Not so fast: Biden still has clear path to 2020 win

On Wednesday, The New York Timesreported that Joe Biden still has clear paths to a majority in the Electoral College — even if President Donald Trump managed to foreclose a mass Sun Belt flip.

"Mr. Trump’s victories in Florida, Ohio and Texas did not create a new path for him so much as close off new shortcuts by which Mr. Biden could have claimed victory on Election Day," reported Reid Epstein and Glenn Thrush. "In remarks made early Wednesday from the White House, the president was adamant that he would hold onto Georgia, North Carolina, Michigan, Wisconsin and Pennsylvania — all states with significant percentages of ballots left to count."

However, Biden is in a decent position to pick off at least enough of those states to make it to 270 votes, said the report.

"One path involves Mr. Biden winning both Arizona and Georgia, Sun Belt states where he appears competitive with tens of thousands of votes left to be counted," said the report. "Mr. Biden has the edge in Arizona, and a win there would take some pressure off him to rely entirely on the blue-wall states. He can afford to lose Pennsylvania if he wins Arizona, Michigan and Wisconsin. If Mr. Biden prevails in Georgia and Arizona, he can reach 270 electoral votes while losing Pennsylvania and Michigan or Wisconsin. Or he could become president simply by winning back Michigan, Wisconsin and Pennsylvania."

One of the key victories for Biden, said the report, is winning Nebraska's 2nd Congressional District — an Omaha-based seat that awards its presidential elector independently, and which has not gone for a Democrat since 2008.

"Because Mr. Biden won that lone Nebraska electoral vote, he could secure the presidency by winning Arizona, Michigan and Wisconsin — regardless of the result in Pennsylvania," said the report.