2008 Bellwether States to Watch When the Polls Close

Two sets of states will tell the story early on for the 2008 presidential election. This is not an exhaustive list, just a focus on those critical early states.

Early Bellwethers

These early bellwether states include: Indiana, Georgia, North Carolina, and Virginia. If Obama wins any of these, particularly one or more of the first three, it will be a blowout. Even if Obama is close in a place like Georgia, that is a good sign for him. If McCain can hold Obama off and sweep those states, it will likely be a much closer election than most pundits think.

The Triad

You've heard of them before: Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Florida. If Obama wins two of three of these states, check mate. McCain needs a victory in all three, but a win in Ohio and Florida is a must. If he wins all three, throw all the conventional wisdom out the window.