Hillary’s going to be really tough to beat

And that is where the GOP’s problem begins. In addition to benefiting from Obama’s ascendant coalition of younger voters, minorities and women, Hillary connects with the white working class and would likely improve upon Obama’s showing among this bloc. Instead, of the forced optics of Obama sitting down to a beer with the prof and the cop, voters would likely be treated to moments of a relaxed Hillary knocking back a boiler-maker in Youngstown or Dearborn.

Clinton could make a serious play in the South and build upon existing margins in the Midwest. North Carolina, Georgia, Kentucky and Texas would be in play. Indeed, Hillary could reclaim the newest bloc of swing voters: America’s wealthy.

In 2008, voters with incomes north of $200,000 went Democratic, as did college graduates. Historically, that was huge. It marked the fact that the wealthy were no longer reflexively Republican. In 2012, wealthier Americans went Republican, but by a smaller margin than they had in 2004. In other words, high-end America is up for grabs, and Hillary appears better suited to take advantage of that fact than Obama was.