With 17 days until November 3, when American voters will choose their next president between Donald Trump and Joe Biden, some states are emerging as more crucial than others due to the unpredictable pattern of their voting preferences.
Here’s a look at seven decisive states that will shape the outcome of the 2020 presidential election:
1. Michigan: Michigan has traditionally been a Democratic stronghold because of working-class voters, a group that tends to vote for the Democratic Party, but this changed in the 2016 presidential election when Trump won Michigan by a small 0.23% margin, with 47.50% of the total votes, unlike Hilary Clinton, who obtained 47.27% of the votes. A victory in Michigan means 16 Electoral College votes for the candidates and in 2016 Donald Trump won Michigan with the narrowest margin of victory in Michigan presidential election history, which was also the narrowest margin of victory of any state in the 2016 elections.
2. Wisconsin: Demographically, Wisconsin rural white and blue-collar voters play an important role in deciding who wins the state. The state has 10 electoral college votes and Donald Trump won Wisconsin in 2016 by a narrow 0.77% margin, with 47.22% of the total votes compared to Hillary Clinton’s 46.45%. This made Trump the first Republican candidate to win the state since Ronald Reagan won in 1984.
3. Arizona: Arizona has traditionally been a Republican stronghold with 11 votes in the electoral college. Donald Trump won Arizona in 2016 by a 3.5 percent margin, but this once-Republican stronghold is now considered a key state in this election, as the absence of Republican stalwarts like Sen. John McCain has affected the state’s dynamics. . The state also has a growing Hispanic population, a group leaning toward the Democratic Party.
4. Georgia: Georgia contributes 16 Electoral College votes and has not elected a Democrat to be president since 1992. In 2016, Trump won Georgia by 5.1%, while Hillary Clinton received 45.35% of the vote. With its rapidly growing diverse population and Democrats like Stacey Abrams gaining popularity across the country, Georgia is being viewed as a swing state for 2020.
5. North Carolina: In 2016, Trump obtained all 15 votes from the North Carolina Electoral College with a margin of 3.66% and 49.83% of the total vote, while Hillary Clinton obtained 46.17% of the votes. With a mix of rural, urban and suburban voters, the importance of the state is reflected in Donald Trump’s frequent visits to the state.
6. Florida: With 29 Electoral College votes, Florida is America’s largest swing state and always has been. The margin of victory in the state has been very low and Trump won in this state in 2016 with 49% of the total votes compared to 47.8% for Clinton; only by 1.2 percentage points.
7. Pennsylvania: In 2016, Trump won Pennsylvania by 44,292 votes, less than 1 percentage point, the narrowest margin in a presidential election for the state in 176 years. With 20 electoral votes, the state is called the ‘Blue Wall state,’ but Trump’s victory in 2016 has turned Pennsylvania into a battle state for 2020.
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