The peculiarities of the electoral college will almost certainly see November's presidential election decided by voters in just seven states. FourArizona, Nevada, North Carolina and Georgia - lie in the southern sun belt.
But it is the three to the north - the rust belt states of Michigan, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin - that Democratic strategists are focused on. They are, in many ways, the real battleground within the battleground.
Shortly before Joe Biden dropped out the presidential race last month, his campaign team wrote a memo laying out victory in the rust belt swing states as the "clearest pathway" to defeating Donald Trump.
If Harris, the Democratic presidential nominee, can win the "blue wall" alongside the states that can be relied on to support her, that should deliver the 270 electoral college votes required to take the White House - whatever the outcome in the sun belt. But while some of the early signs are good for Harris, the rust belt can be tricky electoral ground, as Clinton found.
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Denne historien er fra August 09, 2024-utgaven av The Guardian Weekly.
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When it comes to a good savoury crumble it's all down to the detail
\"Savoury crumbles are a really good idea, so I don't get why we don't make them more often,\" says Esther Clark, who writes The Good Home Cook Substack. As Clark notes: \"Crumbles are incredibly forgiving: they go into one tin, there's barely any washing-up, and they freeze well, making them a good weeknight number.\"
Generation game An American's view of life in China during the turbulent Covid years, through the eyes of his curious, jaded students
When Peter Hessler, the celebrated chronicler of Chinese society, arrived at Sichuan University in the autumn of 2019, he was expecting to take a break from writing. Hessler made his name as a journalist documenting the lives of everyday people during China's boom years in the early 2000s.
Claims to fame Will this sympathetic biography of a failed pop star help its enigmatic protagonist find the status his stoicism deserves?
In 2004, the British journalist Chris Heath spent more than a year shadowing Robbie Williams's every movement for his book on the singer, Feel. If this was above and beyond the usual requirements of a biographer, you could see why he thought it might pay off. We tend to be fascinated by success, and the cost that fame can exact upon the individual. And so who better to take such an approach with than both the biggest pop star of his generation and the most self-critical?
Heartfelt home truth An extraordinary portrait of a 1950s American housewife, based on the diaries of Will Self's mother in an act of filial generosity
Will Self has a history of gonzo premises. He has written novels set in the afterlife, in a world ruled by chimpanzees, in a post-apocalyptic society based on the misogynist rantings of a London cabby.
'My dance is a kind of prayer'
After success in France, choreographer Qudus Onikeku has returned to Nigeria to bring new life to Lagos's dance scene and to mastermind a pan-African creative awakening
The lighter side of grief A romcom where love never dies
Marrying your dead fiance may be taboo, but Colin Hanks and director Daniel Reisinger hope their new film will help those coming to terms with their own loss
Look who's back in anger
Will an Oasis reunion be a success? Definitely. Will it be worth it? Maybe, say Guardian arts writers
Voters rejected Macron. Why is he still trying to dictate who governs us?
After the electoral turbulence of June and July, few in France imagined that we would be heading into September without a new prime minister appointed to reflect the results of July's parliamentary elections.
Forget the clothes-eating critters-we should love moths in all their beauty
Let me start with a confession: I love moths. If your instant reaction to that statement is a shudder and expression of dislike (or worse), be assured that you're not alone. It is the commonest response I get. But moths are extremely important and beautiful creatures, and we should all love them.
Is Starmer's 'reset' with Europe enough to undo Brexit damage?
Every prime minister has their verbal tell-tales. \"Reset\" is a favourite Starmerism. When he visited Berlin last week to pave the way to a bilateral co-operation treaty, the prime minister said he was there as part of a \"wider reset\" in Britain's relations with Europe. There was the same message when he journeyed on to Paris for a grip, grin and chat with Emmanuel Macron. I see why he's fond of the word. \"Reset\" conveys new thinking, a fresh start and altered priorities, while being conveniently vague about the direction of travel or the ultimate destination.
