In one year, every
American born in or before 1998 will be eligible to cast their vote for the 45th
president of the United States. Regardless of political affiliation, November
2016 and the months leading up to D-Day will be one exciting political
whirlwind especially for this year’s batch of college students as it will be
their first major election. Although the thrill of wearing an “I voted” sticker
may be a very new sensation for many young Americans, knowledge of the nation’s
political divide certainly is not.
It is no secret, even for
the youngest of voters, that there are good handful of states that will always,
always, always vote red and the other handful that will always,
always, always vote blue. Political affiliation
and party loyalty has deep roots in American history, so much so that it has
become part of a region’s identity so logically, many states are hard pressed
to swing. According to an article by TampaBay Times, eighteen states and the District of Columbia have voted democratic
in the last six consecutive elections compared to thirteen that have voted
conservative. Along with these eighteen states? 242 electoral votes out of 538.
With the magic winning number being 270 electoral votes, a win should be cake
for a Democratic candidate. According to conservative pundit George Will of Fox News Sunday, “if the Democratic
presidential nominee can assume those [eighteen] states, he or she will spend
the autumn of 2016 looking for 28 electoral votes, and he or she will find them.”
And that is why Governor
Chris Christie holds very commanding power in the right wing. As governor of
New Jersey, one of the eighteen states that has voted blue since Bill Clinton
in 1992, being the republican representative for five years and counting is no
small feat.
So what states will play
battleground for the upcoming presidential election? Who will be the most
valuable voters of 2016?
Here come the big
players.
According to The Washington Post, the last
presidential election of 2012 had nine “truly” crucial swing states: Colorado,
Florida (no surprise there), Iowa (also no surprise), Nevada, New Hampshire,
North Carolina, Ohio, Virginia, and Wisconsin. Given that there is currently only
one official candidate for 2016, the battleground states have yet to be set in
stone but sources tend to agree on a handful of the same states from election
to election with the National Journal including
Michigan and Pennsylvania (yay!) in the mix. Regardless of source however, Iowa
is almost always one of the biggest players.
Looks like we’re not in
Kansas anymore, Dorothy. As one of the nation’s whitest states (91% according
to Huffington Post), it is quite
surprising that this whitewashed, very wealthy, un-diverse state could play
such a critical role in elections. So why is Iowa so important? The simple
answer? It is the first state to weigh in during the presidential campaign.
Iowa, along with New Hampshire, are so important that it is said that “losing
both New Hampshire and Iowa can destroy a candidacy. Winning a sure path to
nomination.”
With so much media
attention (and we all know how influential the media is), it can be safely said
that the ballots of Iowa hold significant power especially for the other swing
states.
The bottom line for
future voters who don’t want to stay up and watch all the votes come in? Wait
for Iowa’s results (and New Hampshire if you want) and call it a day. It’s a 50-50 shot so might as well put
the money on the Iowans.
For those hoping to put
in a presidential bid in the future? You better work fast and build some roots
in the Hawkeye State.
