A Second Chance - CONCLUSION

[Jerseyrules]

1. Y'all talkin' about that one interview in, I think, 1966 or 1967 where Buckley had Hatfield on his show?

B. Well, Jerseyrules, you asked for the Libertarian ticket, so I decided I'd make an alternate one. I myself get tired of reading about activists being the nominees, so I decided I'd use one of their elected officials.

III. Dallasfan, hadn't thought about the makeup of the party. You're right though on the "cosmo libertarians", they're not that much in the folds and anyone you'd identify as one of those would probably be voting for Hatfield. On the issue of the other two factions, distraught Neo-Conservatives and what I guess is more of a Libertarian hard-liner, I hadn't thought that much about the issue seeing as I'm not that deep into Libertarian politics. However, looking at the situation we're at at this point, 1984 with Hatfield being the Republican nominee, I'm gonna say distraught Neo-Conservatives. If these are the type that are more Libertarian domestically and whatnot, they're not gonna be that at home with either party right now. I'm trying to think of an example for 1984 so I can use him (or her?). Given that, the ticket may change. Any suggestions since you seem to be the expert on this?

d) Dan Quayle... Hmmmm.... I'm gonna say he's been a Congressman from Indiana since 1975.

He needs to rise up the ranks. President Quayle would be badass.

A non-"stupid" one would be even better.  Maybe Quayle for Governor 1984?

[FEMA Camp Administrator]

Bump.

[Atlas Has Shrugged]

Will the Progressive Party field a candidate like in 1980?

[FEMA Camp Administrator]

Will the Progressive Party field a candidate like in 1980?

Yes. LaDonna Harris, former McCarthy campaign manager. Also some guy no one's ever heard of. If I'm in a better position to research later, I'll give you the lowdown.

Also, all the pre-election night stuff will likely be crammed into one huge post so I don't have to continually update.

[FEMA Camp Administrator]

Third Party Nominations

On September 4th, 1983, Richard P. Siano was nominated by the Libertarian Party for President. On December 29th, 1981, Siano--a pilot in New Jersey--had been elected as a Libertarian in a runoff with a Democrat in a race for Kingswood Township Committeeman. For Vice President, the party nominated activist James A. Lewis of Connecticut. Despite his nomination, a write-in attempt was launched in the Wisconsin Libertarian Primary to nominate Congressman Larry McDonald. Siano beat McDonald 58.7% to 39.4% in the April 3rd primary.

Siano in his flying days

Kingswood Township Committeeman Richard P. Siano (New Jersey)/Activist James A. Lewis (Connecticut)

The attempt to nominate McDonald had been spurred on by outside events. As it appeared that North Carolina Senator Jesse Helms might fail to win the nomination for President by the Democratic Party, grass roots conservatives began to panic and thus turned to the Libertarian Party. Following the attempt in Wisconsin, McDonald's name was inserted into discussion among members of other third parties. Dis-satisfied with Hatfield, unsure of the results of the upcoming Democratic National Convention, and now snubbed by the Libertarians, the grassroots began to turn to the what was now seen as de funct Conservative Party. At their convention on June 5th, 1984, McDonald was successfully nominated over a number of write-in ballots for Congressman John Schmitz, Senator John Ashbrook, and Senator James L. Buckley. For Vice President, Mayor of Buffalo, New York James D. Griffin was nominated.

Congressman Larry McDonald (Georgia)/Mayor James D. Griffin (New York)

While events intertwined themselves among Conservatives and Libertarians, the liberals and progressives in third party America were busy at work. To them, 1980 had demonstrated that there was a movement open to the ideals of men like Eugene McCarthy. "People against war, in favor of greater social tolerance, and of battling societal problems such as income inequality", wrote party organizer La Donna Harris. Since 1980, various left-wing groups and parties had come together and merged, including a controversial schism within the Minnesota Democratic Farmer-Labor Party. In a 1983 convention, groups such as the People's Party and the Peace and Freedom Party officially voted to become part of a much broader alliance. On March 2nd, 1984, that alliance, the Progressive Coalition nominated founder, organizer, and McCarthy campaign manager La Donna Harris of Oklahoma for President. While she won a majority of the first ballot, other candidates as well were entered, if unwillingly. These included former Alaska Senator and McCarthy Vice Presidential pick Mike Gravel, former Vice President George McGovern of South Dakota, and New York City Mayor Mario Cuomo. For Vice President, former Secretary of the Interior Ralph Nader of Connecticut was easily nominated.

