Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Another word for battleground. See the full definition for battleground … A battleground is also a battlefield. Is It Realistic to Abolish the Electoral College? The government has decided that when it comes to air travel, only dogs can be service animals, and companions used for emotional support don't count. As election analysis has grown more sophisticated, it has been easier for campaigns to anticipate battlegrounds and narrow resources to the most dynamic states. Additional states might evolve from Republican or Democratic locks to battlegrounds in future races. Test your knowledge - and maybe learn something along the way. an area of contention, conflict, or hostile opposition: During that era the classroom became a battlefield of incompatible ideologies. Demographic shifts among groups that traditionally support the Democratic or Republican Parties can narrow state margins in future elections. In American politics, the term swing state (or battleground state) refers to any state that could reasonably be won by either the Democratic or Republican presidential candidate by a swing in votes. See the full definition for battleground in the English Language Learners Dictionary, More from Merriam-Webster on battleground, Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for battleground, Britannica English: Translation of battleground for Arabic Speakers. Battleground state is the oldest of the three terms, and we find examples of its use in its current political sense as early as 1860. A Brief History of Electoral College Reform Efforts, analyzed the frequency of use for both phrases, analysis of presidential election coverage, How the 2020 Election Could End In an Electoral Tie, Here’s the Projected Electoral Map After the 2020 Census, The Electoral College Is Not About The Little Guy, Faithless Electors are a Ticking Time Bomb Waiting to Explode. NBC News drew on the 2018 midterm elections to remove battleground distinctions from Colorado and Ohio while suggesting Arizona and Georgia could join the swing state club. Hillary Clinton had a major advantage in get-out-the-vote efforts in this state — 18 percent of voters said they were contacted by the Clinton campaign alone, versus just 5 percent who were contacted by Donald Trump's campaign alone. During the 2020 presidential election cycle, Democrats in key battleground states went around GOP-controlled state legislatures to unconstitutionally change their voting rules and procedures. 2. countable noun You can refer to an issue or field of activity over which people disagree or compete as a battleground. Using Google’s Ngram Viewer, we see an uptick in the phrase’s use in 1980 before a significant jump in 2000. These estimates of the state of play in the next presidential election show divergent opinions among political observers. Delivered to your inbox! The Cook Political Report updated its race ratings on October 28, 2020: Texas moved from Leans Republican to Toss Up. (Definition of battleground from the Cambridge … (Fourteen percent were contacted by both campaigns.) Four other battleground states – Pennsylvania, North Carolina, Wisconsin and Michigan – also saw declines in the share of White eligible voters between 2000 and 2018, though to a lesser extent. Send us feedback. Wiktionary (0.00 / 0 votes) Rate this definition: battleground (Noun) A location where a battle may be fought, or has been fought. The most important factors in narrowing close states into the battleground category are recent margins of victory and polling. By 2004, battleground state overtook swing state in popularity but both phrases are used by media outlets. With some certainty, we can narrow the field of 2020 battlegrounds to these eight states. Our electoral vote map for 2020 starts with 10 battleground states based on an analysis done by former Clinton political director Doug Sosnik. 1. countable noun A battleground is the same as a battlefield. That's similar to 2012, when Democratic voters outnumbered Republican voters by 10 point… the field or ground on which a battle is fought. Political battleground definition: A battleground is the same as a → battlefield . The remaining map of 12 states with 159 electoral votes decided the presidential election in Trump’s favor. What If All States Split Their Electoral Votes. These campaign investments count on a largely stable electoral map only shifted by a handful of hotly contested states. a place where an argument or competition is happening: Pennsylvania and Ohio are key battlegrounds in this year’s election. Abortion was becoming the season's big political battleground. Electoral Vote Map is an interactive map to help you follow the 2020 presidential election. The phrases “battleground state” and “swing state” are indispensable to the language used in modern presidential elections. The site also features a series of explainers about how presidents are actually elected in the United States. English Language Learners Definition of battleground. The only states to reach this margin in four of the five elections were Florida and Ohio. : an area of