The 1968 Deadlock

[Attorney General, LGC Speaker, and Former PPT Dwarven Dragon]

Republican National Convention: August 21-23, 1972

August 21 Key Speakers



Former Vice President and Former Presidential Candidate Spiro Agnew



Former U.S. Senator from Tennessee, Former Nixon Cabinet Member, Former Presidential Candidate, and Tennessee U.S. Senate Candidate Howard Baker



Former U.S. Senator from Illinois and Former Nixon Cabinet Member Charles H. Percy



Former Minnesota Governor and Former Presidential Candidate Harold Stassen



United States Representative from California and Former Presidential Candidate Peter McCloskey



U.S. Senator from Delaware Caleb Boggs



Potential First Lady Nancy Reagan



Potential First Lady Ann Bartlett



Potential First Lady Happy Rockefeller

[FEMA Camp Administrator]

I would hope that Rockefeller would have a bit more sway in the Empire State.

[Attorney General, LGC Speaker, and Former PPT Dwarven Dragon]

Republican National Convention: August 21-23, 1972

August 22 Key Speakers



Potential Vice President George H.W. Bush



Potential Vice President and Former Michigan Governor George Romney



Potential Vice President and U.S. Senator from New Jersey Clifford Case



U.S. Senator from Massachusetts Edward Brooke (Nomination Speech for Nelson Rockefeller)



Former California Lt. Governor and Former Nixon Cabinet Member Robert Finch (Nomination Speech for Ronald Reagan)



Governor of Indiana Edgar Whitcomb (Nomination Speech for Dewey Bartlett)



Governor of Washington Daniel Evans



Governor of West Virginia Arch Moore



Presidential Candidate Nelson Rockefeller



Presidential Candidate Ronald Reagan



Presidential Candidate Dewey Bartlett


Debate Winner Poll:

Reagan: 35%
Rockefeller: 26%
Bartlett: 25%
Tie: 14%

[Attorney General, LGC Speaker, and Former PPT Dwarven Dragon]

The Convention Vote:

Chairman: "Now, after all the campaigning, all the fighting, it is time for our party to come to a decision. It is time for the first ballot for the presidential nomination. Assistants to the chairman, please hand out paper ballots to the delegates from states that did not hold a primary. (pause) Now, while those ballots are being cast and counted, we shall hear the votes from those states that did hold a primary, which are based on the results of the primary that was held in each state. The votes will be announced by a surrogate from each state. First, NH, with 8 delegates!"

Surrogate: "New Hampshire casts 6 votes for Rockefeller, 1 vote for Reagan, and 1 for Bartlett!"

Chairman: "So, we now have 6 votes for Rockefeller and 1 each for Reagan and Bartlett. Remember, there are 1,348 delegates in total, so 675 votes, or just over 50%, are needed to be nominated. Now, FL, with 34 delegates!"

Surrogate: "Florida casts 18 votes for Bartlett, 15 for Reagan, and 1 for Rockefeller!"

Chairman: "Bartlett now leads with 19 votes to Reagan's 16 and Rockefeller's 7. Next up, Illinois, with 52 delegates!"

Surrogate: "Illinois casts 32 votes for Rockefeller, 16 votes for Bartlett, and 4 votes for Reagan!"

Chairman: "Now, Rockefeller leads with 39 votes to Bartlett's 35 and Reagan's 20. Next up, Wisconsin with 22 delegates!"

Surrogate: "Wisconsin casts 13 votes for Rockefeller and 9 votes for Reagan!"

Chairman: "Rockefeller leads with 52 votes to 35 for Bartlett and 29 for Reagan. Massachusetts is next, with 21 delegates."

Surrogate: "Massachusetts casts 17 votes for Rockefeller and 4 for Reagan!"

Chairman: "Rockefeller's lead is looking fairly comfortable now, he has 69 votes to 35 for Bartlett and 33 for Reagan. Pennsylvania is next, with 41 delegates!"