Activist La Donna Harris (Oklahoma)/Former United States Secretary of the Interior Ralph Nader (Connecticut)

[Atlas Has Shrugged]

Some pretty big names for the Conservatives and Progressives, though I doubt either of them could break 5%.

[Jerseyrules]

Some pretty big names for the Conservatives and Progressives, though I doubt either of them could break 5%.

This.  TTL 84 seems to be one of those years when the 2 major party candidates aren't very different, and where third parties could do very well.  More please , matching funds for libertarians too

[FEMA Camp Administrator]

"The reason for Brown doing what he did in September of 1984 can be attributed to any number of reasons. Foremost among them were of course his good relationship with Hatfield during their six years in the Senate together, and the subsequent good relationship of two members of opposite parties--one President, working together on a variety of issues. However, looming as just a significant reason was what had happened at the convention. While Mondale--representative of the Kennedy/Humphrey/Sanford Democratic Establishment, and Helms--representative of the Southern interests that had long attempted to control the party, had schemed together to produce a "perfect" nominee, Brown had been shoved to the side, despite bringing up a tight third in both delegates and the popular vote, his wing of the party had been completely ignored. At the convention he refused to pledge his delegates to the Bentsen/Ferraro ticket, but was still unsure of what to do. While he had connections with the so-called Progressive Coalition, he had experienced a large schism with them when it came to a number of economic issues. Speaking with former Senator McCarthy and Congressman Paul Tsongas of Massachusetts (a recent Republican convert from the Democrats), Brown ade his decision. He would be supporting the President."

-Excerpt from We The People: The Sisyphean plight of Jerry Brown, Documentary, 1997

September 10th, 1984

Brown Endorses Hatfield

"Earlier today, at a press conference in Oakland, California, Senator Jerry Brown (D-CA), a former candidate for the Democratic nomination, endorsed President Hatfield, a Republican. Citing his campaign rhetoric of an "era of limits" and his desire for a balanced budget, a "fiscally sane America, and a secure world" as his reasons for doing so, this is the second time the California Senator has endorsed the nominee of someone outside his own party. The first was four years ago in 1980 when he was part of a group of many Western Democrats to instead endorse third-party candidate Eugene McCarthy instead of President Kennedy. Brown, thought of as a potential candidate in 1988 or 1992 for the nomination, "just ruined his chances", in the words of one anonymous party insider."

October 7th, 1984 - The first Presdential debate

[Excerpt End]
    Leehart: Mr. President, when you were running for Vice President on the ticket with President Reagan in 1980, a pledge was made to balance the budget. Today, the budget remains un-balanced. Is there a strategy you'd like to present on how to finally keep that promise?
    Hatfield: No, I do not have a new plan to show you and I'll tell you why. Since the inauguration on January 20th, 1980, the deficit has been reduced by more than half of the last Kennedy budget. Not only that, revenue have been steadily increasing since the beginning of the recovery. Following those trends, it is estimated the budget will be balanced, at the latest, by 1987.
    Leehart: Now, Governor Bentsen, you charge that some of the President's cuts to the budget have endangered both America's economy and America's defense. Would you care to elaborate?
    Bentsen: Yes, and I will affirm that statement. Historically, with the example we've seen, government spending makes up a large amount of economic growth. Now, a large amount of industry de-regulation may be fueling what the President claims is our current economic recovery, however, that can not last. Right now there are several communities in California and throughout the South-West that have seen job losses thanks to military contracts being allowed to expire and programs for new types of missile systems being cut from the budget. On a campaign stop in Arizona, I talked to one such man who said he'd voted for Reagan in 1980 but hadn't expected to see himself lose his job because of it. We are seeing other phenomenons of the same sort across this country. As well, with a large number of subsidies cut, prices have seen historic drops which are sure signs of lower revenue for corporations and thus mass firings in both the Rust Belt and the Farm Belt. Meanwhile, our defenses look to be their weakest since the start of the second World War. Our nuclear stockpiles are at one of their lowest points since the 1950's. American presence is weaker across the globe. And meanwhile the President has continued to capitulate to the demands of the Soviet Premier in Moscow.

