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Dire Economy Boosts Obama in Swing States
GOP has hard time making case to worried voters for 4 more years
By Matt Cantor
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Posted Oct 5, 08 9:25 AM CDT
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(Newser)
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As voters turn green over the shaky economy, the electoral map is turning blue, according to a New York Times tally. Barack Obama is hitting hard in nine states that George Bush took in 2004 and weren’t expected to be tossups this close to November—forcing John McCain to spend in traditional GOP strongholds, cut back on offense in Democratic bastions, and pull out of economically devastated Michigan.
Still, state-by-state, the race remains close. Obama has a “solid lead” in states offering 189 electoral votes and is “well positioned” to get 71 more, for a total of 260 of the 270 needed; McCain, meanwhile, has a solid lead in states contributing 160 electoral votes and could well get 40 more, for 200 total. Colorado, Florida, Nevada, New Hampshire, Ohio, and Virginia are decidedly purple.