Election 2008: Southern Swing State Watch -- NC still on top

Eight days to go ... what's happening in the Southern states in the presidential race? Here's the latest Facing South Southern Swingability Index (TM):

SOUTHERN SWINGABILITY RANKINGS as of 10/27*

1. North Carolina - Obama +2
2. Florida - Obama +2.2
3. Georgia - McCain +4.3
4. Virginia - Obama +7.4
5. West Virginia - McCain +8.8

It's the same as last week: North Carolina is still the tightest battleground in the South (and country) -- a true toss-up that could go either way (although I'm on record saying that Obama could win it).

Florida is a close second and also very tight.

FL and NC together account for a huge 42 Electoral College votes.

As for Georgia, Virginia and West Virginia -- despite some surprise polls here (GA) and there (VA), those states seem to be settling into the Obama (Virginia) or McCain (Georgia and West Virginia) columns. But there are still eight days left.

* NOTE: The Southern Swingability Index ranks states by how much of a toss-up they truly are -- the higher the rank, the higher the chances that they could go either way. Rankings are used by averaging Pollster.com trend estimates and 538.com's state projections.