertain result, Scott refused to comment on his role in the election problems.

At an event in Orlando on Thursday, Scott said he did the “right thing,” by not extending early voting hours.

“I’m very comfortable that the right thing happened,” Scott said. “We had 4.4 million people vote.”

“We’ve got to wonder what election Scott was watching. Did he miss the 6+ hour long lines in Miami-Dade? Or the embarrassment of waiting three days after the election ended for the state to report election results?” the Florida Democratic party wrote in a press release Friday.

The delays were exacerbated by a 12-page, 11-amendment ballot—something Scott did point out was not his fault.  “The amendments don’t go through the governor. The amendments only go through the legislature.”

The speaking gig will no doubt stir talk of a potential 2016 presidential bid for Rubio, as the event provides the first-term senator the chance to mingle with the Republican class in Iowa, the first state to hold caucuses in a presidential election.

At last year’s fundraiser, six of the Republican presidential hopefuls had a speaking slot, with the exception of Mitt Romney. Newt Gingrich showed up late to the event, and did not give remarks.

The governor’s spokesperson, Tim Albrecht told ABC News that Branstad invited Rubio “a couple of months ago” and is “excited he accepted.”

A rising star in the Republican Party, Rubio was vetted for the GOP vice presidential spot and served as a top surrogate for Mitt Romney, particularly among the Latino voting bloc.

“The numbers in Florida show this was winnable,” Brett Doster said in a statement obtained by the Miami Herald. “We thought based on our polling and range of organization that we had done what we needed to win. Obviously, we didn’t, and for that I, and every other operative in Florida has a sick feeling that we left something on the table. I can assure you this won’t happen again.”

Obama campaign manager Jim Messina told reporters on a conference call Thursday that he believes the president will win Florida, giving him 332 electoral votes.

While Obama is officially ahead in the count, state officials are still counting ballots. Officials from Miami-Dade County say they have finished counting absentee ballots and will begin counting the county’s 2,800 provisional ballots on Thursday afternoon.

According to the Department of State, Broward, Duval, Miami-Dadeand Palm Beach Counties are still counting absentee and provisional ballots.

The final vote counts are due to the state by noon Saturday.

Currently, President Obama leads former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney 4,173,275 votes to 4,120,025. He is widely expected to hold that lead.

If the president claims Florida’s 29 electoral votes, Obama would increase his victory margin in the Electoral College to 332-206.

Other Results:

Eight of the 11 amendments on the Florida ballot — including a massive property tax overhaul, abortion restrictions and a controversial “religious freedom” proposal — failed to get the requisite 60 percent vote.

More than 60 percent of voters approved targeted tax relief for veterans (Amendment 2), poor senior-citizens (Amendment 11) and spouses of military veterans killed in the line of action (Amendment 9). From the AP:

Amendment 1: Florida voters have rejected a proposal that would have banned government mandates for obtaining insurance such as required by President Barack Obama’s health care overhaul.

The proposed state constitutional amendment required 60 percent approval but didn’t even have a majority with most of the vote counted Tuesday. It was favored by 48 percent and opposed by 52 percent.

Amendment 1 wouldn’t have made a difference even if it passed, as the U.S. Supreme Court has upheld the federal law.

Republicans pushed the amendment through the GOP-controlled Legislature saying that approval still would have sent a strong political message against what they derisively call “Obamacare.”

It also would have prevented a state law similar to one GOP presidential candidate Mitt Romney signed as governor of Massachusetts.

Amendment 3: A proposed Florida constitutional amendment that would have capped state revenue has gone down to defeat.

At 42 percent, Amendment 3 was well short of required 60 percent approval with most votes counted Tuesday.

The measure would have limited revenue growth to match increases in population and cost of living.

It was proposed by the Republican-led Florida Legislature and patterned after Colorado’s Taxpayer Bill of Rights, or TABOR. Colorado suspended and modified its cap following sharp spending cuts for schools and other public services.

A laundry list of opponents ranging from AARP to public employee unions argued Florida would have faced a similar fate.

Supporters, including business interests, contended the Florida version had safeguards such as the Legislature’s ability to break the cap with a two-thirds vote in each chamber.

Amendment 4: A wide-ranging property tax relief proposal has been rejected by Florida voters.

Amendment 4 failed after receiving only 43 percent of the vote with most ballots counted Tuesday. All state constitutional amendments need 60 percent approval.

Real estate interests promoted Amendment 4 as a boost to Florida’s economy. Local officials opposed it, arguing the amendment would cut services and raise taxes for those who don’t benefit from the measure.

It included a 5 percent annual assessment cap for businesses and second homes and an additional exemption for first-time primary home buyers.

