BY STEPHEN H. COWLES/CONTRIBUTING WRITER
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FRANKLIN—Angela Haliano’s faith was strong Tuesday as she and other Barack Obama supporters watched election results during a gathering of Democrats at Fellowship Around the Word Church in Franklin.

Haliano breathed a sigh of relief when Obama was declared the winner over Republican Mitt Romney at about 11:15 p.m.

In Western Tidewater, voters chose Republican candidate Romney over Obama 18,026 or 52.9 percent to 16,021 or 47.1 percent.

Franklin gave Obama 2,830 votes, or 65.4 percent, to Romney’s 1,496 or 34.6 percent.

In Southampton County, Romney received 4,733 votes or 51.6 percent and Obama had 4,437 votes or 48.4 percent.

Isle of Wight County also gave Romney the victory. He won with 11,797 votes or 57.4 percent to Obama’s 8,754 votes or 42.6 percent. Voter turnout was 77 percent.

“I anticipate a great victory for Romney, Paul Ryan and George Allen,” said Bill Coburn, chairman of the Isle of Wight Republican Party. “We did very well in the northern and southern parts of the county.”

“We expected that,” Mechelle Joyce, chairwoman of the county’s Democratic Party, said about results. “But we’re hoping for the rest of Virginia to come through.”

While waiting for results at Fellowship Around the Word, Inga Francis of Boykins predicted a tight race, but not as tight as expected. Her gut and faith told her Obama would win.

“Four years is not enough,” added Cynthia Walloe of Franklin. She also felt strongly in his ultimate win.

Gary Vasser of Blackcreek, who was watching election returns at Applebee’s in Franklin was counting on a Romney win.

“I hope it goes that way,” the 55-year-old handyman said. “We need a change. We need more jobs. We’ve lost that.”

Forest Woodward and Matthew Davis, both from South Carolina and working in the area, voted for the Republican and were no less optimistic that Romney would succeed.

“He’ll keep jobs coming to us,” said Davis, referring to work in energy-related fields such as their own. “The path that Obama’s on, probably not.”

Bartender Amanda Blankenship said this was her first time to vote and she signed for Romney.

“Obamacare — we don’t need that,” she said.