   Leewater:  President Hatfield, rebuttle?
    Hatfield:  Despite my opponent's claims, we have seen only recovery since the full implementation of the plan set in place by my predecessor in 1981. Since then when it came to budget cutting, countless hours were spent by my Treasury Department and by I myself, pouring over various government programs. Always, we considered every angle of a program before considering the changes to the yearly budget. Even in the midst of working to much more fiscally sane budget, we came under fire from other members of my party. But nevertheless we pressed on. And were the cutting to any program an endangerment to the economy or to the national defense, we surely would have stayed out hands. Instead, we only cut pieces of the budget deemed unnecessary and consolidated a number of entitlement and defense programs so as to make them more efficient. I'm proud to say we avoided the sacrifices that Governor Bentsen alleges to when we went about the budget process.
[Excerpt End]

October 11th, 1984 - The Vice Presidential Debate

[Excerpt]
    Warner: ...Let me tell you, Mrs. Ferraro, of the reason we failed to act in Lebanon. It was not out of cowardice, or fear of some military loss. It was because strategically it posed no gain for us, and when considered by analysts in the Defense Department, it was a nightmare to attempt to coordinate. You always have to have an exit strategy or things get very bloody, as we've learned form our last two wars.
    Ferraro: Let me just say first of all, that I almost resent, Senator Warner, your patronizing attitude that you have to teach me about foreign policy...
[Excerpt End]

October 12th, 1984

VP Debate
Seen as Draw

October 21st, 1984: - Second Presidential Debate

[Excerpt]
    Hatfield: ...under the direction of this administration and that of my predecessor, we have seen one of the greatest era of trans-national negotiations in history. I'm proud to say we're as close as we ever were to ending the Cold War.
[Excerpt End]

"Over the course of its existence, the GOP has employed various types of 'Southern Strategies' in order to win over Southern electoral votes. The first of course was Reconstruction. With federal troops stationed in various states protecting African-American voting rights while supressing white voters, they were able to win parts of the South in the elections of 1868, '72, and '76. During the Arthur Presidency were the Re-Adjusters. Southern populist whites who were interested more in guaranteeing things like education regardless of one's race, they were a middle path of sorts as opposed to the black Southern Republicans and the white Democrats. During the election of 1928, Herbert Hoover used Southern disagreements with Smith's Catholicism to win some of the more moderate Southern states. In the 1970's, moderate and conservative Republicans attempted to help win over the South, especially when their opponents were Northern liberals like the Kennedys and Civil Rights crusaders like Terry Sanford.
     "In the 1984 election, we employed a new 'Southern Strategy' of sorts. A large amount of campaign dollars were used to win over three different Southern demographics. One was the traditional Republicans. These were people in areas like Tennessee and West Virginia that had gone Republican in the beginning due to their placement in mountain areas that had little use for slavery and had in fact not favored secession. Second were blacks. While they had trended away from Republicans since the early 1970's, they weren't completely against the idea of voting for Hatfield. Connections between Bentsen and Helms were drawn, first off. Secondly, reminders of Hatfield's work for Civil Rights  in the past as well as his effort to preserve urban programs in the wake of massive budget cuts. Third would be a mixture of Southern white Democrats, conservatives, and evangelicals. With ads running in certain areas showing Hatfield's record as a devout pro-lifer, especially compared to the doubly pro-choice ticket of Bentsen/Ferraro, his past as a committed evangelical, and the improving economy and the balancing budget, numbers were improving. A young man by the name of Karl Rove was running polling down in those areas and between the time those ads started and October, numbers had improved significantly, enough to swing a few states our way."

