Romney concedes US presidential election to Obama

BOSTON, Massachusetts (AFP) - Republican challenger Mitt Romney conceded defeat in the US election early on Wednesday, telling supporters that he had called President Barack Obama to congratulate him on his victory.

"His supporters and his campaign also deserve congratulations," he said, in a brief address at his election watch party in Boston.

"I wish all of them well but particularly the president, the first lady and their daughters."

It was a quick, underwhelming end to an 18-month campaign that began on a farm in New Hampshire, survived brutal Republican infighting during the party primaries early this year and a barrage of negative attack ads by the Obama camp, and rose to give the incumbent a serious scare weeks before the election.