swing state
Purple map zone
A swing state is a U.S. state where neither major political party has a reliable advantage, making it competitive in presidential elections.
Campaigns concentrate resources on these states because they can "swing" either way: Florida and Pennsylvania are perennial swing states.
Also called a battleground state.
Location of armed combat
- toss-upOutcome with equal chances
- competitiveDriven by rivalry
- contestedArgued against, disputed
- pivotalVitally important, deciding
crucial · decisive · margin of victory · electoral votes · winner-take-all · polling · independents · moderates
Midwestern state, major river
- PennsylvaniaNortheastern founding colony state
- FloridaSoutheastern American peninsula state
- MichiganNorthern Great Lakes state
- WisconsinMidwestern dairy state
Arizona · Nevada · Georgia · North Carolina · New Hampshire · Iowa · Colorado · Virginia
Cannot be anticipated
- uncertainNot firmly known
- fluctuatingShifting irregularly over time
- shiftingChanging position or form
- fluidSubstance that flows
undecided · wavering · too close to call · recount · nail-biter · last-minute · late-breaking
Gathers or recovers
- canvassingSystematic direct voter outreach
- door-to-doorDirectly between residences
- get-out-the-voteCampaign encouraging electoral participation
- grassrootsCommon people as political base
voter outreach · advertising · robocalls · town halls · stump speeches · volunteers · fundraising · debates
battleground
Location of armed combat
- toss-upOutcome with equal chances
- competitiveDriven by rivalry
- contestedArgued against, disputed
pivotal · crucial · decisive · margin of victory · electoral votes · winner-take-all · polling · independents · moderates · turnout
Ohio
Midwestern state, major river
- PennsylvaniaNortheastern founding colony state
- FloridaSoutheastern American peninsula state
- MichiganNorthern Great Lakes state
Wisconsin · Arizona · Nevada · Georgia · North Carolina · New Hampshire · Iowa · Colorado · Virginia · Minnesota
unpredictable
Cannot be anticipated
- uncertainNot firmly known
- fluctuatingShifting irregularly over time
- shiftingChanging position or form
fluid · undecided · wavering · too close to call · recount · nail-biter · last-minute · late-breaking
rallies
Gathers or recovers
- canvassingSystematic direct voter outreach
- door-to-doorDirectly between residences
- get-out-the-voteCampaign encouraging electoral participation
grassroots · voter outreach · advertising · robocalls · town halls · stump speeches · volunteers · fundraising · debates · endorsements
- civicsballot, election, ballots, Bill of Rights, branches of government
- politicsdemocracy, campaigning, campaigns, democrats, bill
- U.S. PoliticsCongress, senator, representative, president, vice president
- US Politicsconservatism, ballot, liberalism, bill, constitutionalism
- campaigningcandidate, campaign signs, canvassing, campaign manager, fundraising
- political jargonfilibuster, gerrymandering, caucus, pork barrel, lame duck