DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – The race for president reaches its final mile next week amid October surprises, but on the road to the 270 electoral votes needed to win the White House, Hillary Clinton still has several ways to find her way to Washington.
The journey Donald Trump must take is perilous, at best.
Even as some national preference polls tighten, and voters wrestle with news the FBI has found new emails that may – or may not – be related to Clinton’s use of a private server as secretary of state, the billionaire Republican needs a dramatic final-stretch rebound in states where the Democratic nominee appears to have the upper hand.
The latest Associated Press analysis of the Electoral College map rates states worth 278 electoral votes as safely Democratic or leaning Clinton’s way. That analysis is based on preference polling, recent electoral history, demographic trends and campaign priorities such as advertising, travel and on-the-ground staff.
In short, that means Clinton doesn’t need to win a state now rated as a toss-up to win the White House.