Reply #19: That's just the thing...

[Drunken Irishman]

As it stands now, Republicans are faced with a shrinking electoral map because they're losing in places that once were solidly in their column. People like to talk up the south, but it won't matter a lick if the Republicans lose the west for good. The west is seeing far bigger growth than many southern states and they're going to hold the keys to the White House. As of right now, that favors Obama and the Democrats because of the demographic shifts and if the Republicans keep playing up to their Xenophobic base, well, it's only going to kill them off even more.

Texas? That's trending Democratic.
Arizona? That's trending Democratic.
Montana? That's trending Democratic.

In 2012 or 2016, I would not be surprised if the only far-west states that went Republican were Utah, Wyoming and Idaho and even those will trend Democratic (especially Utah, since it has one of the fastest growing Hispanic populations in the country).