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Newsletter: Essential Politics: Why the Electoral College map is looking better for Clinton

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Hillary Clinton and Tim Kaine have a new book, Michelle Obama and Elizabeth Warren will be hitting the campaign trail, and New Hampshire is slipping out of Donald Trump’s reach.

I’m Christina Bellantoni. This is Essential Politics.

The Granite State is trending increasingly Democratic, so we’ve updated our Electoral College interactive.

David Lauter and Mark Z. Barabak write that while New Hampshire had been a tossup, we shifted it to the “Favors Democrats” category after five polls found Clinton leading by between six and 15 percentage points.

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For those keeping track 61 days before voters head to the polls, our map currently gives Clinton 279 electoral votes to Trump’s 191. Winning the White House requires 270.

Check out the swing states and map your own scenarios.

TODAY ON THE TRAIL

Kaine went after Trump’s claims that he opposed the Iraq war as “made up,” speaking in North Carolina as he sought to dismantle Trump’s qualifications to lead the nation on the world stage while praising Clinton’s.

As Trump himself campaigned in North Carolina, the GOP candidate compared Clinton’s email scandal to Watergate.

Arizona Sen. Jeff Flake vowed he would continue hounding Trump on the nominee’s tone in the race, yet another warning from a fellow Republican.

And Jill Stein tweeted then deleted thoughts on Clinton’s health. But the Internet never forgets.

Get the latest from the campaign trail on Trail Guide and follow @latimespolitics. Check our daily USC Dornsife/Los Angeles Times tracking poll at the top of the politics page.

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DEBATE OVER DEBATES

Orange County Rep. Loretta Sanchez on Tuesday offered up four U.S. Senate debates -- and was flatly rejected by her rival Kamala Harris, California’s attorney general.

Back in August, Harris announced she would participate in only two debates, one in Los Angeles and the other in Sacramento. When Sanchez rejected the Sacramento debate, a Harris campaign consultant howled that the congresswoman was “not serious about debates.” Phil Willon reports that now it’s Sanchez’s turn to howl. On Tuesday, she said expects Harris to “respect the voters” and accept her proposal.

Keep an eye on our Essential Politics news feed for the latest in California politics.

COMING TO CALIFORNIA

Republican vice presidential nominee Mike Pence is headed to California today for a two-day swing that includes a speech at the Reagan library and a series of fundraisers.

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MO’ MONEY

We told you yesterday about a series of fundraisers Team Clinton will appear at over the course of this month. We’ve learned that the Sept. 13 event with Clinton and Lionel Richie will be at the Beverly Hills home of Seth MacFarlane.

We’ve obtained an invitation for another one on Sept. 16 featuring campaign manager Robby Mook at the Los Angeles home of Ellen Goldsmith-Vein and Jon Vein. Tickets are $500 or $1,000.

TODAY’S ESSENTIALS

-- Sanchez on Friday will be the special guest at a Newport Beach fundraiser being put on by the super PAC formed to help her U.S. Senate campaign. The event shows just how relaxed restrictions have become regarding interactions between federal candidates and the PACs formed to help them.

-- How did you spend summer? If you’re like California’s members of Congress, time went to a lot of work, with a bit of fun thrown in. Who knew House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy is an Adele fan?

-- Stein met with the Los Angeles Times editorial board. The Green Party presidential nominee addressed her stances on such issues as healthcare, climate change and America’s two-party system, her past comments on wi-fi and running mate Ajamu Baraka’s remarks that President Obama was an “Uncle Tom.” Read the transcript.

-- Flanked by alleged sexual assault victims and supporters, lawmakers urged Gov. Jerry Brown on Tuesday to end the statute of limitations for rape.

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CORRECTION

Yesterday’s newsletter incorrectly identified Clinton fundraiser chair Karen Goldsmith.

LOGISTICS

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