No thanks, we're Progressives
As there are no progressives currently accumulating delegates within the Democratic Party's caucuses, primaries, and conventions, we're Primary Free. We won't be sending absentee ballots back to Maine, and we won't be selected by any of our precinct's preference groups to be their committed delegates to the State convention, and we won't be voting to keep progressive planks in the State party platform.
And since Maine is now "comfortable Democratic", come November we don't have to hold our noses and vote the top of the ticket for any reason. But my point isn't personal.
These are the states who's electoral votes were in play, the 13 states where registration, persuasion, identification and GOTV execution did determine electoral vote outcomes, where the margin between the two major parties was 3% or less, in 2004:
1 Iowa
2 Ohio
3 New Hampshire
4 Wisconsin
5 New Mexico
6 Florida
7 Nevada
8 Pennsylvania
9 Minnesota
10 Colorado
11 Michigan
12 Maine
13 Oregon
But its much simpler than that. Maine and Oregon are no longer battleground states. Two out of three of Florida, Ohio, and Pennsylvania determines everything. In fact, if Pennsylvania isn't competitive, then it just comes down to the 2000 and 2004 contests -- Florida and Ohio. Win one and win. Lose both and lose.
