1992

[jravnsbo]

What would have happened if Ross Perot would not have jumped out, then back in of the 1992 Presidential race?

I remember he dropped out , praising the Democrats and blasting Bush and was ahead by like 1% the day he left the race ( which I thought was really odd).  I also remember he was 2d in some states int he final tallies.  Plus even with jumping in and out he still got 19% of the vote, best 3rd party run since TR.  

Would the election have been forced intot he House or could Perot have won if he wouldn't have screwed around?

[jravnsbo]

The best Perot would have done I think is maybe keep Clinton below 270 EV and force it into the House, but then it was democrat and Clinton wins that way.

[jravnsbo]

Its a vote by state, but GOP won like 40-50 states in 1994 to take charge, so I think the Dem majorities were high.

Poor ole Gephardt.  He was majority leader and Foley the speaker got beat, so he was in line to be Speaker and GOP for the first time in 40 years takes over.  Thanks Bill!

The election would probably have been pushed into the House and Clinton would have won it there.   I think we still had the majority in Congress back then...the good old days...

But there is the state delegations that vote right? Did the Dems have that, or just a majority of representatives?

[jravnsbo]

When did Maine and NE adopt the split of EV strategy?  

I really don't think that Ross Perot would have carried any states, even if he hadn't dropped out and returned to the race in 1992.

US politics is generally geared in the direction of realism, and I think his support would have fallen away in any case as the election approached, because people would think that a vote for him was wasted since he couldn't win.

That was a strange election year, marked by an incumbent who had run out of ideas and seemed like a deer in the headlights, and a Democratic challenger of highly dubious character and integrity.  So for a lot of people (including me), these were not attractive choices, but I still don't believe that Ross Perot could have won a whole slew of states as some people have suggested.  At most, he might have won around 3 states out west, like Montana, with Clinton still winning the election overall.

But that's just my opinion.  We'll never know for sure.

He was an inch away from carrying Maine after he re-entered, so he would have won it if he had not fooled around.

[jravnsbo]

in 1912 Taft was president but came in 3rd.  Wilson won and TR came in 2d on "Bullmoose" party

A Taft like humiliation for Bush41? Nice thought though.

You suggested that, didn't you? What are you really saying? I am confused!

[jravnsbo]

didn't meant o offend I really didn't think you knew and was just attempting to explain. all good.