-1991 Interview with Patrick J. Buchanan, head of the 1984 Hatfield Campaign in the South

Who do you intend to vote for in the upcoming Presidential Election?
President Mark Hatfield (R) - 54%
Governor Lloyd Bentsen (D) - 40%
Other - 3%
Don't Know/Don't Care - 3%

[Incipimus iterum]

Hmm quite the differece between Bentsen and Hatfield on defence

[FEMA Camp Administrator]

Map, with Tossups

Blue-Mark Hatfield (R): 272 electoral votes
Red-Lloyd Bentsen (D): 108 electoral votes
Gray-Tossup: 158 electoral votes

No Tossups Map

Blue-Mark Hatfield (R): 328 electoral votes
Red-Lloyd Bentsen (D): 210 electoral votes

[FEMA Camp Administrator]

Hmm quite the differece between Bentsen and Hatfield on defence

Yes, formed due to Hatfield's dovishness and preference for detente like policies, as opposed to a) Bentsen being a moderate hawk and b) the Democrats positioning themselves to oppose Hatfield on almost every front.

[FEMA Camp Administrator]

NOTE: There are a couple 1984 details that need to be wrapped up previous to election night. They range from important cabinet appointments to dead Presidents. Sorry for the inconvenience.

April 8th, 1984

Frank Church, Sec. of State, Dead!

"Secretary of State Frank Church, hospitalized in January of this year, has died in his home in Bethesda, Maryland. A longtime Democratic legislator from his home state of Idaho and more recently President Hatfield's Secretary of State, Church had a decades-long career in public service. A Senator twenty four years, Church was popular in his home state, right down to his narrow defeat in the 1980 Senate election. While details are sketchy due to how recent his death was, it is believed that he shall be buried in his native Idaho which he represented in the Senate, rather than near his current home in Maryland."

Frank Forrester Church III (July 25th, 1924-April 7th, 1984
United States Senator from Idaho (January 3rd, 1957-January 3rd, 1981)
Chairman of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations (January 3rd, 1979-January 3rd, 1981)
59th United States Secretary of State (January 22nd, 1982-April 7th, 1984)

April 8th, 1984 - The White House In the Oval Office, the President sits, drinking with National Security Adviser John Eisenhower.
    Eisenhower: ...Y'know, it's a shame Mark. Church, despite being a Democrat, was a popular figure and got a Hell of a lot done. We have any options for replacing him?
    Hatfield: It seems vulgar to discuss it only a day out, but I've been thinking about it nonetheless. And you know, John?
    Eisenhower: Yeah?
    Hatfield: John, you've been passed up a lot. Could've been chosen for Vice President. Skipped over for both Secretary of State and Secretary of Defense a number of times.
    Eisenhower: Now, Mark, seriously. I'm due to retire at the end of this term anyhow. And besides, I was Secretary of Defense, under Bush.
    Hatfield: I know, I know. However, in all serious you're the most qualified man for the job right now. Experience in the Army going back to the 50's, White House Chief of Staff, Secretary of the Army, Secretary of Defense, National Security Adviser. You've filled out nearly every major foreign policy post and then some, but for one. Secretary of State. Now, Chuck Percy's retiring from the Senate this year. So maybe I could ask him later this year to fill the spot for the second term. If i win one that is. No need to cause a special election right now, and he's got experience and is in line with our goals and views. But I need you now.
    Eisenhower: Oh alright. Might as well do something constructive my last year here. But just for that. Like Buckley did two years ago, January 20th, and I'm gone.