conflict or disagreement. Taegan Goddard also runs Political Wire, Political Job Hunt and the Political Dictionary. Fracking is a central element in the broader conversation on climate change and a constant source of friction between the oil-and-gas industry and environmentalists. The farmer's field was a civil war battleground, and relics such a minnie bullets were frequently found while plowing. Battleground states. Observers can also take averages of presidential polls for a state for a more current measure of battleground status. Trump campaign’s internal polling shows battleground voters prefer “orderly and peaceful” transition The Senate Reportedly Has The GOP Votes To Convict Trump If McConnell Gives The Green Light The House just passed a resolution calling on Mike Pence to invoke the 25th Amendment (Definition of battleground from the Cambridge … In U.S. politics, a battleground state is a state where the political race between a Republican and Democrat, usually presidential candidates, is extremely close. The hardening of the electoral vote map in the 21st century has left a small group of battleground states. These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'battleground.' The parties represented in a state’s congressional delegation also show regional divides in play every four years. What Is the National Popular Vote Interstate Compact? This analysis also found an unusual range of potential battlegrounds in 2012 with up to 21 states listed by covered outlets during the campaign. battleground n noun: Refers to person, place, thing, quality, etc. Swing states are also sometimes referred to as battleground states. Frequent use of battleground state in national elections makes it seem like a deeply ingrained part of our political language. Which of the following refers to thin, bending ice, or to the act of running over such ice. [...] | Meaning, pronunciation, translations and examples These states are usually targeted by both major-party campaigns, especially in competitive elections. Presidential elections coincide with House, Senate, gubernatorial, and state legislative races that can influence voter decisions. What made you want to look up battleground? the verdant hill suddenly turned into a bloody, With only about 14,000 votes separating President-elect Joe Biden and President Donald Trump in, President Trump's reelection campaign is planning new rallies as part of a 30-day legal and media blitz contesting, White House chief of staff Mark Meadows tested positive last week, as did the Trump campaign’s director of, As the country waited through the vote counting in presidential election, Post the Definition of battleground to Facebook, Share the Definition of battleground on Twitter. Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible). Swing state … Which States Split Their Electoral Votes? Merriam-Webster found an example of the phrase in an 1842 edition of the Centinel of Freedom. He found a spectrum of usage from ABC’s 2.5-to-1 ratio of battleground state to swing state to MSNBC’s 1.8-to-1 ratio of swing state to battleground state. The term underscores the grueling fight that can take place between opposing candidates … During this period, 18 states had at least one presidential race that fit within the 5% margin of victory criterion. There are 650 constituencies in the United Kingdom. Justices Opened Door to Gerrymander Presidential Elections, How Trump Could Win Re-Election By One Electoral Vote, 3 Myths About Abolishing the Electoral College, 5 Reasons to Abolish the Electoral College, Another Look at the 2020 Battleground States, Imagining the 2024 Electoral Map After Redistricting, The Electoral College Penalizes Voters In High Turnout States, The Winner-Take-All Electoral College Isn’t In the Constitution. A battleground is also a battlefield. In this case, the phrase was used to describe internal political strife in New Jersey politics. FALLS CHURCH, Va. (AP) - A federal judge has granted a limited appeal filed by a former University of Virginia lacrosse player convicted a decade ago … 'All Intensive Purposes' or 'All Intents and Purposes'? "Battleground states" are states where voters are fairly evenly split between Democrats and Republicans. A location where a battle may be fought, or has been fought. An NPR report from August 2019 identified Texas as a potential battleground state due to demographic changes and turnover in the congressional delegation. 2020 Presidential Election Interactive Map. Voters and analysts can draw on data from past elections and current polling to anticipate these shifts in the political landscape. Find more ways to say battleground, along with related words, antonyms and example phrases at Thesaurus.com, the world's most trusted free thesaurus. Dr. Eric Ostermeier at the University of Minnesota analyzed the frequency of use for both phrases during the 2012 presidential election. The National Constitution Center’s analysis of presidential election coverage found some consensus about battlegrounds from media outlets. "Battleground states" are also known as "swing states" or "purple states". This section contains polls and election results for each of the battleground states. A state government divided between a governor of one party and a legislature held by the other party reveals tensions amplified by presidential elections. Ballotpedia’s analysis of the 2016 presidential election showed 38 states and the District of Columbia were effectively determined before Election Day. 