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Romney Election 2012: The Path To 270 Electoral Votes

Romney's Path To 270
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Mitt Romney's Election 2012 chances hinge on several swing states.

As of Monday, battleground poll results projected a path for President Barack Obama to reach reelection. Back in 2008, Republican presidential candidate John McCain suffered from losing nine states that George W. Bush carried during the 2004 Election: Colorado, Florida, Indiana, Iowa, Nevada, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio and Virginia.

In the final days of 2012 campaigning, HuffPost Pollster showed that some of those states could return to red ground. Colorado, Florida, North Carolina and Virginia were tossup territories, while Iowa, Nevada and Ohio leaned Obama.

Indiana emerged as a strong Romney ground, with data giving an 11-point edge to the GOP challenger. New Hampshire, which was secured by both Obama in 2008 and John Kerry in 2004, stood as a tossup. Of the 22 states that 2008 GOP presidential candidate John McCain carried, all of those areas were still strong Romney.

(Click here for HuffPost's full interactive map and the latest polls.)

Tell us who you think will emerge as the winner once all the votes are in, and for up-to-the-minute news on Election Day, check out our live blog below.

Romney-Ryan 2012 Soundtrack
Where Have You Been (Rihanna)(01 of10)
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US Republican presidential candidate and former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney (L) shakes hands with his running mate Wisconsin Representative Paul Ryan in front of the campaign bus prior to each boarding their own campaign airplanes at General Mitchell Airport in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, August 12, 2012. (Photo credit should read SAUL LOEB/AFP/GettyImages) (credit:Getty)
Happy Together (The Turtles)(02 of10)
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WAUKESHA, WI - AUGUST 12: Republican presidential candidate and former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney and vice presidential candidate and Wisconsin native Rep. Paul Ryan (R-WI) (L) greet supporters during a campaign event at the Waukesha Expo Center on August 12, 2012 in Waukesha, Wisconsin. (Photo by Darren Hauck/Getty Images) (credit:Getty File)
Right By My Side (Nicki Minaj, Chris Brown)(03 of10)
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Republican presidential candidate, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, left, listens to his vice presidential running mate, Rep. Paul Ryan R-Wis., as they campaign Sunday, Aug. 12, 2012, in High Point, N.C. (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer) (credit:AP)
Only Wanna Be With You (Hootie & The Blowfish)(04 of10)
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WAUKESHA, WI - AUGUST 12: Republican presidential candidate and former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney and vice presidential candidate and Wisconsin native Rep. Paul Ryan (R-WI) (L) hug after speaking at a campaign event at the Waukesha Expo Center on August 12, 2012 in Waukesha, Wisconsin. (Photo by Darren Hauck/Getty Images) (credit:Getty )
I Cry (Flo Rida)(05 of10)
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WAUKESHA, WI - AUGUST 12: Republican presidential candidate and former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney (R) looks on as his running mate Rep. Paul Ryan (R-WI) wipes away tears during a homecoming campaign rally at the Waukesha County Expo Center on August 12, 2012 in Waukesha, Wisconsin. (Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images) (credit:Getty )
You're My Best Friend (Queen)(06 of10)
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Republican presidential candidate, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, left and running mate Rep. Paul Ryan, R-Wis., talk in the campaign bus before an event at the Waukesha county expo center, Sunday, Aug. 12, 2012 in Waukesha, Wis. (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer) (credit:AP)
Wouldn't It Be Nice (The Beach Boys)(07 of10)
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WAUKESHA, WI - AUGUST 12: Republican presidential candidate and former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney and vice presidential candidate and Wisconsin native Rep. Paul Ryan (R-WI) (L) greet supporters during a campaign event at the Waukesha Expo Center on August 12, 2012 in Waukesha, Wisconsin. (Photo by Darren Hauck/Getty Images) (credit:Getty )
I'll Stand By You (The Pretenders)(08 of10)
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Republican presidential candidate, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, right, and his newly announced vice presidential running mate, Rep. Paul Ryan, R-Wis., left, greet supporters, during a campaign rally in Manassas, Va., Saturday, Aug. 11, 2012. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais) (credit:AP)
Two Tickets To Paradise (Eddie Money)(09 of10)
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Republican presidential candidate, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, right, and vice presidential running mate Rep. Paul Ryan R-Wis. are joined by Ronmey's granddaughter Chloe while talking to reporters on the charter flight between Virginia and North Carolina, Saturday, Aug. 11, 2012. (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer) (credit:AP)
We Found Love (Rihanna)(10 of10)
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WAUKESHA, WI - AUGUST 12: Republican vice presidential candidate and Wisconsin native Rep. Paul Ryan (R-WI) (L) wipes away tears as he and presidential candidate and former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney greet supporters during a campaign event at the Waukesha Expo Center on August 12, 2012 in Waukesha, Wisconsin. (Photo by Darren Hauck/Getty Images) (credit:Getty)

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