McCain Plays Defense With Red-State Stops

Senator digs into territory Bush largely carried in 2004
By Matt Cantor,  Newser Staff
Posted Nov 2, 2008 9:43 AM CST
McCain Plays Defense With Red-State Stops
Republican presidential candidate Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., shakes hands with supporters at a campaign rally at the New Mexico State Fair Grounds in Albuquerque, N.M., Saturday, Oct. 25, 2008.    (AP Photo/Stephan Savoia)

John McCain’s campaign map for the next few days puts him on the defensive, touring mostly states that President Bush won in 2004, Politico reports. Tomorrow’s schedule puts him in Florida, Tennessee, Pennsylvania, Indiana, New Mexico, Nevada, and Arizona, all Bush states except the Keystone State. Meanwhile, Barack Obama is also sticking to red states, breaking out of traditional Democratic ground.

The Illinois senator will visit Bush ground in Virginia, North Carolina, and Florida tomorrow.  The candidates’ stops within each state show a similar trend, with 12 of 20 McCain events this week in counties that supported Bush. But the GOP campaign says it smells victory. “We are witnessing, I believe, probably one of the greatest comebacks that you’ve seen since John McCain won the primary,” said McCain’s campaign manager.
(More John McCain stories.)

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