Shifting the Electoral Map: Obama Turns Some Red States into Blue Ones

Barack Obama won big last night, despite a purported McCain surge in the final days of the campaign. The McCain-Palin enthusiasm was real, but narrowly focused and not especially deep.

More significantly, last night Obama turned a number of so-called Red States into Blue States.

Here are some of the important Obama state victories, with his percentages over McCain:

Florida: Obama 51% McCain 48%

Virginia: Obama 52% McCain 47%

Indiana: Obama 50% McCain 49%

Nevada: Obama 55% McCain 43%

Colorado: Obama 53% McCain 46%

In short, it's more good news for the Democrats, who made inroads in the East, the upper Midwest, and the Mountain States.

The Republicans held strong in the Deep South and the Plains States, but many of these states (like Oklahoma) don't have the population base to carry a national election.

UPDATE: Obama remains ahead in North Carolina, another traditionally Red State. 

In Missouri, McCain is still ahead. If that count holds, McCain will take Missouri and the state will lose its long-time role as the nation's predictor, choosing the loser.