With Mitt Romney now the presumptive Republican nominee for the 2012 presidential election, the race is on between the Obama and Romney campaigns. In order to show voters which states are solid holds for the candidates and which are up for grabs, The Washington Post has published a 2012 election map projecting electoral votes. President Obama starts the election with a significant lead over Romney, with Obama holding 196 solid electoral votes to Romney’s 170. This edge, however, is not indicative of a certain win. Obama may lead with the number of electoral votes from solid and leaning states, but whoever claims victory in the race will win a majority of the electoral votes from the nine swing states (Colorado, Florida, Iowa, Nevada, New Hampshire, North Carolina, Ohio, Wisconsin, and Virginia). As The Washington Post reports, the outcome of the election could be determined by unemployment, race, and income, primarily in the swing states.
Keep in mind that the election is not until November, and things will change before then. Every week The Washington Post’s electoral map will be updated to show changes in state leanings. You can explore the interactive map to see how factors like unemployment, income, race, and urban, suburban, or rural populations may affect the outcome. The map also allows you to compare the 2012 preview with results from the 2004 and 2008 elections.