     List of United States Secretaries of State
     54. Margaret Chase Smith (R-ME) January 29th, 1961-January 20th, 1965
     President: Richard M. Nixon
     55. Henry M Jackson (D-WA) January 20th, 1965-January 20th, 1973
     President: John F. Kennedy
     56. Nelson Rockefeller (R-NY) January 20th, 1973-January 20th, 1977
     President: Spiro T. Agnew, George HW Bush
     57. Zbigniew Brzezinski (D-NY) January 20th, 1977-January 20th, 1981
     President: Robert F Kennedy
     VACANT: January 20th, 1981-January 21st, 1981
     58. William F. Buckley (R-CT) January 21st, 1981-January 20th, 1982
     President: Ronald Reagan, Mark Hatfield
     VACANT: January 20th, 1982-January 22nd, 1982
     59. Frank F. Church III (D-ID) January 22nd, 1982-April 7th, 1984
     President: Mark Hatfield
     VACANT: April 7th, 1984-April 16th, 1984
     60. John Eisenhower (R-NY) April 16th, 1984-?
     President: Mark Hatfield

June 4th, 1984

"
....

Other News

JFK not to attend DNC
This morning, in a press release from the ex-President's Hyannis Port office, it was stated that the nation's 36th President will not be attending the 1984 Democratic National Convention due to "A variety of health-related reasons". For John F. Kennedy, whose reputations has been somewhat tarnished in light of more recent revelations concerning his health, marital life, and policies during his president, this is no surprise. The first Kennedy president has reportedly been extremely ill these last few years."

September 25th, 1984

Senate Races to Watch

"....

Massachusetts:
Just last week, Congressman Paul Tsongas won the Republican nomination for United States Senate, winning a majority against a number of lesser known challengers. A former Democrat, Tsongas made headlines in 1982 when he voted with President Hatfield's plans for a completely non-discriminatory military, and in 1983 when he switched parties and became a Republican. He will go on to face Democratic nominee, Lieutenant Governor Thomas P. O'Neill III, the son of the famous Speaker of the House.

Texas
In the Lone Star State, two-term Representative H. Ross Perot, from the 4th District in Northern Texas, won the Republican nomination in May. A noted maverick, Perot was able to win the nomination thanks to his status as a Washington "maverick", his populist campaign, and most notably, the endorsement of Governor Ronald Paul.

Meanwhile, the Democrats faced a large primary fight that same month between Congressman Phil Gramm and Texas State Treasurer Ann Richards. The fight boiled down to the classical liberal vs. conservative with Richards representing the liberals and supported by a large amount of the out-of-state establishment, and Gramm appealing to conservatives and Houston "big money". In a tight race, Gramm won the nomination. However, this is likely the last we will hear of the fiery and charismatic State Treasurer, and the primary left some dis-satisfaction among certain party members. Of note was former Governor (and now Democratic nominee) Lloyd Bentsen's decision to stay out of the fight."

Senate candidate Ross Perot (R-TX-4) during the one primary debate, in which he dominated

[FEMA Camp Administrator]

"The Autumn rain beat heavily on the spectators as the coffin was lowered into the ground. The man they were burying had once been hailed as one of the great American presidents. Following an incredible foreign policy victory couple with a bold new domestic agenda, his second term had been one of the most successful. However, time had destroyed that image. A recession, just as he was leaving office, had struck. As well, disease, intrigue, revelations about both his personal life and his covert foreign policy, marital strife, had all plauged him during his twelve years of retirement. Whole books had been written on his behavior with female staffers in the White House and his affairs with celebrities. As well, information releases by the CIA in the early 80's had destroyed belief in a "clean" or "effective" foreign policy. Instead, they revealed hundreds of attempted assassinations of Chinese, both North and South Vietnamese, and Cuban leaders, along with scores of military operations gone wrong in South-East Asia. These revelations, coupled with  Jack's worsening physical state had destroyed that man once called "President". Bobby, clothed all in black among a hundred other mourners, stood athwart the wind and rain as he watched the body of John F. Kennedy be lowered into the ground."