The proposal also would have let the Legislature undo a quirk that increases homeowners’ tax bill if their property value goes down. It’s part of the existing Save Our Homes provision, which caps annual assessment increases at 3 percent.

Amendment: 5: A Republican-sponsored proposal to give the GOP-dominated Legislature more control over Florida’s court system has been defeated at the polls.

The vote Tuesday for Amendment 5 was only 44 percent in favor. All state constitutional amendments need at least 60 percent to pass.

Amendment 5 would have given the Senate authority to confirm or deny the appointment of Florida Supreme Court justices by the governor. It also would have made it easier for the Legislature to veto court rules.

The legal community was solidly against what critics called a power grab and threat to the judiciary’s independence. GOP lawmakers contended it would make the courts more accountable.

Amendment 6: A proposed Florida constitutional amendment that would have curtailed abortion rights has been defeated.

Amendment 6 garnered support from only 44 percent of voters on Tuesday with most ballots counted. All amendments require 60 percent voter approval.

The proposal was placed on the ballot by the Republican-majority Legislature. It would have prohibited taxpayer funding of abortions, which the state doesn’t do anyway.

The measure also would have exclude abortion from privacy rights protected by the Florida Constitution, which are stronger than those in the U.S. Constitution.

It was seen by supporters and opponents alike as a step toward requiring minors to get parental consent for abortions.

Voters have refused to repeal Florida’s ban on public funding for churches and other religious organizations, including parochial schools.

Amendment 8: The vote for Amendment 8 was

44 percent in favor with most ballots counted Tuesday. All proposed state constitutional amendments require 60 percent.

Besides the repeal, the amendment would have prohibited state and local governments from barring people from participating in public programs if they choose to receive those services through religious organizations.

Supporters said the amendment offered by the Republican-led Legislature would have advanced religious freedom. Opponents, including the state’s teachers union, said it would have done the opposite.

They also argued it would lift a potential legal barrier to new taxpayer-supported voucher programs for private schools.

Amendment 10: Florida voters have rejected an additional tax break for businesses on their furniture, equipment and other tangible personal property.

The vote Tuesday on Amendment 10 was 45 percent in favor with most ballots counted. As with all amendments, it needed 60 percent approval.

The proposal would have doubled the current exemption on tangible personal property taxes from $25,000 to $50,000 and let cities and counties increase it even more.

Supporters said the amendment offered by the Republican-controlled Legislature would help stimulate Florida’s economy. Lawmakers in the past two years also have cut corporate income taxes by increasing the exemption.

Opponents said the amendment would have forced local governments to further reduce public services or increase other taxes.

Amendment 12: Voters have rejected a proposed state constitutional amendment that would have slightly changed the way the student member is selected for the board overseeing Florida’s 12 public universities.

Amendment 12 had just a 41 percent favorable vote with most ballots counted Tuesday. All amendments need at least 60 percent.

The chair of the Florida Student Association, which consists of student body presidents from each school, will continue to serve on the Board of Governors. The amendment would have created a new council of student body presidents, with its chair serving as the student board member.

The Legislature offered the amendment after Florida State University pulled out of the Florida Student Association in a dispute over dues. Florida State later rejoined after the dues requirement was dropped.

WASHINGTON, D.C. — As the winner of Tuesday’s presidential election, Barack Obama may have celebrated a hard-won victory last night, but the president must now turn his attention to solving the formidable problems facing the nation. According to an October Gallup poll, “the economy in general” ranks no. 1 on Gallup’s “most important problem” list. The other top issues, in order of how frequently Americans mention them, are unemployment, the federal budget deficit, dissatisfaction with government, and healthcare. While none of these issues will likely be easy to fix, Gallup data provide U.S. leaders with insights on the public’s views on each issue.

The Economy in General

While Gallup’s Economic Confidence Index currently stands at its highest weekly point since 2008, the overall value of the index (-10) is still not positive on an absolute basis, indicating that more Americans remain negative than positive on the current status and the future direction of the economy. There is no doubt that much of Obama’s second presidential term will be spent finding ways to encourage economic growth, including creating jobs — an issue addressed below.

Of several economic concerns rated in a late 2011 Gallup poll, Americans are most eager to see Washington enact policies that will grow and expand the economy — 82% say it is extremely or very important that the federal government do this. Secondly, in terms of addressing economic fairness, by 70% to 46%, more Americans say it is important to increase equality of opportunity for Americans to get ahead than to directly reduce the income gap between the rich and poor.

Furthermore, slightly more than half (52%) believe that the fact that some individuals in the United States are rich while others are poor is an “acceptable part of our economic system.” This is not to say that a certain economic policy presents a trade-off — more income equality or more overall growth — but in the event such a choice must be made, more Americans would prefer to focus on growth.

