Soft drink selection may help choose the next President

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - When you go to a vending machine do you order a soda, a pop or a coke?

Your answer to that question may influence your choice for President.

A survey of the generic names used for soft drinks throughout the United States shows distinct regional preferences.

East Central University in Oklahoma produced a map in 2003 showing were the soda, pop and coke drinkers live.

"Soda" drinkers generally live in New England, the Mid Atlantic, California, Arizona and South Florida.

All of these areas with the exception of Arizona voted for President Obama in the last election.

"Coke" drinkers populate the Deep South from Florida to Texas, all areas except Florida that went with Senator John McCain in 2008.

"Pop" fans range from Ohio through the Great Lakes west to the Pacific Ocean.

Florida is expected to be a close battle between those who say soda and those who say coke.

The battleground states of Ohio, Wisconsin, Iowa, Colorado and Nevada form an electoral five pack in pop country.

Pop voters hold the fate of this election in the palm of their hand.

Political junkies may just sit back and drink it all in.