3 New Battleground States?

I'd previously contended that both campaigns could pretty much agree on the following list of 8 battleground states:

- Colorado, worth 9 EVs, went to Bush in 2000 by 9%
- Florida, worth 27 EVs, went to Bush in 2000 by <1%
- Iowa, worth 7 EVs, went to Gore in 2000 by 1%
- Nevada, worth 5 EVs, went to Bush in 2000 by 3%
- New Hampshire, worth 4 EVs, went to Bush in 2000 by 1%
- New Mexico, worth 4 EVs, went to Gore in 2000 by <1%
- Ohio, worth 20 EVs, went to Bush in 2000 by 4%
- Wisconsin, worth 10 EVs, went to Gore in 2000 by <1 %

However, recent polling, The Washington Post reports, suggests that three more states have recently come up for grabs:

- Arkansas, worth 6 EVs, went to Bush in 2000 by 6%
- Hawaii, worth 4 EVs, went to Bush in 2000 by 18%
- West Virginia, worth 5 EVs, went to Bush in 2000 by 6%

AR and WV had been on Kerry's initial list of potential pick-ups, but he backed off, wanting to devote resources elsewhere once it appeared that Bush had those states locked up. But the recent momentum Kerry has been experiencing seems to have taken hold in these states. A recent Arkansas poll had Kerry and Bush tied and a West Virginia poll had Bush up just a few points. On the other hand, no one ever expected Hawaii to be in play. Gore won the state in 2000 by 18%, so it took everyone by surprise to see a few recent polls showing the two candidates tied there. Needless to say, it's a little late in the game for either candidate to be altering his travel schedule to accommodate these developments, and you can be sure that both will be focusing on the big 8 above, but Bill Clinton will be traveling to Arkansas on Sunday to try to turn that state Blue and 527s on both sides will try to make up for what the campaigns lack in these states, both advertising- and manpower-wise.