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In the Red Zone

First Lady Michelle Obama is on a four-state trip out West, holding fundraisers and meeting with campaign volunteers in Colorado, Arizona, New Mexico and Nevada
In the Red Zone
In the Red Zone

First Lady Michelle Obama is on a four-state trip out West, holding fundraisers and meeting with campaign volunteers in Colorado, Arizona, New Mexico and Nevada. The President won three of those states in 2008, just losing to John McCain in the Senator's home state of Arizona. Two recent polls out of Arizona reflect the latest numbers from Gallup's National poll -- a dead heat between President Obama and Mitt Romney.

But the popular vote isn't what wins elections. The Washington Post's Chris Cillizza points out that an electoral math problem may be brewing for Republicans. A Republican candidate has not won more than three hundred electoral votes in twenty years -- which President Obama did in '08 and President Clinton did in '92 and '96.

As Mitt Romney looks to buck this trend, he'll have to do so while playing defense in states that went red four years ago. Team Obama is looking to Arizona as one of the places to expand their map. Kicking off the general election in a dead heat with the likely Republican nominee is a strong start.