Surrogate: "Pennsylvania casts 15 votes for Reagan, 14 for Rockefeller, and 12 for Bartlett!"

Chairman: "Rockefeller's lead is now 83 votes to 48 for Reagan and 47 for Bartlett. Next, Indiana, with 26 delegates!"

Surrogate: "Indiana casts 15 votes for Bartlett, 8 for Reagan, and 3 for Rockefeller!"

Chairman: "Rockefeller's lead is now 86 votes to 62 for Bartlett and 56 for Reagan. Now, Ohio, with 50 delegates!"

Surrogate: "Ohio casts 20 votes for Reagan and 15 each for Bartlett and Rockefeller!"

Chairman: "Rockefeller now has 101 votes to 77 for Bartlett and 76 for Reagan. Now we have Tennessee, with 15 delegates."

Surrogate: "Tennessee casts 9 votes for Bartlett and 6 for Reagan!"

Chairman: "Rockefeller now has 101 votes to 86 for Bartlett and 82 for Reagan. Now for North Carolina, with 20 delegates!"

Surrogate: "North Carolina casts 10 votes for Bartlett, 6 for Reagan, and 4 for Rockefeller!"

Chairman: "Rockefeller's lead is now 105 votes to 96 for Bartlett and 88 for Reagan. Let us move on to the 10 delegates from Nebraska."

Surrogate: "Nebraska casts 8 votes for Bartlett, 1 for Reagan, and 1 for Rockefeller!"

Chairman: "The race for the nomination is now a dead heat, with 106 votes for Rockefeller to 104 for Bartlett and 89 for Reagan. Maryland has 15 delegates and is up next."

Surrogate: "Maryland casts 9 votes for Rockefeller and 6 for Reagan."

Chairman: "Rockefeller continues to lead, and currently has 115 votes to 104 for Bartlett and 95 for Reagan. Next, Michigan, with 32 delegates!"

Surrogate: "Michigan casts 13 votes each for Reagan and Rockefeller, and 6 for Bartlett."

Chairman: "Rockefeller now leads with 128 votes to 110 for Bartlett and 108 for Reagan. Next, Oregon with 12 delegates.

Surrogate: "Oregon casts 8 votes for Reagan and 4 for Rockefeller."

Chairman: "Rockefeller now has 132 votes to 116 for Reagan and 110 for Bartlett. Rhode Island and its 6 delegates are up next."

Surrogate: "Rhode Island casts all 6 votes for Rockefeller!"

Chairman: "With that, Rockefeller has 138 votes to 116 for Reagan and 110 for Bartlett. Let's leave California for a little later, and go to New Mexico, with 8 delegates!"

Surrogate: "New Mexico casts 3 votes for Reagan, 3 for Rockefeller, and 2 for Bartlett!"

Chairman: "Rockefeller has now reached 141 votes to 119 for Reagan and 112 for Bartlett. Next is South Dakota, also with 8 delegates."

Surrogate: "South Dakota casts 6 votes for Bartlett and 2 for Reagan!"

Chairman: "Rockefeller's lead is now 141 votes to 121 for Reagan and 118 for Bartlett. And now, last but not least of the primary states, California, with 90 delegates!"

Surrogate: "California casts 60 votes for Reagan, 20 for Rockefeller, and 10 for Bartlett!"

Chairman: "And now Reagan has the lead, with 181 votes to 161 for Rockefeller and 128 for Bartlett. The primary states are now done voting, and no one is near the 675 delegates needed to win the nomination. Now, it is time to reveal how the superdelegates voted......"

[Attorney General, LGC Speaker, and Former PPT Dwarven Dragon]

Chairman: (unrolls scroll) The results of the first ballot, including all superdelegate votes, are as follows:

For Former Oklahoma Governor Dewey Bartlett, there are 397 votes.
For California Governor Ronald Reagan, there are 437 votes.
For New York Governor Nelson Rockefeller, there are 514 votes.

