Obama shows electoral strength on economy

WASHINGTON, Oct. 5 (UPI) -- Strategists in both major U.S. political parties say the country's economic turmoil is changing the electoral map in favor of Democrat Barack Obama.

In the two weeks since Wall Street's credit and liquidity crisis began dominating voters' concerns, Obama, the Democratic U.S. presidential nominee and U.S. senator from Illinois, has pulled ahead in many of the most important battleground states.

This is providing him with several possible ways to gain the necessary 270 electoral votes for a victory in November over Republican opponent Sen. John McCain of Arizona, The Washington Post reported.

Obama strategist David Axelrod told the Post: "I think we've got many more variables, many more scenarios and possibilities than they do, and that's always been our goal -- to wake up on Nov. 4 with a series of scenarios that lead to 270 electoral votes."

Obama's campaign is working on serious efforts in at least nine states that supported President Bush in 2004, The New York Times reported. He has a solid lead in states accounting for 189 electoral votes and is set up well in states representing 71 more for a total of 260, the newspaper estimated.