2020 Election Poll: States Democrats should focus on

[OneJ]

After losing the election against an outdated system used to elect our presidents, I've decided to create a discussion and poll on this forum to discuss which states should Democrats look at.

IMO, Democrats should focus on the Midwest (PA, MI, WI) and make inroads in NC and FL. GA and AZ are possibilities to consider.

*I added SC and MS as a test to see how well they'll do.

[AGA]

I agree that they should focus on the Great Lakes, but if there is one state that they must focus on, it's Florida.

[White Trash]

Michigan/Pennsylvania/Wisconsin

[Cashew]

The Democrats should grow a bigger tent and focus on all of them.

[Xing]

They need to go back to a 50-state strategy, and try to run and recruit candidates in as many states as possible. They shouldn't be writing off states like Iowa and Ohio, and should be recruiting and focusing on down ballot races, so that they can rebuild their bench. People are hungry for new blood and fresh faces, and now that the Democrats will no longer be the party in charge, it's the perfect time for them to promote a new image with new members, considering how the Democrats of the past fared this year.

When it comes to the electoral map, Florida, Michigan, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin are probably the most important states, but they should definitely focus on putting Arizona and Georgia in play as well, and defending states like Colorado, Minnesota, New Hampshire, and Virginia.

[OneJ]

Sorry guys. I forgot to add NH and IA.

[NeverAgain]

FL/PA/MI

[Unconditional Surrender Truman]

The Democrats should grow a bigger tent and focus on all of them.

That's not how focussing works.

[Del Tachi]

A GOP path to 270 still runs through to Florida.  Invest there. 

[MT Treasurer]

FL/PA/MI

This. Those are the "big three".

[Nyvin]

Forget Ohio and Iowa.   

Focus on PA, FL, MI, and AZ.   In that order.   The Democrats really do NEED Pennsylvania.   It should be totally winnable.

[ApatheticAustrian]

the question is if the rurals are going to continue voting like there is no tomorrow for another 4-8 years.

usually democrats are depending on lop-sided margins - in those cases (MI/MI/PA) the republicans are.

other point of view: those states are trending to the right anyway and winning them is going to be easier each year for republicans.

[Pericles]

I'd say Pennsylvania. The three closest states this year were Michigan, Wisconsin and Pennsylvania. Of those Pennsylvania was both the least close and the one with the most electoral votes. With those three states, Hillary Clinton would have won 278-260 (presuming no other states change). These states, unlike say Florida or Ohio, have traditionally been Democratic leaning states, not invulnerable to Republicans since Bush nearly won them and a comfortable Republican victory would flip them, but more Democratic leaning than Florida, Ohio, or North Carolina. Arizona and Georgia are trending Democratic but Trump still won both of those fairly comfortably and they are more longshots than these states. Ohio and Iowa are now probably red states now. Florida was, asides from the Upper Midwest, the closest Trump win, but it is more Republican than the nation overall, Romney lost by less than 1% there in 2012 when he lost by 4% nationwide, and as stated before it is not essential for a Democratic win, though don't get me wrong it'd be great to have. So Democrats should target the Upper Midwest in 2020, it is the easiest path back. If PA, WI and MI were lost while Florida was won Trump would still win. Of those Upper Midwest states I think Pennsylvania is the one the Democrats should focus on the most due to its higher EV count and that if they are winning Pennsylvania they are likely winning the other two. Pennsylvania is winnable and critical to a Democratic path to 270, and it is hard for them to win without it. Pennsylvania therefore should be the Democrats target to win back the Upper Midwest/Rust Belt and get to 270 and  the White House.

[America Needs R'hllor]

They need to go back to a 50-state strategy, and try to run and recruit candidates in as many states as possible. They shouldn't be writing off states like Iowa and Ohio, and should be recruiting and focusing on down ballot races, so that they can rebuild their bench. People are hungry for new blood and fresh faces, and now that the Democrats will no longer be the party in charge, it's the perfect time for them to promote a new image with new members, considering how the Democrats of the past fared this year.

When it comes to the electoral map, Florida, Michigan, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin are probably the most important states, but they should definitely focus on putting Arizona and Georgia in play as well, and defending states like Colorado, Minnesota, New Hampshire, and Virginia.

This.

[President Johnson]

They need to go back to a 50-state strategy, and try to run and recruit candidates in as many states as possible. They shouldn't be writing off states like Iowa and Ohio, and should be recruiting and focusing on down ballot races, so that they can rebuild their bench. People are hungry for new blood and fresh faces, and now that the Democrats will no longer be the party in charge, it's the perfect time for them to promote a new image with new members, considering how the Democrats of the past fared this year.

When it comes to the electoral map, Florida, Michigan, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin are probably the most important states, but they should definitely focus on putting Arizona and Georgia in play as well, and defending states like Colorado, Minnesota, New Hampshire, and Virginia.

This.

Agreed.

[GlobeSoc]

They need to go back to a 50-state strategy, and try to run and recruit candidates in as many states as possible. They shouldn't be writing off states like Iowa and Ohio, and should be recruiting and focusing on down ballot races, so that they can rebuild their bench. People are hungry for new blood and fresh faces, and now that the Democrats will no longer be the party in charge, it's the perfect time for them to promote a new image with new members, considering how the Democrats of the past fared this year.

When it comes to the electoral map, Florida, Michigan, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin are probably the most important states, but they should definitely focus on putting Arizona and Georgia in play as well, and defending states like Colorado, Minnesota, New Hampshire, and Virginia.

This.

Agreed.

I don't get why the Dems abandoned the 50 state strategy.

[American2020]

Democrats should focus on Michigan, Pennsylvania, Ohio and Wisconsin by winning back these voters.
Other states should not be neglicted.

I'm favor of a 50 states strategy, with economic improvement proposals.

[Amenhotep Bakari-Sellers]

Forget FL, Win MI, WI, PA, ME 2 and you will get over 270

[Tintrlvr]

Forget FL, Win MI, WI, PA, ME 2 and you will get over 270

1. There's no guarantee the states Clinton won will be safe next time.
2. Even if they are, Florida was quite close, and if the Democrats win Florida they only need one of Pennsylvania and Michigan and could lose both Wisconsin and ME-02.

In no particular order:

Maine, New Hampshire, Virginia, Florida, Pennsylvania, Michigan, Wisconsin, Minnesota and Colorado, with ventures into Ohio, Iowa and North Carolina if those states look competitive in August. None of this Georgia/Arizona/Texas nonsense, at least not quite yet.

[Amenhotep Bakari-Sellers]

Forget FL, Win MI, WI, PA, ME 2 and you will get over 270

1. There's no guarantee the states Clinton won will be safe next time.
2. Even if they are, Florida was quite close, and if the Democrats win Florida they only need one of Pennsylvania and Michigan and could lose both Wisconsin and ME-02.

You do realize that WI, MI and PA were closer than Florida. She lost each of them by .05 and lost FL by 2 points, that's why she is pursing the recount.

[iratemoderate]

The Democratic Party will consign itself to near-term oblivion if it fails to pivot toward the Midwest and Pennsylvania.

[Young Conservative]

Why are people saying they should focus on TEXAS instead of the Midwest? The Midwest is the new battleground region not Texas. If you play the long term too much, the long term will no longer live to fruition. Republicans will be free to implement our policies, secure the order, and make inroads among all groups with our policies while you continue to attempt to turn TEXAS blue.