What Are the New Battleground States? (Polls & Video)

battleground
Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump speaks at a Bollywood-themed charity concert put on by the Republican Hindu Coalition in Edison, New Jersey, U.S. October 15, 2016. REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst

 Can Hillary Clinton win the Republican strongholds Arizona and Georgia? At the moment, thanks to Donald J. Trump’s self-destructive tendencies and both states’ growing populations of professionals and nonwhites, it’s possible.

The 2016 election is poised to be the most polarized presidential election in our lifetime, deeply split along racial, gender, generational and educational lines. The outcome could leave the balance of power in Washington virtually unchanged and yet simultaneously heighten both parties’ distrust of each other to the level of hysteria.

It also promises to reorder the electoral map in powerful ways. In 1996, Bill Clinton carried Iowa, Missouri and Ohio on his way to re-election, while losing Colorado, North Carolina and Virginia. Twenty years later, Hillary Clinton’s path to 270 electoral votes is more likely to do the opposite.

The matchup between Mrs. Clinton and Mr. Trump is accelerating trends that were expected to unfold gradually but have, in 2016, emerged to jolt the electoral map. The parties are realigning along an axis primarily of educational achievement, but also of race. Democrats have been on the upswing with minorities, college-educated whites and younger voters, while Republicans are increasingly reliant on older whites, whites without a degree, or both.

[vc_btn title=”More on the battleground states” style=”outline” color=”primary” link=”url:http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nytimes.com%2F2016%2F10%2F17%2Fopinion%2Fcampaign-stops%2Fwhat-are-the-new-battleground-states.html%3Fref%3Dopinion%26_r%3D1|title:More%20on%20the%20battleground%20states|target:%20_blank|”][vc_message message_box_style=”3d” message_box_color=”turquoise”]By New York Times, excerpt posted on SouthFloridaReporter.com Oct. 17, 2016 [/vc_message]


Election 2016 Clinton Trump Spread
RCP Poll Average 47.7 42.2 Clinton +5.5
4-Way RCP Average 45.4 39.1 Clinton +6.3Trending Up
Favorability Ratings -9.1 -25.7 Clinton +16.6
Live Betting Odds 85.0 15.0
Electoral College Clinton Trump Spread
RCP Electoral Map 256 170 Clinton +86
No Toss Up States 340 198
Battlegrounds   Clinton Trump Spread
Florida 46.0 42.5 Clinton +3.5
Ohio 44.0 42.4 Clinton +1.6
Pennsylvania 46.7 39.7 Clinton +7.0
New Hampshire 43.3 39.7 Clinton +3.6
North Carolina 45.0 42.1 Clinton +2.9
Iowa 38.0 41.7 Trump +3.7
Nevada 44.0 41.3 Clinton +2.7