Why McCain is Betting Big on Pennsylvania

Posted by Chris Bowers, Open Left at 9:47 AM on October 22, 2008.

Here is the McCain Pennsylvania targeting theory, as best as I can tell:

1. McCain has to win a state where he is way down: Right now, McCain is more than 8.0% behind in states worth 277 electoral votes (the Kerry and / or Gore states plus Virginia). With only 270 needed to win, and 269 to tie, he has to target a state where he trails by more than 8%. That isn't even an option.
   
   
   
   
2. Take a look at the 8% or more states: A quick glance at last week's polling from the 277 8% or more states (the Kerry and / or Gore plus Virginia states) doesn't show a pretty picture for McCain. A short list of states quickly emerges:
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   

   State	EV's	Obama %	McCain %	Margin	# Polls
   New Hampshire	4	50.0%	43.0%	+7.0%	1
   Virginia	13	51.8%	43.8%	+8.0%	4
   Minnesota	10	51.3%	41.3%	+10.0%	3
   New Mexico	5	53.5%	43.5%	+10.0%	2
   Pennsylvania	21	51.7%	40.7%	+11.0%	3
   Wisconsin	10	51.0%	39.3%	+11.7%	3

   
   
   
   If a state isn't listed here, then it is even worse for McCain. These six, crappy options are his only choices.
   
   
   
   
   
3. Why not New Hampshire? McCain has did well in New Hampshire during the 2000 and 2004 primaries, and it is also the closest state here. So, why not New Hampshire? Because he needs to pick up at least nine electoral votes to crack the 277 8%+ Obama states, and New Hampshire is only worth 4.
   
   
   
4. Why not Virginia?: Why doesn't McCain just target Virginia, which is worth enough electoral votes and closer than Pennsylvania? Because Virginia is the most early voting of all early voting states, with early voting starting one month ago. During that month, Obama has repeatedly and continually posted large leads in Virginia. By comparison, Pennsylvania has no early voting (except for no-fault absentee). Given that, compared to Virginia, a far lower percentage of the vote in Pennsylvania has already been cast, a 3% difference in polling doesn't really mean anything. Easier to come back from an 11% deficit with 3% of the vote in than a 8% deficit with 30% of the vote in.
   
   
   
5. Why not Minnesota? Or Wisconsin? Or New Hampshire and New Mexico? Why shouldn't McCain just target a smaller, cheaper combination of states that reaches nine electoral votes, instead of Pennsylvania? The reason is Colorado, and it's nine electoral votes. While McCain only trails by 5% in Colorado, some estimates are that 50% of Colorado votes will be early votes. This means that McCain needs a way to overcome not only the 277, but potentially 277 + 9 (Colorado). The only state on this list that provides that sort of coverage is Pennsylvania.

So, when presented with a list of crappy choices, Pennsylvania is the best option for McCain. It's large size and lack of early voting provides McCain with potential time and a potential margin no other targeting strategy can. He has to win a state where he currently trails by 8% or more, and Pennsylvania is clearly the best option.


During this time, please ignore anything Ed Rendell says, as he is a long-time concern troll for Democrats (remember: he loves Rick Santorum,   Justice Alito, and Fox News, but hates Social Security). On top of it all, any trolling Governor in his position would write dozens of memos to cover his ass in the event of a Pennsylvania debacle. If, somehow, it all goes wrong, Rendell can at least say to Fox News "hey, I warned Obama to campaign more in Pennsylvania."



In summary, early voting and large poll deficits have forced McCain into a desperate play for Pennsylvania. There is basically no way it will work, but at least I will have a good way to rally the other committee people at our ward meeting on Thursday evening. That, and the World Series will unfortunately collide with the election now.




Oh, and any commenters (such as Jack Murtha) who might be tempted to say that McCain's strategy is also based on Pennsylvanians somehow being more racist than the rest of the country, please just shut up right now.

Tagged as: mccain, colorado, new hampshire, pennsylvania