As expected, there is no majority on this first ballot. All delegates from the primary states are released from any pledges. Please vote again.............

-----

Chairman: The results of the 2nd ballot are as follows....

For Former Oklahoma Governor Dewey Bartlett, there are 361 votes.
For California Governor Ronald Reagan, there are 411 votes.
For New York Governor Nelson Rockefeller, there are 576 votes.

There is still no majority. However, Mr. Bartlett is 50 delegates behind Mr. Reagan, so he is now removed from contention for the nomination. A final vote between Rockefeller and Reagan shall now take place....

--------

Chairman: The Results of the Third and Final Ballot are as follows...

15 delegates are abstaining from the final ballot.
For New York Governor Nelson Rockefeller, there are 580 votes.
For California Governor Ronald Reagan, there are 753 votes.

I declare that Ronald Reagan is officially the republican nominee for President of the United States!

(cheers, etc.)

Now, let's make the Vice Presidential Nomination a decision by acclamation, please. All in favor of George Romney, Mr. Reagan's preference for Vice President, say aye:

Most delegates, loudly: Aye!

Chairman: George Romney is officially the republican nominee for Vice President of the United States!

---------

The convention concluded after acceptance speeches from Romney and Reagan. The democratic convention the following week was uneventful, and nominated the Albert/Barrett ticket with little opposition.

The Reagan/Romney vs. Albert/Barrett Presidential Election had now begun.

[Attorney General, LGC Speaker, and Former PPT Dwarven Dragon]

1972 Presidential Polling: Early September Electoral Map

Changes from August:

CO/NM/VA: Likely R to Safe R
AR: Toss-Up to Lean R
WA: Lean R to Toss-Up

Reagan/Romney: 210
Albert/Barrett: 117
Toss-Up: 211


National Poll:

Reagan: 46.4%
Albert: 43.9%
Others: 2.4%
Undecided: 7.3%

Two-Way National:

Reagan: 47.1%
Albert: 45.1%
Undecided: 7.8%

Texas:

Reagan: 46%
Albert: 43%

Tennessee:

Reagan: 46%
Albert: 44%

Georgia:

Reagan: 46%
Albert: 46%

Florida:

Albert: 47%
Reagan: 45%

Missouri:

Albert: 47%
Reagan: 47%

Illinois:

Albert: 45%
Reagan: 44%

Iowa:

Reagan: 46%
Albert: 43%

Washington:

Reagan: 47%
Albert: 43%

Michigan:

Reagan: 48%
Albert: 45%

Ohio:

Albert: 46%
Reagan: 45%

Pennsylvania:

Albert: 48%
Reagan: 46%

New Jersey:

Albert: 48%
Reagan: 45%

ME-2:

Albert: 47%
Reagan: 46%

Arkansas:

Reagan: 49%
Albert: 43%

Louisiana:

Reagan: 51%
Albert: 44%

Mississippi:

Reagan: 51%
Albert: 42%

Alabama:

Reagan: 51%
Albert: 42%

South Carolina:

Reagan: 50%
Albert: 43%

North Carolina:

Reagan: 50%
Albert: 42%

Kentucky:

Reagan: 49%
Albert: 44%

Oregon:

Reagan: 48%
Albert: 43%

Minnesota:

Albert: 50%
Reagan: 43%

Wisconsin:

Albert: 49%
Reagan: 44%

Maine (at large):

Albert: 51%
Reagan: 40%

California:

Reagan: 52%
Albert: 41%


Electoral Map without Toss-Ups (Green = Exact Tie):

Reagan: 284
Albert: 230
Exact Tie: 24

[Attorney General, LGC Speaker, and Former PPT Dwarven Dragon]

1972 Presidential Debates

First Debate (Domestic Policy Only)- University of Michigan - October 7

Debate Winner Poll

Reagan: 64%
Albert: 30%
Tie: 6%

Vice Presidential Debate - Jacksonville University, FL - October 13

Debate Winner Poll

Romney: 48%
Barrett: 38%
Tie: 14%

Second Presidential Debate (Domestic and Foreign Policy) - Oregon State University - October 20

