Battleground states: The road to 270 electoral votes to win the presidency
President Barack Obama has begun his re-election campaign defending traditionally Republican territory that he carried when he won the White House four years ago. Republican Mitt Romney is looking to reclaim any combination of these GOP strongholds now in flux.
In the months leading to the Nov. 6 election, both men will talk about how they will galvanize the nation. But in reality, they will lavish travel, advertising and staff on only a dozen states, and even fewer as the vote nears.
The political spotlight will shine brightly again on Florida, and the Upper Midwest, especially Ohio. But changes in the nation's demographics will mean heavy attention paid to the Mid-Atlantic and Southwest.
If the election were held in April 2012, Obama would safely carry 14 states, mainly the East and West Coasts, and the District of Columbia, with a total of 186 electoral votes. Romney, a former Massachusetts governor, probably would prevail in 20 states, primarily in the South and West, worth 156.
It's a chess game aimed at reaching the 270 electoral votes needed to win.
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What Mitt Romney needs is a good VP candidate to pick up some of the leaning states. What Obama needs is a miracle, or an economy on the upswing.
Scratch that,
Romney shouldn't have a woman VP. For one reason alone. I can only imagine how comedians would say "Romney's first wife Ann, and his second wife __(insert VP name here)__"
It wouldn't go over well.
Sorry, Rifelman but if you count the solids and strongly leanings Obama is currently winning 228 to 170. Obama only needs Florida to put him well over the top.
Rifleman,
This comment got posted to another article by mistake. It should have been posted before the other comment on here.
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Rifleman,
I agree. If Romney picked an evangelical VP or one that most evangelicals could support- then I'm sure that would help him put southern voters at ease. If he have a woman VP, who knows- maybe even that could help him (or hurt I guess).
But as for Obama, Romney's business experience vs Obama's not fulfilling his promises- plus with Obama basically saying "In your face" to any religious conservatives. It surely isn't helping him much.