IMO, by 2016, the Northeast will be a Democratic lock. The coastal South will become more liberal (minus South Carolina), while the inner southern states like Arkansas, Tennessee, Kentucky, West Virginia and Louisiana become more conserative. The Upper Midwest will trend republican, Ohio and Pennsylvania become tossups, while Michigan and Illinois remain the democratic base in the midwest. The Southwest and Pacific will become Democratic strongholds.
In the end....by 2016
STRONG DEMOCRATIC STATES
Maine
New Hampshire
Vermont
Massachusetts
Connecticut
Rhode Island
New York
New Jersey
Delaware
Maryland
DC
Illinois
New Mexico
Arizona
Nevada
California
Washington
Hawaii
LEAN DEMOCRAT
Virginia
North Carolina
Florida
Michigan
Minnesota
Colorado
Oregon
TOSSUPS
Pennsylvania
Ohio
Georgia
Iowa
Wisconsin
LEAN REPUBLICAN
West Virginia
South Carolina
Louisiana
Missouri
STRONG REPUBLICAN
Indiana
Kentucky
Tennessee
Alabama
Mississippi
Arkansas
Texas
Oklahoma
Kansas
Nebraska
South Dakota
North Dakota
Utah
Wyoming
Idaho
Montana
Alaska
I think the future is rough for the republicans. Once strong republican states are seeing much population growth and dem trends like NC, AZ, and VA....while the states in the Northeast losing population don't look like they're becoming republican strongholds anytime in the near future.
Wishful thinking.. not going to happen...