Merkel vs. Steinbrück campaign in the U.S.

[solarstorm]

German chancellor Angela Merkel is the party leader of the center-right CDU and Peer Steinbrück, who is considered rather right-wing on economic issues, is the chancellor candidate for the center-left SPD.

What would a duel between them look like in terms of the electoral map?
And what states are they both best suited to politically?

[Franzl]

Merkel possibly wins every state. Obviously in the more right-leaning states....but even in "liberal" places, I doubt Steinbrück would give them much reason to vote for him, and Merkel has actually been quite moderate on most domestic issues.

[Peter the Lefty]

Yeah, even Americans would be appalled by the lack of difference between those two. 

[Kitteh]

Die Grüne would probably take Vermont and have a shot at Rhode Island and Hawaii, DC would be close between CDU/SPD/Grüne/Links, and Merkel would win everything else. At best I think Steinbrück could take Rhode Island or Maryland.

[Peter the Lefty]

Call me crazy, but if it were Merkel vs. Steinbrück only, then I think Merkel just might have a shot at the minority vote.  I mean, Steinbrück is the perfect stereotype of the cranky old white guy.  And consider his crazy remarks about Merkel only being popular because she's a woman.  I mean, it wreaks of "Obama wouldn't have won if he weren't black," and "you only have the job that you have because you're black/latino/etc."

[DC Al Fine]

Merkel wins 40+ states. SPD gets maybe DC, Rhode Island, and Maryland. FDP might win NH, and the Republicans could win a few southern states.