All indications point to a return of Ortega

Preliminary results give Daniel Ortega about 40 percent of the vote, which is enough to defeat four other candidates and avoid a runoff. Election watchdogs also see victory for the man who has run in every presidential election since losing office 16 years ago. But no one is conceding defeat.

The U-S is also holding off. But Washington is threatening to cut aid to Nicaragua if Ortega returns.
Ortega insists he's changed from the days when he was a Marxist fighting a U-S-backed insurgency. Now 60 and balding, Ortega's fiery rhetoric was toned down. He's even promising to keep good relations with the White House.