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John McCain, Here's How You Can Still Win This Election

Forget about Pa.; focus on Virginia, Florida, FiveThirtyEight says

By Wesley Oliver,  Newser Staff

Posted Oct 26, 2008 12:11 PM CDT
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(Newser) – John McCain, the polls aren’t looking good and your running mate is being accused of going “rogue,” but Nate Silver has some advice on how you can still eke out a victory. “No razzle-dazzle here,” Silver writes for FiveThirtyEight, “McCain simply has to pick which states he and Sarah Palin can do the most good in.” To wit:

  • It’s time to throw in the towel in Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, Minnesota, and Iowa.
  • In New Hampshire and New Mexico, stay on the offense.
  • But mount “a reasonably vigorous” defensive strategy in Virginia, Colorado, Nevada, Ohio, and North Carolina.
  • Roll the dice in Florida, Missouri, and Indiana and “hope a national surge of some kind” makes those states red again.

John McCain should gamble on winning Florida and hope a national surge of some kind brings the state back into his column.
John McCain should gamble on winning Florida and "hope a national surge of some kind" brings the state back into his column.   (AP Photo/David Adame)
Despite meager poll number, there is still a slim chance John McCain could win the election, Nate Silver writes.
Despite meager poll number, there is still a "slim" chance John McCain could win the election, Nate Silver writes.   (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)
John McCain should concede defeat in Iowa and focus his energies elsewhere, Nate Silver says.
John McCain should concede defeat in Iowa and focus his energies elsewhere, Nate Silver says.   (AP Photo/John Gaps, Pool)
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Florida • John McCain • Iowa • Wisconsin • electoral college • New Hampshire • New Mexico • Ohio • North Carolina • Pennsylvania • Indiana • Virginia • Minnesota • Missouri • Colorado • Nate Silver

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