Taking the fight to Arizona, now a battleground state

By Michael J.W. Stickings

Kos is reporting that Arizona is "neck and neck." McCain is up by just a single point in a new Research 2000 poll, 48 to 47, with Obama leading 54 to 42 among early voters.

(And, in a possible preview of the 2010 Senate race, Democratic Gov. Janet Napolitano, who has an extremely high favourability rating in the state, is ahead of McCain 53-45.)

With the Obama campaign recruiting volunteers and campaigning seriously in Arizona, surely a sign that things are going well, McCain will actually be campaigning there on Monday.

That's right, though all the talk has been about Pennsylvania, Ohio, Florida, Colorado, and the other supposedly swing states, McCain is now in the position of having to defend Arizona, his own home state, once thought to be a slam dunk.

(In my best Monty Burns voice: Exxx-cellent.)