Dems actually made big gains in "swing states"

[The Vorlon]

One thing that is  interesting to follow is how the "swing states" trended in 2004. 

And by one definitiion, the Dems actually did pretty well.

In Ohio, for example, Bush won Ohio by 3.5% in 2000, while he lost the popoular vote by 0.5% - By this definition, Ohio in 2000 was 4% more Republican than the entire nation in 2000.

By contrast, in 2004 Bush won the entire nation by 3%, but won Ohio by about 2.5% - so Ohio is now 0.5% LESS Republican than the nation as a whole - a shift towards the dems of 4.5% in the 4 years (went from +4 GOP to +0.5% Dem)

Here are the other states:

A positive value means the state became More GOP oriented, a negative value more Democrat oriented.

7.30%   Alabama
6.99%   Tennessee - 11 EVs
6.15%   New Jersey
6.13%   Hawaii
5.44%   Oklahoma
4.67%   Rhode Island
4.10%   New York
3.65%   Connecticut
3.33%   Louisiana
2.97%   West Virginia - 5 EVs
1.95%   Delaware
1.73%   Florida - 27 EVs
1.65%   Indiana
1.49%   Nebraska
1.42%   Kansas
1.25%   Georgia
1.24%   Kentucky
0.95%   Maryland
0.94%   Utah
0.87%   Arkansas - 6 Evs
0.80%   Arizona - 10 EVs
0.42%   Missouri - 11 EVs

A Total of 60 EVs in "swing states" became more GOP Friendly

-0.16%   Mississippi
-1.30%   Massachusetts
-1.45%   Illinois
-1.58%   Michigan 17 EVs
-1.65%   Pennsylvania - 21 EVs
-1.97%   Texas
-2.02%   California
-2.28%   New Mexico - 5 EVs
-2.29%   Iowa - 7 EVs
-2.29%   South Carolina
-3.37%   Virginia
-3.78%   North Carolina
-3.80%   Wisconsin - 10 EVs
-4.00%   Wyoming
-4.18%   North Dakota
-4.48%   Nevada - 5 EVs
-4.60%   Ohio - 20 EVs
-4.62%   Minnesota - 10 EVs
-4.96%   South Dakota
-5.11%   Washington
-5.51%   Colorado
-5.59%   Idaho
-6.22%   New Hampshire - 4 Evs
-6.57%   Maine
-7.07%   Oregon - 7 Evs
-8.02%   Alaska
-8.11%   District of Columbia
-8.18%   Montana
-14.11%   Vermont

A Total of 111 Evs are now more Democratically inclined

This total of 111 includes Washington (11 EVs) and Oregon (7) which, I think it can now be argued, are no longer 'swing" states but would in a close election be considered part of the Democrats base.

To be fair, you might howver be inclined to count Arkansas and West Virginia as now being GOP "base" states.

[The Vorlon]

1.73%   Florida - 27 EVs

I calculated 1.18%

(52.22 - 51.04) - (48.85 - 47.87) = 1.18

We are just calculating it differently.

In 2000 the vote in Florida was tied, while Bush lost the PV by 0.51% - hence Florida was -0.51 in 2000.

In 2004, Bush won Florida by a tad under 5%, in a nation he won by 3% - hence a +2 GOP slant.

I was going from "margin of victory" - you were using GOP total vote.