President Barack Obama is claiming victory in Florida, although all of the votes haven't been counted and the state hasn't certified the election.

JUMP TO: Statement from Florida Democratic Party▼

Obama's campaign issued a statement late Thursday afternoon saying they had won Florida. The Associated Press has not called the race said it is still too close. Obama led Romney 49.9 percent to 49.3 percent or by about 52,000 votes. Obama does not need Florida because he has won an electoral vote majority in the rest of the country.

The Romney campaign and the Republican National Committee say they are waiting for the state to finish its count, which includes thousands of provisional ballots.

Florida is still undecided largely due to long voting lines on election night, a deluge of last-minute absentee ballots and other assorted problems.

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Statement from the Florida Democratic Party Chair Rod Smith:

On behalf of Florida Democrats, I wish President Barack Obama congratulations on his re-election and on winning Florida's 29 electoral votes.

“Florida Democrats ran the strongest, largest ground game this state has ever seen: out-registering Republicans for 8 consecutive months, cutting the GOP’s historical absentee ballot advantage in half, requesting over a million Democratic absentee ballots for the first time in history, and out-pacing Republicans during every day of early voting, and this hard work has paid off.

"It is appalling that two days after the election, Florida was not able to report our Presidential election results. This embarrassment lays at the feet of Governor Rick Scott who made a decision to cut early voting in half and continually refused to extend early voting hours in light of the record turnout. Clearly, has move was a serious mistake that should and must be corrected. We call on Gov. Scott and the Legislature to reform Florida's voting systems in the upcoming legislative session to ensure that we correct this affront to our system of democratic participation.

"But over the last few days, I, like so many here, was moved watching Floridians stand in record long lines and inclement conditions – doing everything they can to overcome the obstacles to participating in our democracy placed in their path by Governor Rick Scott and the Republican Legislature."