The electoral map unexpectedly -- and perhaps temporarily -- expanded yesterday, with Democrats suddenly playing defense in their traditional stronghold of Hawaii and some party strategists eyeing two other states that Sen. John F. Kerry had all but written off, West Virginia and Arkansas.
Strategists in both parties said they are confident that Hawaii would remain in Democratic hands on Election Day, and most predicted that Arkansas and West Virginia would stay in Republican hands. But the flurry of interest in these states in the campaign's final week underscored not only how close the race between Kerry and President Bush remains but also the combatants' desire to test every opportunity and protect against every contingency.
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In the past two weeks, two polls have shown the race in Arkansas statistically even. The Kerry campaign bought advertising in the state early on but stopped that effort some time ago. It is not clear whether the DNC will spend advertising dollars there, but MoveOn has made a modest TV buy and the Media Fund purchased radio ads.
West Virginia fell off the Kerry list of top-tier targets some weeks ago, after an intensive effort that included multiple trips by the candidate and running mate John Edwards and a substantial advertising buy. But one Kerry adviser said earlier this month that West Virginia looked bleak. "We haven't been able to convince them that we share their values," the official said.
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http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A450-2004Oct26.html
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