So, why does Hillary do worse here than Obama does?
Because she's just not as good of a candidate.
Really? I'll take outperforming Obama in 49 states and losing Colorado.
There really isn't any state she would flip that Obama didn't win. Doing a bit better in the ultra benighted South isn't any help.
Hell, even if she wins all the Gore/Kerry states and does as well as their best numbers in the South (45% in West Virginia and 46% in Tennessee and 47% in Missouri) WITH Ohio, she still loses (provided she loses Iowa, which is as bad as CO right now and the house stays R)....even if she is at 48-49% in VA,FL and NC. If Democrats simply focus on the West Coast and consolidating the Northeast+Florida, they lose.
Democrats will lose Florida in 2016 if the state matters if Rick Scott is still Governor. Scott will do everything possible to suppress votes unlikely to go for the Republican nominee unless he has nothing to gain. If Charlie Crist is Governor in 2016, then there will be an honest count in an open election.
Did any Democrat want the 2012 Presidential election to depend upon Florida?
