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By Associated PressA look at the race between President Bush and John Kerry for 270 electoral votes and the White House:
BIGGEST BATTLEGROUNDS: Florida, Arizona, Arkansas, Iowa, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Washington state, West Virginia, Wisconsin.
BUSH'S ADVANTAGE: The president beat Kerry to the air in each of the states, broadcasting ads that include images of the wreckage from the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks and declining stock market numbers.
KERRY'S ADVANTAGE: Primaries and caucuses brought Kerry and his anti-Bush message to a dozen battleground states. He aired ads in a handful of them, including perhaps the most important state of the election: Ohio.
ON THE FRINGE: Bush won Tennessee by 5 percentage points in 2000. But if Al Gore couldn't win his home state, strategists don't give Kerry much of a chance. Bush won Arizona and West Virginia with relative comfort, but they are in play this year because of shifts in demographics and issues. Immigration by both Hispanics and California residents has made Arizona a bit more hospitable to Democrats. As for West Virginia, Kerry hopes Gore's defeat in the decades-old Democratic stronghold was a quirk that resulted from his policies on coal and guns as well as President Clinton's impeachment.
THE SOUTH: Arkansas and Tennessee are barely competitive, yet Kerry's strategists say they may look at Virginia too. Republicans don't give them much of a shot. "The president looks strong, really strong, here in Arkansas," said Gov. Mike Huckabee, a Republican.