… Over the past four decades, presidential elections have played out on a shrinking battlefield, as political parties have become more ideologically unified and Americans increasingly have moved to communities where their neighbors share their political views, analysts say. …
Political analysts say the narrowed geographic scope of the presidential campaign is not just a symptom of increased polarization – it is also a reason the gap keeps widening. The dynamic encourages presidential candidates to ignore wide swaths of the nation and can make it more difficult for the winner of the election to govern effectively. [cont.]
Andy Sullivan, Reuters