Here's Why Obama May Win North Carolina

Newly-registered Democrats may turn out to be the biggest factor on November 4 and if Barack Obama manages to defy the odds and score a Democratic victory in a deep-red state like North Carolina, that dynamic will ring especially true. We've all seen what a difference just a few thousand votes can make in one state and the dramatic increase in Democratic voter registration in North Carolina may make all the difference.

According to the North Carolina State Board of Elections, Democratic registration has increased by a whopping 245,872 new voters in 2008 -- December 29, 2007 through October 11, 2008 -- while only 47,290 new Republicans have registered in the same period.

This gives Democrats an edge of over 200,000 new voters in the last 10 months and a total registration edge of 2.76 million registered Democrats, versus 1.97 million Republicans.

If voter turnout is as big as everyone is expecting, Barack Obama will win North Carolina and, as an added bonus, Democratic Senatorial candidate Kay Hagan will retire Bush rubber-stamper Elizabeth Dole and help increase the Democrats' Senate majority.

Ah, life is good.