if statement is evaluating incorrectly ...

I'm in an intro to programming class is this is the 3rd assignment we've had. I had a very simple task with this program, and is done, for the most part. I'm running in to a small problem though. The code is as follows:

Code:

#include <stdio.h>
#include <stdlib.h>
#define total_to_win 270
int main(void) {
    int votes_won, state_b_votes;
    int state_a_votes, both_states;
    int bigger, smaller;
    int needs_to_win, ways_to_win;
    char state_a[20], state_b[20];
    printf("How many electoral votes has your candidate won?\n");
    scanf("&#37;d", &votes_won);
    printf("What is the name of the first state in contention?\n");
    scanf("%s", &state_a);
    printf("How many electoral votes does it have?\n");
    scanf("%d", &state_a_votes);
    printf("What is the name of the second state in contention?\n");
    scanf("%s", &state_b);
    printf("How many electoral votes does it have?\n");
    scanf("%d", &state_b_votes);
    

printf("state a votes is %d\n", state_a_votes);
printf("state b votes is %d\n", state_b_votes);
    
    
    if (state_a_votes > state_b_votes){
    bigger = state_a_votes;
    smaller = state_b_votes;
    }
    else {
         bigger = state_b_votes;
         smaller = state_a_votes;         
    }
         
    needs_to_win = total_to_win - votes_won;
    both_states = bigger + smaller;
    
    if (smaller >= needs_to_win) {
       if (smaller = state_a_votes){
       ways_to_win = 3;
       printf("Your candidate wins if he/she wins %s.\n", state_a);
       printf("Your candidate wins if he/she wins %s.\n", state_b);
       printf("Your candidate wins if he/she wins %s and %s.\n", state_a, state_b);
       printf("Your candidate can win in %d ways.\n", ways_to_win);}
       else {
       ways_to_win = 3;
       printf("Your candidate wins if he/she wins %s.\n", state_b);
       printf("Your candidate wins if he/she wins %s.\n", state_a);
       printf("Your candidate wins if he/she wins %s and %s.\n", state_b, state_a);
       printf("Your candidate can win in %d ways.\n", ways_to_win);}
}
    else if (bigger >= needs_to_win) {
         if (bigger = state_a_votes){
         ways_to_win = 2;
         printf("Your candidate wins if he/she wins %s.\n", state_a);
         printf("Your candidate wins if he/she wins %s and %s.\n", state_a, state_b);
         printf("Your candidate can win in %d ways.\n", ways_to_win);}
         else {
         ways_to_win = 2;
         printf("Your candidate wins if he/she wins %s.\n", state_b);
         printf("Your candidate wins if he/she wins %s and %s.\n", state_b, state_a);
         printf("Your candidate can win in %d ways.\n", ways_to_win);}
}

    else if (both_states >= needs_to_win){
    ways_to_win = 1;
    printf("Your candidate wins if he/she wins %s and %s.\n", state_a, state_b);
    printf("Your candidate can win in %d way.\n", ways_to_win);
}

    else {
    ways_to_win = 0;
    printf("Your candidate is a loser.\n");
}
printf("bigger is %d.\n", bigger);
printf("needs to win is %d.\n", needs_to_win);
printf("state a votes is %d\n", state_a_votes);
printf("state b votes is %d\n", state_b_votes);
     
    system("pause");
    return 0;
}

Note the addition of the printf's to make sure state_a_votes, state_b_votes, and bigger are evaluating correctly. My problem lies in this part of the code:

Code:

if (state_a_votes > state_b_votes){
    bigger = state_a_votes;
    smaller = state_b_votes;
    }
    else {
         bigger = state_b_votes;
         smaller = state_a_votes;         
    }

This if statement is constantly evaluating to true and setting bigger to state_a_votes regardless of my input. The printf's have show me the compiler is adjusting state_a_votes and state_b_votes according to user input, but when state_a_votes is smaller than state_b_votes, that first conditional evaluates to true regardless.

I'm somewhat at a loss for what to do ... =/

"This if statement is constantly evaluating to true and setting bigger to state_a_votes regardless of my input."

My input must have better resonance, because:

Code:

How many electoral votes has your candidate won?
4
What is the name of the first state in contention?
here
How many electoral votes does it have?
5
What is the name of the second state in contention?
mo
How many electoral votes does it have?
9
state a votes is 5
state b votes is 9
Your candidate is a loser.
bigger is 9.
needs to win is 266.
state a votes is 5
state b votes is 9
sh: pause: command not found

It would appear the statement did evaluate correctly.

Code:

if (smaller = state_a_votes){...
}
if (bigger = state_a_votes){ ...
}

Both of those statements reassign the value of smaller and bigger to state_a_votes.
You mean to use == (equivalence) rather than = (assignment).

You mean to use == (equivalence) rather than = (assignment).

Yey! It worked!

Thank you very much ^_^