-The Rise and Fall of American Royalty, Seymour Hersh

John Fitzgerald Kennedy (May 29th, 1917-October 4th, 1984)
Member of the United States House of Representatives
from Massachusetts' 11th District (January 3rd, 1947-January 3rd, 1953)
United States Senator from Massachusetts (January 3rd, 1953-December 22nd, 1964)
36th President of the United States of America (January 20th, 1965-January 20th, 1973)

Poll: Of the Presidents of the last twenty or so years, from 1960 to 1980, how would you rank them?
1. George H.W. Bush (R-TX) 1974-1977
2. John F. Kennedy (D-MA) 1965-1973
3. Richard M. Nixon (R-CA) 1961-1965
4. Robert F. Kennedy (D-MA) 1977-1981
5. Spiro T. Agnew (R-MD) 1973-1974

[Atlas Has Shrugged]

JFK always had health problems. The timing of his death was very accurate, if he lived. RFK, on the other hand, very well might be alive today.

[FEMA Camp Administrator]

JFK always had health problems. The timing of his death was very accurate, if he lived. RFK, on the other hand, very well might be alive today.

I kept forgetting to have him die.

Anyway, is there anyone out there that wants full-on election night coverage?

[Atlas Has Shrugged]

JFK always had health problems. The timing of his death was very accurate, if he lived. RFK, on the other hand, very well might be alive today.

I kept forgetting to have him die.

1984 was really the perfect timing, in my opinion.

Anyway, is there anyone out there that wants full-on election night coverage?

I know thats kinda hard to write, so I don't care what you do. Either way it will be awesome

[FEMA Camp Administrator]

Election Night

Election night did not last long for Bentsen and the Democrats. With Pennsylvania, Ohio, and Michigan being called within the first hour after polls had closed, it was clear that Bentsen wouldn't be getting anywhere near victory. With the Mid-West going to Hatfield by comfortable--yet not overwhelming--margins, Hatfield's victory became official by 9:30. Hatfield had won the West by incredible margins, with only a few states below sixty percent: Arizona and Oklahoma which both went to him, and New Mexico and Bentsen's home state of Texas going to the Democrats. The only region where Bentsen won consistently was the South due to a regional advantage. However, he failed to win solidly even there, with Virginia, Tennessee, Florida, and Louisiana all casting their votes for Hatfield. The only state in the North to go Democrat was Rhode Island, with Massachusetts just barely voting for Hatfield.

Among demographics, Hatfield did well with Western farmers of course, he won whites significantly, especially middle class, suburban whites in the East and urban areas. Despite Hatfield's moderation and relative popularity among blacks (especially compared to Reagan, Bush, and Agnew), his ending of the War on Drugs had prompted several black community leaders in cities like Chicago, Detroit, Philadelphia, and New York to preach ardently against him. As well, Ferraro, in several campaign stops in urban areas, promised that a Bentsen administration would have a re-energized Justice Department, one committed to rooting out crime, as well as a much more active HUD Department. "Hatfield has ignored the growing problems of the inner cities, much to the detriment of communities like these." Among Hispanics, Bentsen won a majority of the small, yet growing, immigrant population.

Examining the ethnic Catholic vote in Northern areas is of interest. While Ferraro herself was Italian and Catholic and came from an Italian-American district, a number of Catholic leaders questioned her stance on abortion. As well, some of them proceeded to hint that Hatfield was more in line with Catholic values--His strong stance against abortion, coupled with his opposition to nuclear proliferation. Still, Bentsen did well among urban Italians and Catholics, especially in New York City. However, it was clear by 1984 that old ethnic voting barriers were breaking down and becoming much more fluid. Analyzing exit polls and returns on election night, Democratic pollsters would confirm the obvious: Ferraro had failed to properly nail down both the Catholic vote and the female vote.

