Independent Nation gives you today’s 5 essential reads for independents and centrists:
1. “The Strategy That Paved a Winning Path,” in The Washington Post.
An Obama win never seemed like a sure thing. Then it was all over.
2. “Blue Team Aided by Small Donors, Big Bundlers; Huge Outside Spending Still Comes Up Short,” at OpenSecrets.org.
When the chips fell, gambling magnate Sheldon Adelson lost big.
3. “Economists’ Urgent Advice for Obama: Shrink Deficit, Cut Taxes and Avoid the ‘Fiscal Cliff,’ in The Washington Post.
A dozen top economic prognosticators tell Obama what they would do.
4. “Barack Obama’s Second-Term Cabinet,” at Politico.
Hold on to your desk chairs. Obama administration insiders tell Politico the re-elected president is ready to shuffle his Cabinet and West Wing staff.
5. “Where Did the Idea of ‘Red States’ and ‘Blue States’ Come From?,” at Mental Floss.
NBC featured the first color-coded electoral map in 1976.
Send stories for the Independent Rundown to Matt DeLuca at matt.deluca@newsweekdailybeast.com. Follow him on Twitter: @DeLucaMattS.