Where Trump Has to Win - And Why Georgia Could Be Key: Tad Devine LIVE
Tuesday, November 03, 2020
Veteran Democratic political campaign strategist Tad Devine broke down the key states — and metrics — to watch as Election Day polls near a close in the United States.
Devine, the chief strategist for Bernie Sanders’ 2016 presidential campaign, most recently served as a top advisor on Andrew Yang’s 2020 bid.
GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLAST“In Georgia, 18% of the electorate is 18 to 29 years old and 19% is 65 plus,” said Devine in an appearance on GoLocal LIVE. “That’s an Obama electorate. That’s what it looked like in 2008.”
“So I think that all these new people, young people, people who hadn’t participated before in the process is really going to help the vice president in a lot of places and Georgia is one of them,” he added.
When asked if he thought Joe Biden could win Georgia — Devine responded with the following.
States in Play
“I think so,” said Devine. “The problem with Donald Trump right now is he has backed himself into an electoral college corner. He’s got to win Georgia, he’s got to win North Carolina, he’s got to win Arizona, he’s got to win Florida, he’s got to win Texas, he’s got to win Iowa, he’s got to win Ohio — he has to win all these states.”
“Because the northern tiered states, places like Michigan, Wisconsin, and Pennsylvania right now, I think [Biden’s] advantages in those places are enormous,” said Devine. “The advantage of early vote, for example in Pennsylvania, is heavily Democratic. So you put those states in, the Clinton states — the Hillary states — it doesn’t look like any fall to Trump. So Trump has to win everything else.”
“So if he loses one it’s over, and I think it’s a possibility he loses one or more of those states,” said Devine.
New Era of Early Voting?
Devine, who served as a senior adviser in Al Gore's 2000 and John Kerry's 2004 Presidential campaigns, said he hopes a new era of voting can continue following COVID.
“Record turnout in Rhode Island and elsewhere could be explained by the barriers we’ve had to voting -- cramming it all into one day -- have been diminished,” said Devine. “I think that’s a really good idea and policy and I hope we keep it going.”