2008.02.12
A closer look at Obama's landslide, part 2
We need to update our electoral fault line. Earlier in the evening, Clinton looked to be safely ahead in Bedford County. But nothing seems safe this year. Now all but one precinct is in, and Obama has pulled ahead by 177 votes.
That slightly alters the dividing line I drew earlier. Plus we have word now from Botetourt County and a few other places. So here’s how the break point between the Obama landslide and Clinton country goes: Clinton took Bedford city; Obama took Bedford County, Clinton took Franklin County, but Obama took Henry County and Martinsville, while she took Patrick County. Think of it as a game of electoral hopscotch along the eastern slopes of the mountains.
On the west side of the Blue Ridge, Clinton took Botetourt, Roanoke County and Salem (still no word yet from Roanoke), but Obama took Montgomery County, Radford and Floyd, and then Clinton took everything west of the New River.
Still, let’s face it: This is a landslide. We’ve seen a lot of candidates over the years win in Virginia by just winning in Northern Virginia and a few other places. Obama has won, and won pretty overwhelmingly, across the state -- Southwest Virginia is the only exception.
-- Dwayne Yancey, Senior Editor
