Race could hinge on these 6 states
Battlegrounds reflect lay of the land, pave a road to victory
Six states above all others have emerged as the top electoral prizes in the 2020 race for president.
Three are Great Lakes battlegrounds that President Donald Trump carried four years ago by less than a percentage point: Wisconsin, Michigan and Pennsylvania. And three are Sunbelt battlegrounds where Trump’s 2016 margins were a little bigger: Arizona, Florida and North Carolina.
They represent 101 of the 270 electoral votes needed to win the White House. In all likelihood, Republican Trump or Democrat Joe Biden will have to win at least three of them to capture an electoral majority.
These aren’t the only battlegrounds in 2020. But their size and competitiveness have made them the states most likely to decide the presidency.
Between April and August, these six accounted for all of top 20 media markets in the presidential ad wars.
In their makeup, they showcase the great dividing lines in American politics (race, education, urban-suburban-rural) and the key demographic groups that will shape the outcome.
Go to for a closer look at the battlegrounds within the battlegrounds – the keys to the political map in the states that are likely to choose the next president.
Six states above all others have emerged as the top electoral prizes in the 2020 race for president. Three are Great Lakes battlegrounds that Donald Trump carried four years ago by less than a percentage point: Wisconsin, Michigan and Pennsylvania. And three are Sunbelt battlegrounds where Trump’s 2016 margins were a little bigger: Arizona, Florida and North Carolina.
They represent 101 of the 270 electoral votes needed to win the White House. In all likelihood, Republican Trump or Democrat Joe Biden will have to win at least three of them to capture an electoral majority.