DETERMINING THE SCOPE OF THE BLOWOUT:

McCain May Target Upper Midwest and Hispanic Voters for Fall (Kenneth T. Walsh, February 26, 2008, US News)

McCain insiders say several important big states should be in play, including Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, and Pennsylvania, partly because of McCain's special appeal to independents.

McCain strategists also argue that the Arizona senator can battle effectively for Hispanic votes in a number of states, since he has opposed draconian measures to deal with illegal workers and he has advocated a "path to citizenship" for such workers—two popular positions among Latinos.

This could help McCain contest several states that usually go Democratic, including California, and may blunt Democratic surges in Colorado, New Mexico, and Nevada.