North Carolina moves in CNN Electoral Map
(CNN) - CNN Monday turned the important battleground state of North Carolina from "lean Romney" to true "toss up" on its Electoral Map, following the release of a new CNN/Time Magazine/ORC International poll that indicated the race for the state's 15 electoral votes was a dead heat.
The move by CNN comes one week before the Democratic convention kicks off in Charlotte, North Carolina.
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The poll, released earlier on Monday, indicates it's all knotted up in the Tar Heel state, with 48% of likely voters supporting Republican challenger Mitt Romney and 47% backing President Barack Obama.
Other polls from other organizations conducted earlier this summer also indicated a close contest in North Carolina.
"It's hard to imagine the perfect storm that helped then Sen. Obama narrowly carry the state in 2008. But at the moment the polling shows a tossup, and both campaigns say their numbers are in the same ballpark as our survey," says CNN Chief National Correspondent John King. "That, plus all the attention Democrats are about to give the state, gives us ample reason to move North Carolina to tossup."
"It's a must win for Romney, and even top Obama aides privately say it is a lot harder to see it going blue this time. But Romney can't take it for granted and the poll backs up what we see in the recent ad wars in North Carolina: It's a tight battleground," adds King.
Obama was the first Democrat to carry the state in a presidential election since 1976.
North Carolina now becomes the ninth state CNN considers a true toss up, joining Colorado, Florida, Iowa, Nevada, New Hampshire, Ohio, Virginia and Wisconsin. CNN considers Michigan, New Mexico, and Pennsylvania as states that lean towards Obama, with Arizona, Indiana, and Missouri as states that lean towards Romney.
With North Carolina's move to true "toss up," the CNN Electoral Map now suggests Obama leading in states with a combined 237 electoral votes, Romney ahead in states with a combined 191 electoral votes, and states with 110 electoral votes are up for grabs. Two-hundred and seventy electoral votes are needed with win the White House.
- CNN's Political Editor Paul Steinhauser contributed to this report.
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It's embarrasing that Florida is not "red". R&R 2012
Obama 2012. Yes, we can!
Get rid of the electoral college and let everyone's vote count in the final tally!
It is time that the media look up the history of the electorial map and its appropriate use. Red is not for Republicans (Reagan won in a sea of blue) and blue is not for Democrats. The parties are suppose to switch off for fairness sake as they have historically. No drama needed.
O-ne and Done!!!
Theocracy Empire of America (TEA) Party.
Two University of Colorado professors, one from Boulder and one from Denver, have put together an Electoral College forecast model to predict who will win the 2012 presidential election and the result is bad news for Barack Obama. The model points to a Mitt Romney victory in 2012.
Ken Bickers from CU-Boulder and Michael Berry from CU-Denver, the two political science professors who devised the prediction model, say that it has correctly forecast every winner of the electoral race since 1980.
We live in Raleigh, NC. Obama will not win NC. The outstanding Republican candidate for Governor, Pat McCrory, 7 term mayor of Charlotte, is going to win very big in NC, and the Romney/Ryan ticket will come along with McCrory. North Carolinians are tired of seeing their wonderful state rank fourth in unemployment in the country.
How can anyone vote for Romney and his returning us to the FAILED policies of cutting taxes for the rich and gutting regulations? Obama may not be the best, but he is the best choice of Obama or Romney – that's how this North Carolina voter will be voting this November.
Why don't we get rid of the Electoral College so we can ALL be in a "swing state"?
WIth all the religious speakers at the Republican Convention........will they address the sin of Greed ???
Ms. Fluke will fix that!
Let's face it – Romney is an awkward nerd. Who wants a nerd for President?? Obama/Biden 2012
The only ballot worthy of my interest or vote reads "Direct Democracy Now".
It's been reported that Hurricane Isaac will disrupt the Republican's message.
Even God doesn't want to hear their BS any longer.
Weird, Rasmussen has Romney up by 5 in North Carolina. But who am I to question the impartiality of a CNN/Time poll.
Romney has zero chance, there is no way he's gonna carry IA, PA, OH
I hope North Carolina tips Democratic. Nearer and dearer to my heart, though, is Colorado. I hope the traditional "live and let live" conservatives of that mountain state decides the Democrats are less intrusive than the Republicans on very personal issues. Like family planning, family formation, faith, and healthcare.
The republicans will destroy this country if romney/Ryan wins. Janna Ryan was/is a lobbyist for many corporations but most interestingly wyeth pharmaceuticals. I wonder if she is the bee in Paul's bonnet when it comes to his healthcare plan. I betcha she is.
I prefer a close race, it will show voters excersing there right to vote!!!
Both candidates work for the international bankers. Why bother voting? It only validates your oppression.
I live in North Carolina. We are going to elect a Rep. gov.and I don't know who CNN polled, but this state is going Republican this year. The liberal media is just trying to make it look like Obama has a chance here. We have the third highest unemployment in the country
The only ballot of my interest and vote reads "Direct Democracy Now."
I hate republicans.Go away
NC, Co, FL, Oh, Mi, Wi will go blue.