The U.S. housing market is a vital part of the national economy and continues to struggle. Many Americans own a home they cannot afford and hence face foreclosure, while other homeowners are threatened by declining home values that accompany large-scale foreclosures. A January poll found that 58% of Americans believe it would be better for the economy if the federal government acts to help stem further foreclosures, while 34% say it would be better if the government does not take such action.

Meanwhile, a majority of investors believe that historically low interest rates help the nation’s economy rather than hurt investors and savers, 66% to 28%. Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke has aggressively pursued policies to keep interest rates low in an effort to promote economic recovery. Bernanke’s term ends in January 2014 (he was reappointed by Obama to a second term in 2009), and the president will have an opportunity to keep him on board or appoint a chairman who is less attuned with this policy. Americans, by and large, are not convinced Bernanke is doing the best thing for the economy: even as investors generally approve of this Bernanke policy, many Americans are less trusting of the chairman — an April survey found that 39% of Americans trusted Bernanke a great deal or a fair amount to do or recommend the right thing for the economy. Whatever the president’s choice, most investors believe that the economy is better served by keeping interest rates low.

Unemployment

Asked to name the most important thing that could be done to improve the U.S. economy, 28% of Americans say creating more or better jobs. Reducing the unemployment rate will be a major concern over the next four years.

One in four Americans said the best way to create more jobs in the U.S. is to keep manufacturing in this country and stop sending work overseas when asked an open-ended question on creating jobs in March 2011. Other top ideas include creating jobs by increasing infrastructure work (13%), lower taxes (12%), doing more to help small business (11%), and reducing government regulation/involvement (10%).

President Obama could also argue that his victory was at least partially the result of his jobs plan, and thus he has something of a policy mandate in this area. A July Gallup poll found that 64% of Americans said they understood what Obama would do to create jobs if elected president and a similar 60% understood what defeated opponent Mitt Romney would do. In a separate question, they said “creating good jobs” is the no. 1 priority for the next president from a list of 12 issues tested in a July 19-22 USA Today/Gallup poll. Ninety-two percent considered it extremely or very important, suggesting many voters formed their presidential preference on this issue alone.

Federal Budget Deficit

Reining in the federal budget deficit will be another important item on the president’s to-do list. In March of this year, 81% of the country said federal spending and the deficit worried them “a great deal” or “a fair amount.”

This issue actually will come to the forefront even before the next presidential term begins. At the end of 2012, the government will enact a series of spending cuts in accordance with the Budget Control Act of 2011. Additionally, temporary tax cuts such as the payroll tax cuts will lapse, meaning taxes will increase. This event has come to be known as the “Fiscal Cliff.” While Gallup has not polled about this specific event, some of the cuts — including to defense and Medicare — appear unpopular with most Americans. Fifty-one percent oppose cutting defense spending, according to a 2011 poll, while 56% would oppose changes to Social Security and Medicare programs in order to reduce the cost of those programs.

On the other side of the ledger, Americans seem open to the idea of increasing government revenue via higher taxes — depending on whose taxes are increased. Sixty percent of Americans thought the outgoing 112th Congress should have passed the so-called “Buffett Rule” championed by Obama, which would mandate a minimum tax rate of 30% for households earning an income $1 million or more; 37% of the public opposed such a measure. Meanwhile, many taxpayers are already resigned to the possibility of higher taxes: an April poll found 53% of Americans expecting their taxes to increase over the next year.

Dissatisfaction With Government

Americans’ negative opinions of government come through in a number of additional measures. Congressional job approval is now at 21%, low on any absolute scale, although up from where it has been in recent months. Twenty-three percent of Americans have a positive opinion of the “federal government,” while 60% have a negative opinion.

One concern of most Americans is that the government is trying to do too much. Recent polling shows that 54% of Americans believe the government is trying to do too many things that should be left to individuals and businesses, while 39% say the government should try to do more to solve the nation’s problems.

In 2011, Americans estimated that a mean of 50.6 cents of each dollar that goes to the federal government is wasted. This represented a slight increase from 2009 (49.7 cents) and a noticeable uptick from 2001 (45.9).

A major issue for any president in today’s highly polarized environment is attempting to work with Congress to enact legislation and to get things done. Given that the next Congress will again be divided between a Republican House of Representatives and a Democratic Senate, passing legislation will require bills to have support on both sides of the aisle. Americans clearly would like to see political leaders compromise; 51% say it is more important for political actors to compromise than to stick to their beliefs (28%), according to a 2011 poll.

