Despite losing the election, there are a few things Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney can be proud of in comparison to 2008 results.
When then-Illinois Senator Barack Obama and Arizona Senator John McCain battled to become the 44th commander-in-chief of the US, Obama secured the 11 swing states that were critical to win the election. The 11 swing states are Colorado, Florida, Iowa, Michigan, Nevada, New Hampshire, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and Wisconsin.
Now in 2012, Obama conquered the same swing states that were crucial to maintain a second term, except one.
North Carolina
The first aspect of Election Day Romney accomplished that McCain couldn't in 2008 was winning North Carolina.
Obama won North Carolina in 2008 with 49.7 percent to McCain's 49.4 percent, a difference of 0.3 percent but Romney managed to secure a lead four years later by 2.2 percent. Romney received 50.6 percent to Obama's 48.4 percent.
Indiana
Romney secured Indiana's Electoral votes and in double-digits. Polling numbers showed Romney comfortably leading in Indiana that it was not considered a swing state.
Obama won Indiana in 2008 with a percentage spread of 1.1 percent. The former Illinois senator received 50 percent to McCain's 48.9 percent. Come Election Day 2012, Romney led by 10.5 percent. The former Massachusetts governor received 54.3 percent to Obama's 43.8 percent.
Electoral College Votes
Romney's total Electoral vote count of 206 is 33 votes more than McCain's 173 votes in 2008. Unlike McCain, Romney's gain included Indiana's 11 Electoral votes, all four of Nebraska's votes, and North Carolina's 15 votes. There were also states that changed the number of Electoral votes compared to 2008. Obama in 2008 won the election with 365 Electoral votes and in 2012 received 332 votes.
Popular Vote Percentage
Finally, Romney also received a higher percentage of the popular vote than McCain. In 2008, Obama's victory was 52.9 percent of the 69,456,897 votes he received, while McCain received 59,934,814 votes, accounting to 45.7 percent.
Based on CNN's numbers, Romney's popular vote count stands at 58,159,408 votes, although less than McCain's it is two percent higher to 48 percent. Obama received 61,164,405 votes, or 50 percent of the votes, providing votes such as the absentee and provisional ballots are not 100 percent accounted for so far.