Reagan Wins Republican Nomination 1976!

[TommyC1776]

On March 11th, 1988 Senator Walter Mondale decides to drop out of the race and endorse fellow Senator Al Gore for the Democratic nomination.  Mondale states "I feel I can't win the nomination from this point forward and therefore I must drop out to endorse Senator Al Gore.  He's a great person to take on President Goldwater.  Thank you and God Bless America."

Total delegates so far:
Al Gore-750 delegates (including Mondale's)
Jesse Jackson-411 delegates
Gary Hart-409 delegates

[TommyC1776]

Illinois: March 15th

Democrat: 200 delegates
Hart 45%-90 delegates
Jackson 34%-68 delegates
Gore 21%-42 delegates

Senator Gary Hart states "Thank you Illinois.  It's a good victory for us.  Let's go forward now and win the rest of the primaries."

Reverend Jesse Jackson states "It looks like we've done recently well in Illinois."

Senator Al Gore states "This was pretty much expected in Illinois.  However we will still be ahead in delegate counts for the nomination."

[TommyC1776]

Polling:
Gore 48%
Goldwater 43%
Weicker 8%
Undecided 1%

Polling:
Goldwater 47%
Jackson 39%
Weicker 10%
Undecided 4%

Polling:
Goldwater 49%
Hart 42%
Weicker 9%

[FEMA Camp Administrator]

Go Goldwater!

[Pingvin]

Go Goldwater!

[Jerseyrules]

Go Goldwater!

[Jerseyrules]

Goldilocks or bust!

[TommyC1776]

Connecticut: March 29th

Democrat: 63 delegates
Hart 43%-27 delegates
Gore 31%-20 delegates
Jackson 26%-16 delegates

Senator Gary Hart states "Thanks to Connecticut.  You've given our campaign some more life.  I feel I can do very well throughout the rest of the primaries."

Senator Al Gore states "Thanks for giving me a 2nd place finish here.  Our campaign still has frontrunner status and we will win."

Senator Al Gore puts an ad out in Wisconsin (which votes April 5th) and New York (which votes April 19th).  They basically say "Al Gore: a true moderate and the best chance to beat President Goldwater."

Senator Gary Hart states "Al Gore is too conservative for the Democratic Party I believe and I think we can't support him over me."

[TommyC1776]

Polling (WI)
Hart 40%
Gore 31%
Jackson 27%

Polling (NY)
Hart 39%
Jackson 33%
Gore 23%
Undecided 5%

Senator Gary Hart states "We must overcome Senator Gore in delegates and by the signs of things we will."  (Cheers to his statement).

Wait and see what happens.  Any of the 3 candidates could become the nominee.

[TommyC1776]

Wisconsin: April 5th

Democrat: 91 delegates
Hart 38%-35 delegates
Gore 34%-31 delegates
Jackson 28%-25 delegates

It looks as if Senator Gore's ad's may have helped him a bit in Wisconsin.

New York: April 19th

Democrat: 292 delegates
Hart 40%-117 delegates
Jackson 33%-96 delegates
Gore 27%-79 delegates

Pennsylvania: April 26th

Democrat: 202 delegates
Gore 45%-91 delegates
Hart 37%-75 delegates
Jackson 18%-26 delegates

The Gore win was a total surprise and a total blow to Hart's winning streak.  There's talk of Jackson dropping out soon.

[Jerseyrules]

This is awesome!

[TommyC1776]

This is awesome!

Thanks.

[TommyC1776]

On April 27th Reverend Jesse Jackson decides to drop out.  "I feel that in recent weeks I haven't done as well as I had hoped.  Therefore I must drop out for the race for the Democratic nomination and endorse Senator Al Gore."  stated Jackson.

There's talk of a Gore/Jackson ticket if Gore ends up with the necessary number of delegates (since Hart is still in the race).

Total delegates so far:
Gore-1655 delegates
Hart-753 delegates

[TommyC1776]

Washington, D.C.: May 3rd

Democrat: 25 delegates
Gore 65%-16 delegates
Hart 35%-9 delegates

Indiana: May 3rd

Democrat: 89 delegates
Hart 55%-49 delegates
Gore 45%-40 delegates

Ohio: May 3rd

Ohio: 183 delegates
Gore 51%-93 delegates
Hart 49%-90 delegates

Senator Al Gore was the big winner tonight.  He states "Thank you Washington DC and Ohio.  You've given my campaign steam forward."  Senator Hart states "Our campaign must and will go forward."

