AP Article:
Analysis: 8 States May Decide Election
1 hour, 44 minutes ago
By RON FOURNIER, AP Political Writer
WASHINGTON - Eight states worth just 99 electoral votes are up for grabs in the closely fought presidential race, with the White House going to whoever conquers this shrinking battlefield.
While another dozen states could come into play if either candidate breaks open the race, President Bush (news - web sites) and Democratic Sen. John Kerry (news - web sites) entered the campaign homestretch assuming that wouldn't happen. Their strategies focused heavily -- but not exclusively -- on essentially tied races in Florida, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, Iowa, Nevada, New Hampshire and New Mexico.
National polls suggest the race is tight, but a vast majority of the states are overwhelmingly supporting one candidate over the other -- leaving a handful to determine who wins the White House.
Taken together, Florida, Ohio and Pennsylvania account for 68 of the 99 votes from these tossup states. They form a triangle of influence unmatched on the political map.
"Whoever wins two of those three wins the White House -- and I hope to God it's my guy," said Democratic consultant Greg Haas of Columbus, Ohio.
With 270 electoral votes required to win the presidency, 26 states are solidly behind Bush or lean his way for 222 electoral votes, according to an Associated Press analysis. Sixteen states plus the District of Columbia are with Kerry or leaning his way for 217 electoral votes.
http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20041016/ap_on_el_pr/road_to270&cid=694&am
p;ncid=716