'Nail-Biter', 'Battleground State', and... “Battleground.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/battleground. figurative (area of conflict) ( figurado ) campo de batalla loc nom m locución nominal masculina : Unidad léxica estable formada de dos o más palabras que funciona como sustantivo masculino ("ojo de buey", "agua mala"). Learn a new word every day. But the election campaign over the coming weeks will be concentrated in the marginal battleground seats - … (figurative) Any subject of dispute or contention. Priorities USA Chairman Guy Cecil identified Florida, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, Michigan, Nevada, and New Hampshire as core states for Democratic campaigns. Frequent use of battleground state in national elections makes it seem like a deeply ingrained part of our political language. Politics at CNN has news, opinion and analysis of American and global politics Find news and video about elections, the White House, the U.N and much more. “Battleground” or “swing” states, which can switch back and forth between the two major parties in U.S. presidential votes and are heavily courted by candidates, will be crucial to deciding the winner of this year’s election. It is important to note that these shifts often take multiple elections to be realized or rejected. Merriam-Webster found an example of the phrase in an 1842 edition of the Centinel of Freedom. Accessed 18 Jan. 2021. The farmer's field was a civil war battleground, and relics such a minnie bullets were frequently found while plowing. Each battleground state receives ample campaign visits, ad spending, and national attention because the outcomes in most states are clear months ahead of elections. In 2016, the National Constitution Center listed 11 states as definite battleground states: Colorado, Florida, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Hampshire, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Virginia. The temptation to expand the electoral map ahead of a presidential election is strong. Swing state was a more popular term for closely contested states in presidential politics starting in the 1960s. Due to the way that presidential elections are run in the United States, the popular vote is not as important as the the individual tally of the states. Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free! Arizona (click to expand) Party:Thirty-seven percent of voters in Nevada identified as Democrats, versus 27 percent of Republicans in preliminary exit poll results. In this case, the phrase was used to describe internal political strife in New Jersey politics. But politics in its very first definition relates to the art of government. Ballotpedia’s post-2016 analysis placed all of these states except Minnesota and Nevada in the group of 12 decisive states. These interchangeable phrases refer to states with closely divided support for Democratic and Republican presidential candidates. Taegan Goddard is the founder of Political Wire, one of the earliest and most influential political web sites.He also runs Political Job Hunt, Electoral Vote Map and the Political Dictionary.. Goddard spent more than a decade as managing director and chief operating officer of a prominent investment firm in New York City. Michigan, New Hampshire, Nevada, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin each reach this margin in three elections. Battleground states are critical to winning the White House and Florida is a battleground state like no other. Media outlets and political pundits have identified a few battleground states heading into the 2020 presidential election. The issue has been raised numerous times as the candidates make their final push to reach voters in the battleground state of Pennsylvania. There are underlying factors that are helpful in evaluating the future battleground status of a state. His analysis also included examples of both phrases used during the 1980 presidential election and the 1986 midterm elections. battleground - a region where a battle is being (or has been) fought; "they made a tour of Civil War battlefields" battlefield , field of battle , field of honor , field battlefront , front line , front - the line along which opposing armies face each other North Carolina was the only state with margins of 5% or less in 2008, 2012, and 2016. An analysis of presidential election results from 2000 to 2016 using margins of victory can solidify battleground states in our minds. The comparable phrase “toss-up state” was used only 29 times in the six months of reviewed reports. Is there room for compromise? Understanding how battleground states are determined provides a glimpse into how future presidential elections will be determined. 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