The possible results of 2008 as they stand now

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

How are WV and AR leaning Republican when the only polls out of either have shown the Republican candidates down by a fairly wide margin?

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

Because polls in August mean little, especially when it's the August 14 months from the election.

I'll agree that a poll in say, Iowa that shows a candidate ahead doesn't mean that candidate is very favored to win Iowa. But I'd say leading by a wide margin shows a state is not Republican-leaning, especially when they have never been Republican-leaning states in an election except 2004.

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

I do still have overall doubts about WV's turnaround - AR is winnable, I just think WV will be a tougher ask.

What's so hard about it? Do two elections now mean that it's a solid Republican state (despite having absolutely no movement toward Republicans on the state level) and can never vote for a Democrat ever again?