Overall, the election showed that Americans were feeling the prosperity that Hatfield had for that last two years been campaigning on. It showed that for once they were happy with incumbents and chose to finally re-elect one with a good majority. It seemed after two tumultuous decades, Americans were finally content and felt appreciative of the "peace, progress, and prosperity" of the last four years.

President Mark Odom Hatfield (R-OR)/Senator John Warner (R-VA) 406 electoral votes, 57.4% of the popular vote
Former Governor Lloyd Bentsen (D-TX)/Congresswoman Geraldine Ferraro (D-NY) 132 electoral votes, 39.7% of the popular vote

[Jerseyrules]

This is very interesting.  Just one question: after 12 years of Kennedy's, what's NASA looking like?  Do we have any plan similar to SDI?  Thanks.

[FEMA Camp Administrator]

This is very interesting.  Just one question: after 12 years of Kennedy's, what's NASA looking like?  Do we have any plan similar to SDI?  Thanks.

Hadn't considered it. However, expect developments on it to come up in the next administration who will be much more space/missile/hawkish foreign policy focused. Hatfield's main goal here is to sort of destroy the Cold War by de-escalating it, so things like an SDI have taken a backseat.

[morgieb]

How come Louisiana voted Hatfield but Missouri voted Bensten.

[FEMA Camp Administrator]

How come Louisiana voted Hatfield but Missouri voted Bensten.

Hatfield was able to make inroads among southern blacks as well as receive support form some southern evangelicals due to his campaign in the south using ads and such to position Hatfield as the more religious and more pro-life (which he was) candidate. I'll reference the '56 map where Stevenson won MO while losing LA.

[Snowstalker Mk. II]

You sure about NM? Carter lost it, after all.

[#CriminalizeSobriety]

Spectacular as always Cathcon, maybe we will see a "New South" coalition for the Republican Party.

Hatfield is somewhat obliged to endorse Warner, were he to run for President, but I imagine there will be a lot of heartburn over foreign policy, putting both of them in an odd spot.

Just keep doing what you do.

What are John Silber, Michael Dukakis and Bill Weld up to?

[Atlas Has Shrugged]

Out of curiosity, has the rumors about George HW Bush and Jennifer Fitzgerald ever surfaced?

[FEMA Camp Administrator]

You sure about NM? Carter lost it, after all.

For the most part, it's based on previous maps in timelines I've seen that contain Bentsen. I'll refer you to these:
http://www.uselectionatlas.org/FORUM/index.php?topic=105150.msg2288233#msg2288233
https://uselectionatlas.org/FORUM/index.php?topic=129502.msg2757274#msg2757274
https://uselectionatlas.org/FORUM/index.php?topic=129502.msg3348227#msg3348227

Spectacular as always Cathcon, maybe we will see a "New South" coalition for the Republican Party.

That  may be on the books, we shall see.

You must be logged in to read this quote.

Thanks man.

You must be logged in to read this quote.

John Silber: Right now, he's still heading up Boston University, but who knows where he'll head in the future.
Michael Dukakis: Elected Governor of Massachusetts in 1974, he was nonetheless primaries in 1978 by the current Governor, Ed King. Despite attempting to primary King four years later in '82, King survived the challenge in what turned out to be a battle between progressive and moderate-to-conservative factions within the party. Right now, Dukakis is biding his time for '86 when King will likely not be running. He was considered a potential candidate for Senate in 1984 but when his Lt. Governor stepped into the race, Dukakis, wanting to avoid a repeat of the messy 1982, decided to stay out.
William Weld: Weld is working as a U.S. Attorney, prosecuting white collar crime in New England.

Out of curiosity, has the rumors about George HW Bush and Jennifer Fitzgerald ever surfaced?

[NOTE: I'm unaware of how far back their relationship goes, so...] It was briefly spread around during the '76 campaign but got little "legitimate" media attention.