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'''Swing states''' are [[state]]s in which neither the [[Republican]] nor [[Democratic]] candidate has a clear majority of the voters' support prior to a Presidential election, and therefore could "swing" the election results in either direction. They are also known as "battleground states" because they are where the majority of the campaigning takes place for both parties. Since states that consistently express a preference for either the Democratic of Republican candidate are usually referred to as [[blue state|blue states]] and [[red state|red states]], respectively, these states are also called "purple states" in order to highlight their mixed demographical nature.  '''It is expected that hundreds of millions of dollars in negative ads by [[Super PAC]]s will be spent in these swing states in the fall of 2012'''.   

'''Swing states''' are [[state]]s in which neither the [[Republican]] nor [[Democratic]] candidate has a clear majority of the voters' support prior to a Presidential election, and therefore could "swing" the election results in either direction. They are also known as "battleground states" because they are where the majority of the campaigning takes place for both parties. Since states that consistently express a preference for either the Democratic of Republican candidate are usually referred to as [[blue state|blue states]] and [[red state|red states]], respectively, these states are also called "purple states" in order to highlight their mixed demographical nature.  '''It is expected that hundreds of millions of dollars in negative ads by [[Super PAC]]s will be spent in these swing states in the fall of 2012'''.   

Here are the key swing states for the [[Presidential Election 2012]]:  Colorado, Florida, Iowa, Nevada, New Hampshire, North Carolina, Ohio and Virginia, for a total of 100 electoral votes.<ref>http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2012/05/26/national/a080145D80.DTL#ixzz1w1roz7XG</ref>  A total of 270 electoral votes are needed to win, and Obama won with 95 additional electoral votes in 2008.  Assuming that Republicans win Florida, North Carolina and Virginia, '''''this entire election could be decided in only Colorado, Iowa, Nevada and Ohio'''''.

Here are the key swing states for the [[Presidential Election 2012]], all of which were won by Obama in 2008:  Colorado, Florida, Iowa, Nevada, New Hampshire, North Carolina, Ohio and Virginia, for a total of 100 electoral votes.<ref>http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2012/05/26/national/a080145D80.DTL#ixzz1w1roz7XG</ref>  A total of 270 electoral votes are needed to win, and Obama won with 95 additional electoral votes in 2008.  Assuming that Republicans win Florida, North Carolina and Virginia, '''''this entire election could be decided in only Colorado, Iowa, Nevada and Ohio'''''.

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