National Journal takes a close look at the swing states likely to determine the outcome of the 2008 presidential election.
The Wolverine State is reeling from a one-two punch on jobs and housing.
• Almanac Profile
Iowa: Where Politics Is Personal
The Hawkeye State was one of only two to switch to red in 2004; the GOP nominee and the state have never shown much fondness for each other.
• Almanac Profile
New Hampshire: GOP Woes in 'McCain Country'
Few places have been better to McCain than New Hampshire, but the GOP standard-bearer still faces challenges in the state.
• Almanac Profile
It's difficult to imagine Ohio's climate ever being more favorable to Democratic candidates than it was in 2006. So, can Obama realistically hope to replicate the road map to victory engineered by Brown and Strickland?
• Almanac Profile
Four years after Bush carried the state, Colorado is the main front in Obama's battle to expand Democratic gains in the Mountain West.
• Almanac Profile
Hispanics with deep roots could be critical to winning a state with a strong penchant for picking a winner.
• Almanac Profile
Pennsylvania: Schizophrenic State
Politically, regions of the Keystone State have moved sharply in different directions.
• Almanac Profile
Minnesota: GOP Convention State
The party's decision to hold the Republican National Convention in Minneapolis-St. Paul could help McCain win the hearts of suburbanites in the metro area.
• Almanac Profile
