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Magic electoral vote number: 270 – Christine Romans breaks down the math to win the presidency
In order to win the presidency, either campaign must secure 270 electoral votes.
CNN’s Christine Romans explores the other possibilities, such as the four 269-269 scenarios only taking into account the swing states.
Romney Surrogate Sen. Portman: Momentum is on Romney's side, argues Jeep ad response 'disconnect'
Less than 24 hours until Election Day and tensions are high in Ohio. Eighteen electoral votes are still up for grabs in the crucial swing state, but the race is extremely close there. Both candidates will be spending time campaigning in Ohio today in a final attempt to win those votes. No Republican has won the presidency without it.
Romney campaign surrogate Senator Rob Portman (R-OH), who played President Obama during debate prep with Mitt Romney, shares his take on the race in Ohio on "Early Start" this morning.
The latest CNN/ORC poll shows President Obama with a three-point lead within the margin of error in Ohio. CNN's Soledad O'Brien asks Sen. Portman whether he thinks Romney would have polled higher in Ohio had Portman been selected as running mate instead of Senator Paul Ryan.
“No,” he answers. “Paul’s got a terrific message…about how we can address these big challenges we face.” Portman feels the enthusiasm and momentum is on the side of the Romney campaign regardless of the polls. And he points out a stronger GOP grassroots campaign.
O’Brien also asks about Ohio’s unemployment rate, which is now at 7% and below the national average, and whether voters might feel Ohio is doing well economically under Obama. "Well 7% is not doing ok,” Portman says. “If you look at the Ohio numbers on the question that pollsters love to ask, are you going on the wrong track or the right direction, our wrong track numbers are about like the rest of the country. Last month we lost 12,800 jobs in Ohio. So we're glad our unemployment numbers are about a point below the national average. But we don't think it's good enough.”
A Jeep ad released by the Romney campaign, which ran in Toledo, Ohio implies that Jeep is moving production and jobs from the United States to China. Politifact deemed the ad false. The heads of GM and Fiat spoke out against the ad as well. O’Brien asks Senator Portman whether he thinks it was a bad move for the campaign.
“It is true that Jeep now makes all of their jeeps in the United States of America, and they actually export jeeps to China, into the Asian market,” Portman says. “It is true, I believe, unless something has changed, that Fiat is planning on beginning production in China, for Jeeps that will be sold in China.”
O’Brien interjects, “but not move from the United States to China.”
“But that’s not what the ad says,” Portman says. “The ad says that Jeep is going to begin production in China.”
“The bigger issue for me is who’s gonna be better for these companies going forward? Portman answers. “They’re looking for regulatory relief, because they want to be able to compete globally. They want tax reform very badly, along the lines of what Mitt Romney has proposed, not what the President has proposed.”
Voting problems, money race before Election Day – CNN contributors Ana Navarro & Roland Martin weigh in
We’re one day out from Election Day and CNN is covering this race from all angles. Live from Washington D.C. this morning, CNN contributors Ana Navarro and Roland Martin break down the latest swing state polls in Florida, Ohio and Pennsylvania.
Ana Navarro says the 2012 race feels far different in Florida from the race four years ago and is too close to call. “There’s a lot more money,” Navarro says. “You know, four years ago McCain ran out of money. This year, one of the big differences we’re seeing I think in all of the swing states, is that Romney and Obama are fairly evenly matched, on the money race.”
Roland Martin touches on the problems concerning early voting in Florida and Ohio, where he feels there has been “voter suppression”. “Frankly Governor Rick Scott should be ashamed for them cutting those early voting days and also him barring voting on Sunday. That clearly was targeting African American churches and others who turned out in massive numbers on Sundays, “Martin says. “I can hear Republicans say anything they want to, but when you are purposely trying to cut hours and trying to restrict folks, you are trying to impact democracy.”
