Go South, Young Donkey

By Neil the Ethical Werewolf

Long ago when I argued that Democrats should nominate aSoutherner for the presidency, I remember some people responding that the Southis hopeless and we should look West instead. I’m increasingly convinced that they’re wrong, and I’d encourage peopleinterested in this issue to look back at that old electoral map site that wewere all following breathlessly in 2004. A Western strategy, at its absolute best, can win us 32 electoral votes– 5 in Nevada, 5 in New Mexico, 10 in Colorado, 3 in Montana, and 9 in Arizona.

There’s more votes in the more populated states to theSouth. Simply getting back the Southern states Clinton picked up in 1996 gives you 34 votes (ifyou count West Virginia and Florida, it’s 66). You should also pass your mouse over thoseSouthern states, and compare the margins of defeat to the states out West. The 2004 margins are in the teens or lessdown in Virginia and the Carolinas, which Clinton always lost bymargins of 6 or less. Go to Wyoming, and we lose by40.