Healthcare

Obama’s re-election means any repeal of the 2010 healthcare law is unlikely. Yet the law remains controversial. Polling earlier this year found Americans divided — 47% supporting a repeal of the law, and 44% opposed. The Supreme Court’s June 2012 decision finding the law constitutional also evenly divided the country, with 46% agreeing with the court and 46% disagreeing.

However, as Republicans are the majority party in the House, they may attempt to find ways to change or modify the law. Granted, these efforts will probably be rebuffed by the Democratic Senate or an Obama veto, but with any hypothetical changes, Congress may want to be selective about which portions of the law it tries to invalidate. Many of the provisions of the law have not been implemented, but those that have may prove more popular than policymakers realize. Since the passage of the law, Americans’ confidence in the U.S. medical system has increased, with 41% expressing a great deal or quite a lot of confidence, according to the most recent poll. One in four (25%) expressed very little or no confidence.

Implications

Obama faces many challenges in his next term — especially finding ways to grow the economy and create jobs. It’s certain that the president has more than a few ideas as to how to best resolve these concerns, but it is also important that he understands what ideas most Americans think would work and what ideas would not.

Track every angle of the presidential race on Gallup.com’s Election 2012 page.

According to the web site run by Florida’s Secretary of State, Obama has 49.86 percent and Romney has 49.29 percent.  

 Unexpectedly long lines in Miami-Dade and Lee counties were reportedly to blame for the delay in calling the Florida race. Officials in Miami-Dade County still had 20,000 absentee ballots to count on Wednesday, the AP reported.

 In addition to long lines, voters from around the state reported far fewer ballot machines and broken scanners.

 Final results are expected Wednesday afternoon.

Well, after countless handshakes, hundreds of millions of dollars raised, and thousands of speeches, it looks like the 2012 election is in the bag.  Here are five very preliminary takeaways -

1. It seems we are exactly where we were before the election. Obama is the president, the Senate remains in Democratic hands, and the House remains in Republican hands. As to how the “new,” old order will break the partisan gridlock in Washington remains to be seen.

2. The Electoral College map remains largely unchanged in that the Northeast and West coasts are Democratic and the South and heartland are Republican. America remains divided with two very different visions for who we are as a people, the proper role of government, and the values that define the nation.

3. If there is one clear outcome of this election it is that we need to reform the electoral system. From a confusing Electoral College to convoluted amendments on the Florida ballot to not being prepared to hold an election during a terrible storm, our system of elections leaves much to be desired.  As I write this piece it also appears that , while Obama has won the Electoral College vote, Romney might well carry the popular vote.

4. It will be nice to turn on the television and NOT see nasty political ads.

5. Let the 2016 presidential campaign begin…  get ready for Hillary Clinton/Julian Castro versus Chris Christie/Marco Rubio!

Frankel edged Republican challenger Adam Hasner by nearly double digits in one of the most-contested Congressional races in the country.

“I ran for Congress for my 87-year-old mother, my son who served in war as a Marine and your parents and your children,” Frankel told supporters in West Palm Beach tonight. “I can’t wait to get to Washington to fight for all of you.”

Before the polls closed on Election Day, Frankel said she was prepared to help bridge the partisan divide in Washington with a win over Hasner.

“I’m going to bring the attitude that I hope everybody does,” Frankel said. “I’m ready to roll up my sleeve. I’m going to. I’m willing to work with anyone — regardless of what party — who wants to break the gridlock [and] move the country forward.”

Political analysts said the race between Frankel and Hasner was among the most-watched races in the country.

“This is one of the most contentious races in the country, one of the most expensive, and one of the most important,” said Robert Watson, a professor at Lynn University. “They’re seeing the millions of dollars that we used to see reserved for governor’s races or senate races just in a congressional race.”

A mid-October survey commissioned by WPTV NewsChannel 5 and FLDemocracy and conducted by Public Policy Polling found Frankel led Hasner with a 47 percent to 44 percent margin.

Nine percent of voters were undecided.

The poll suggested the Democratic-leaning district, which stretches from northern Palm Beach County to mostly eastern Broward County, could have been a pick-up opportunity for Republicans.

Frankel, a former Florida House Majority leader, spent part of Election Day in Broward and Palm Beach counties thanking supporters.

Her son, Ben Lubin, a former Marine captain in Iraq and Afghanistan, was with her.

Lubin was overseas during the last presidential election and voted in West Palm Beach on Tuesday afternoon.

“Politics brings out the worst in people,” Lubin said. “Hopefully, after today, it’s a time when we come together and everyone works together to tackle some of the things that are causing the problems right now.”

Frankel said she was glad to have her son with her on Election Day.

“I’m so glad to have him here [and] voting for his mother,” Frankel said. “I haven’t checked the ballot but he said he voted for me. So, I’m very excited about tonight.”

– Alex Sanz