Romney surrogate Rep. Diaz-Balart: Election will be close, Romney doing well because voter 'passion' for Obama 'isn't there'
Less than a day away from the end of the 2012 presidential race, CNN is bringing you the latest on the election. Battleground Florida is a close call for both candidates. The latest Miami Herald poll has Mitt Romney ahead by six points, while the latest Wall Street Journal poll has President Obama leading by two. This morning on "Early Start," Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart (R-FL) weighs in on the numbers. He is serves on the Romney campaign's Hispanic Steering Committee.
“The only poll obviously that matters is the last one,” Congressman Diaz-Balart says, “the one counted after all the votes are cast.” But he says he feels that Romney is doing well because “you do not see that passion that Obama in 2008” and “the economy is frankly struggling.”
The Hispanic vote is a key demographic nationwide and is crucial in Florida. Congressman Diaz-Balart responds to a recent Pew poll in which 66% of likely Latino voters choose Obama while 27% choose Romney. “I think you’re gonna see the Hispanic numbers getting much better for Governor Romney” in the swing states where the Romney campaign has focused, Congressman Diaz-Balart says. “However it’s an issue that we still have to deal with long term.”
State special ballot measures for gay marriage, marijuana, 'Obamacare' on Election Day – Zoraida Sambolin reports
One day to go before Election Day, CNN is covering the issues voters care about across the country. Special measures are on the ballot in several states. CNN’s Zoraida Sambolin has the details.
Voters in Maine, Maryland and Washington will decide whether or not to legalize same sex marriage. Meanwhile, voters in Washington, Oregon and Colorado will decide whether to legalize the recreational use of marijuana. Also extremely controversial, a measure to allow physician-assisted suicide is on the ballot in Massachusetts.
Controversial for different reasons, Obama’s health care law is on the ballot in Florida, Alabama, Montana and Wyoming. Measures which could prevent individuals and businesses from being compelled to participate in a health care system will be contested by voters in those states. And in California, voters will consider abolishing the state’s death penalty. Sambolin breaks down the significance of these measures on the nation.
Panic fuels long gas lines after Sandy – Christine Romans explains
Christine Romans explains that fear, not a fuel shortage, is leading to long lines at gas stations across the northeast.
VIDEO: Staten Island reeling days after Sandy – Brian Todd reports
CNN's Brian Todd reports on the frustration felt by Staten Island residents in the clean up after superstorm Sandy.
Jobs top issue for undecided Las Vegas voters in presidential election – Miguel Marquez reports
CNN’s Miguel Marquez has been hitting the battleground states all month long, visiting voters who are undecided about which candidate is right for them.
Marquez joins “Early Start” from a place he says suffered the worst of the recession: Las Vegas and Clark County, NV. Comedian Louie Anderson is one of the frequent entertainers in Vegas. He does four shows a week at the Palace Station and knows how much this city has struggled to recover. “Like voters everywhere, he is tired of campaigning,” Marquez says.
Anderson puts it simple. “If we're gonna have the great country we did once, this is not going to be a democrat or republican thing,” Anderson says. “This is going to be an every single American thing.”
See more from the report in the video above.
VIDEO: Police called to keep peace on gas lines after Sandy – Rob Marciano reports
Rob Marciano reports on the high demand for gasoline in the wake of superstorm Sandy.
ICYMI: Rep. Burgess (R-TX): Obama's bipartisanship is lacking, voters in a 'defensive crouch' waiting for the election
NOTE: This interview was conducted before the Oct. jobs report release.
With just four days left in the presidential race, the candidates are hitting the campaign trail with full force. This as the final jobs report before Election Day comes out this morning.
Republican Congressman from Texas, Michael Burgess, is the Chairman of the Congressional Health Care Caucus and a vocal Romney supporter. Rep. Burgess previews the report and his take on the race live from Fort Worth, Texas.
Rep. Burgess discusses whether the coming jobs report may affect the race, if as economists are predicting, the changes are small.
“You could argue that last month’s employment numbers were probably more important than this month’s,” Rep Burgess says. “A lot of people have taken advantage of early voting and the die has already been cast in their minds.” Rep Burgess doesn’t “expect these numbers to change a lot from last month’s”.
Rep. Burgess thinks voters in the country are “in a defensive crouch waiting for the election…waiting to see whether change is really going to come to America.”
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