john anderson vs. walter mondale, vs. ronald reagan, 1980

[WalterMitty]

ronald reagan has a bout of ill health during the 1980 primaries, causing him to withdraw from the race.  the illinois moderate, john anderson, wins the gop nomination.

meanwhile, beseiged by one problem after another, jimmy carter pulls an lbj and steps aside.  walter mondale becomes the democratic nominee.

round about june, reagan emerges, completely recovered from his illness.  feeling that this will be his last opportunity to run for the presidency combined with the fact that he doesnt like the moderation of anderson, reagan opts for a third party challenge.

who wins this matchup?
mondale/glenn (red) vs. anderson/bush(blue) vs. reagan/laxalt(gray)

[WalterMitty]

the election is thrown to the house, where it quickly becomes bitter.  there are also legal challenges in california.  it seems that reagan won the state by the slimmest of margins.

the senate quickly convenes to select a VP.  but a serious question arises--whuich senate selects the VP, the lame duck senate (democrat majority),  or the newly elected seante (republican majority)

[opebo]

Can you say President Mondale? (Wins it in the House)

Ugh.  I wonder if we'd still have 70% tax rates today if that disaster happened.

[zachman]

George Bush would have won the Republican Primary. However if this Reagan scenario did happen, Anderson would have gotten more footing and would have got maybe 15% of the vote.

[© tweed]

GHWB would have won the primary

[bullmoose88]

the election is thrown to the house, where it quickly becomes bitter.  there are also legal challenges in california.  it seems that reagan won the state by the slimmest of margins.

the senate quickly convenes to select a VP.  but a serious question arises--whuich senate selects the VP, the lame duck senate (democrat majority),  or the newly elected seante (republican majority)

The new senate would have been sworn in before the counting of electors

I believe that was an idea that was toyed around with during 2000...should the race be as close as thought...there were scenarios that didn't give either guy 270.