Clinton vs. Powell, 1996; Gore vs. Powell, 2000

[LBJ Revivalist]

If Powell did decide to run in 1996 and was the GOP nominee, do you think he had any chance of winning and if he won how might 1997 to 2001 have been different?

Or let's say he ran in 2000 against Gore, how do you think it would've turned out--would he have won and if so how do you think 2001-2005/2008 might've differed?

Can anyone create election maps for a 1996 Clinton vs. Powell hypothetical race, as well as a 2000 Gore vs. Powell race.

[phk]

1996 could go either way.

2000... Gore doesn't even want to know how bad he does.

[Bo]

1996: Clinton wins 318-220.

2000: Powell wins 367-171.

BTW, this post is in the incorrect thread.

[LBJ Revivalist]

1996: Clinton wins 318-220.

2000: Powell wins 367-171.

BTW, this post is in the incorrect thread.

You really think Powell would capture all of those Southern states in 1996, given how racial relations were in the '90s?

I mean 2000 I could see him gain a few possibly, maybe something like Obama's victory in 2008.

[Bo]

1996: Clinton wins 318-220.

2000: Powell wins 367-171.

BTW, this post is in the incorrect thread.

You really think Powell would capture all of those Southern states in 1996, given how racial relations were in the '90s?

I mean 2000 I could see him gain a few possibly, maybe something like Obama's victory in 2008.

Powell was a conservative African-American and was also a very respected general. Obama was a liberal African-American who went to a racist church for 20+ years. If Obama managed to win some Southern states, surely Powell must have been able to. And even though there was slightly more racism in the 1990s than in the 2000s, I don't think the difference would have been too much as it was only a difference of a decade. As for 2000, Powell would have creamed Gore. If Bush Jr. (with all his awkwardness and stupidity) managed to defeat Gore despite the fact that the economy was in good shape, the U.S. had a surplus, and there were no foreign wars, then surely Powell, a respected general across both sides of the aisle, would have been able to defeat Gore by a much larger margin.

[Obnoxiously Slutty Girly Girl]

1996 would have had terrible conditions for a black moderate Republican to win, though he might have improved on the popular vote showing over Dole.


2000 would have probably been a Powell victory.

474-64

287-251

[Yelnoc]

Was racism really still a problem in the 90's?

[Obnoxiously Slutty Girly Girl]

Was racism really still a problem in the 90's?

Racism is still a problem in the 2010s.

[Yelnoc]

Was racism really still a problem in the 90's?

Racism is still a problem in the 2010s.

But not something that impacts election results.

[sentinel]

Do you think a black Republican candidate in 1996 would push more Republicans to Perot?

[Bo]

Was racism really still a problem in the 90's?

Racism is still a problem in the 2010s.

But not something that impacts election results.

It impacts election results a little, but not nearly as much as before. Some Southern areas trended very heavily GOP in 2008 despite the fact that Obama and Kerry were both Northern liberals.

[Obnoxiously Slutty Girly Girl]

Do you think a black Republican candidate in 1996 would push more Republicans to Perot?

Yes, Powell loses the South in 1996. I may have even been too generous with him down there in 2000.