CNN projects that Barack Obama will be the nation's 44th president. As polls closed on the West coast, the Illinois senator was projected to receive enough electoral votes to pass the 270-vote threshold.
Obama is projected to win California, Washington, Oregon and Hawaii.
He also is projected to win Virginia, a state that hasn't voted for a Democratic president since 1964.
As Obama built up a commanding lead over Sen. John McCain, senior aides to the Arizona senator were growing pessimistic about his chances.
When asked if they saw a path to victory, two senior McCain aides said no.
CNN earlier projected that Obama will win Ohio, a key battleground state with 20 electoral votes.