[FEMA Camp Administrator]

I'm surprised to see Gore doing badly in a region do close to his own.

[TommyC1776]

I'm surprised to see Gore doing badly in a region do close to his own.

If you mean Indiana and Ohio I'm just trying to make it interesting.  I can change it if you want.

[TommyC1776]

Al Gore-1804 delegates
Gary Hart-901 delegates
Jesse Jackson
Walter Mondale

[FEMA Camp Administrator]

I'm surprised to see Gore doing badly in a region do close to his own.

If you mean Indiana and Ohio I'm just trying to make it interesting.  I can change it if you want.

Not complaining, just observing.

[TommyC1776]

Nebraska: May 10th

Democrat: 30 delegates
Hart 56%-17 delegates
Gore 44%-13 delegates

West Virginia: May 10th

Democrat: 47 delegates
Gore 58%-27 delegates
Hart 42%-20 delegates

Senator Al Gore states "All we need now is about 160 delegates and we'll have the nomination."  Hart states "

Up next: Oregon on May 17th and Idaho on May 24th.  Then the 4 "June 7th" primaries (including California).

[TommyC1776]

Meanwhile, Senator Lowell Weicker decides to pick SD Senator Larry Pressler.  "He's a very independent minded man who I think can help our team in the West."

The race most likely to occur is Gore/?? vs. Goldwater/Crane vs. Weicker/Pressler.

Goldwater states "I can beat Senator Gore this year.  We can't have another Democrat in the White House."

[TommyC1776]

Senator Al Gore decides to put an ad in Oregon and Idaho in hopes of winning or coming in a close second place.  "Democrats: Remember to vote for a candidate that can acually beat President Goldwater.  That would be Senator Al Gore."

Oregon: May 17th

Democrat: 54 delegates
Gore 58%-31 delegates
Hart 42%-23 delegates

Al Gore does it again and surprises everyone with a win in Oregon.  "Tonight everyone I feel that  I've basically got the nomination sewn up.  I need just about 125 delegates until I get the nomination."  Senator Gary Hart decides to reavaluate his campaign and see where he goes from here.

[TommyC1776]

Senator Gary Hart decides to stay in until, at least, Idaho votes.  "I feel that since no one has the necessary number of delegates to get the nomination I can stay in a bit longer."

Idaho: May 24th

Democrat: 24 delegates
Hart 53%-13 delegates
Gore 47%-11 delegates

Senator Gary Hart states "I want to thank Idaho for the great confidence you've given my campaign tonight.  However I think that this might be little too late.  Therefore I'm announcing I'm suspending my campaign and endorsing Senator Al Gore for President of the United States on the Democratic ticket.  He's fought hard for the nomination and finally got it basically.  A Hart candidacy may be better in the future.  Thank you and God Bless America."

[FEMA Camp Administrator]

'Kay, I got a bone to pick with Jack Kemp leaving the party. I don't see a reason why he should. He was a proud Conservative on areas of taxation, free trade, and abortion and far too conservative to join Lowell Weicker of all people on a liberal republican crusade. Sorry, I feel I should interject there (it is your timeline however and you have the right to make it howerver you like). Of the remaining liberal republicans in the party who probably wouldn't have an issue with party loyalty, there's former Congressman Pete McCloskey, former Congressman John Anderson, and you could probably count SD Senator Larry Pressler who as I recall endorsed Democrats in later years or something like that.

[TommyC1776]

'Kay, I got a bone to pick with Jack Kemp leaving the party. I don't see a reason why he should. He was a proud Conservative on areas of taxation, free trade, and abortion and far too conservative to join Lowell Weicker of all people on a liberal republican crusade. Sorry, I feel I should interject there (it is your timeline however and you have the right to make it howerver you like). Of the remaining liberal republicans in the party who probably wouldn't have an issue with party loyalty, there's former Congressman Pete McCloskey, former Congressman John Anderson, and you could probably count SD Senator Larry Pressler who as I recall endorsed Democrats in later years or something like that.

Thanks for the advice.

[Jerseyrules]

I'm sorry to be a broken record, but I love this timeline!