Bush Team Prepares ‘Scorched-Earth’ Plan. “The battle to win 270 votes in the electoral college has taken on a unique calculus. Florida remains crucial, but the close outcomes in New Mexico, Wisconsin, Iowa and Oregon are critical in what one Republican operative called a “scorched-earth strategy” GOP officials hope to avoid implementing.

The strategy is to challenge Gore’s close wins in Iowa, Wisconsin and, perhaps, Oregon. If successful in Wisconsin with 11 electoral votes and either Oregon or Iowa, with 7 each, Bush could then, under this scenario, still win in the electoral college without Florida’s 25 votes.

That depends on keeping New Mexico in the Bush column. If New Mexico flips back to Gore, Bush would have to overturn the outcome in all three other states–Wisconsin, Iowa and Oregon–to make up for the loss of Florida.” Washington Post