The general election begins - Clinton vs. Trump
For all practical purposes, it’s now safe to say that Democrat Hillary Clinton and Republican Donald Trump have secured the nominations of their respective parties. Polls taken so far indicate Clinton starts off in a very strong position. Unless Trump finds a way to flip a bunch of states, she will be the next president of the United States.
But a second Clinton in the Oval Office is by no means a foregone conclusion. We have six months yet to go, and Clinton’s baggage is not insignificant. The key to this election will be how effective each campaign’s mudslinging efforts will be. Both candidates bring mountains of negatives to the general election campaign, and negative political ads could reach historic levels as these two very unpopular candidates duke it out.
For Trump to overcome his huge electoral vote deficit, which stands at 172 right now, he’ll need to capture nearly all the states currently listed as Weak or Mod DEM Hold without losing any red states. That’s a tall task which would be easier if he could win Florida’s 29 EVs. (The Sunshine State is listed as Strong DEM right now based on the latest Florida polls.) In any case, Trump needs to see a multitude of blue-to-red updates on the projection map for him to have a chance to win. So, there is little doubt Clinton is the favorite out of the starting gate. On the other hand, with all her shortcomings, it could be difficult for Hillary to hold onto to that advantage through Election Day.
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