Missouri as the prognosticator of presidential winners is no more.
Official election returns certified Tuesday by the secretary of state’s office show that Republican John McCain eked out victory in the state’s closest presidential election in a century.
McCain won by 3,903 votes out of more than 2.9 million cast, which amounts to a 0.13 percentage point win over President-elect Barack Obama.
Obama becomes just the second president in more than 100 years to take office without winning Missouri. The last time Missouri had not voted for the presidential winner was in 1956.
Members of the Electoral College meet across the nation on Dec. 15 to cast their presidential ballots. Missouri’s members will meet in the state Capitol.
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — —
