Latest Electoral College Toss-Up

Submitted by politicalWinters on Tue, 05/20/2008 - 9:18am.

Republican strategist and former White House official Karl Rove has put together yet another matchup between John McCain and the two Democratic frontrunners, Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama.

In the McCain-Obama contest, McCain has 238 Electoral College votes, while Obama has 221. There are 79 "toss-up" votes.

It takes 270 electoral votes to win the presidency. The data is based on polling and probably some coin-tossing as well.

In the McCain-Clinton contest, Clinton has 259 votes to McCain's 206, with 73 "toss-up" votes.

Who wins the toss-ups?

Submitted by wjones on Tue, 05/20/2008 - 9:32am.

Given the mood of the voters, the weak economy and eight years with the same president, the assumption would have to be that Democrats are favored to win most of the toss-up states.

It has never seemed like a landslide year, given the closeness of the last two presidential elections. Others besides Karl Rove have been saying for months that this would be another squeaker, especially since the choice will be between such different candidates no matter whom the Democrats eventually nominate.

Conservatives may not like everything about McCain, but given the choice, they're not likely to vote for a liberal Democrat. And vice-versa with the liberals.

Walter Jones is the director of Morris News Service and has been covering politics since 1998.

toss-up voters

Submitted by politicalWinters on Wed, 05/21/2008 - 9:19am.

I think you are right. I see the majority of those "toss-up" states going to the Democrats, regardless of whether it's Hillary or Obama. Unless of course the Democratic Congress continues to do nothing, and people just get fed up.

And I honestly think the VP pick it's going to be key this year. For the Democrats, it's going to have to be someone more moderate, while the Republicans probably need someone more conservative.

The VP nominee can be crucial, especially if he/she is from a big "swing" state and can bring in major electoral votes.

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Latest Electoral College Toss-Up