Debate Winner Poll

Albert: 55%
Reagan: 36%
Tie: 9%

Third Presidential Debate (Foreign Policy Only) - Rutgers University, Newark, NJ - October 26

Debate Winner Poll

Albert: 49%
Reagan: 42%
Tie: 9%

-----------------------------------

Final Presidential Polling

Reagan/Romney: 218
Albert/Barrett: 171
Toss-Up: 149

Changes from September

IL/PA/ME-2 - Toss-Up to Lean D
IA/WA - Toss-Up to Lean R
KY - Lean R to Toss-Up

National Poll:

Reagan: 47.3%
Albert: 46.9%
Others: 2.7%
Undecided: 3.1%

Two-Way National:

Reagan: 48.3%
Albert: 48.1%
Undecided: 3.6%

Approval Rating of Pres. Albert:

Approve: 50%
Disapprove: 49%

Florida:

Reagan: 49%
Albert: 47%

Georgia:

Reagan: 49%
Albert: 46%

Tennessee:

Reagan: 49%
Albert: 46%

Kentucky:

Reagan: 48%
Albert: 45%

Missouri:

Albert: 48%
Reagan: 47%

Texas:

Albert: 48%
Reagan: 48%

Michigan:

Reagan: 50%
Albert: 46%

Ohio:

Albert: 48%
Reagan: 47%

New Jersey:

Albert: 48%
Reagan: 47%


Map Without Toss-Ups:

Reagan/Romney: 287
Albert/Barrett: 225
Exact Tie: 26

Final Senate Polling Map:

The Senate has moved in favor of the republicans since August. New Mexico, Colorado, Oklahoma, and Virginia now lean in their direction, while Iowa no longer leans towards the democrats. The Democrats have managed to lock up South Dakota and Minnesota, but the republicans have locked up Texas.

Final Gubernatorial Polling Map:

The Gubernatorial races have remained largely static, although Iowa and North Dakota now lean toward the republicans while Rhode Island now leans toward the democrats.

--------------------------------------------------------------

Next - Results! (I will start with the west coast and progress eastward. Will be spread over several posts.)

Also, this timeline will conclude after all the (1972) results are announced. I've put up a poll on this topic, you guys can decide between two options for my next timeline.

[Attorney General, LGC Speaker, and Former PPT Dwarven Dragon]

1972 Results: Hawaii

President: Albert wins easily in Hawaii, carrying the state 60-36 with higher than expected third party vote.

1972 Results: Alaska

President: Reagan wins Alaska 57-41.

Senate: Ted Stevens wins reelection with 80% of the vote against a sacrificial lamb who did not even attempt to campaign. R Hold.

1972 Results: California

President: Reagan's home state is closer than expected on election night, as the Albert campaign turns out surprising numbers of democratic voters in Los Angeles, San Diego, and San Francisco and republican turnout is slightly lackluster due to the view of a Reagan victory being inevitable in the state. However, it is nowhere near enough to cause a surprise Albert upset, as Reagan carries the state 52-45.

1972 Results: Washington State

President: The polls showing a widening Reagan lead in the state in the final days turn out to be slightly optimistic, but he still carries the state 51-46.

Governor: Rossellini proves to be terrible at GOTV, as Gov. Evans wins reelection 54-44. R Hold.

1972 Results: Oregon

President: No surprise here, as Reagan carries the state 54-45.

Senate: Also no surprise, as Sen. Hatfield wins reelection 55-44. R Hold.

1972 Results: Idaho

President: Reagan carries the state 59-38.

Senate: McClure (R) wins the open seat 54-46. R Hold.


------------

President:

Reagan: 67
Albert: 4

Senate:

If no pickups occur in other states, the Democrats will retain their 59-41 Majority.

Governor:

If no pickups occur in other states, the Democrats will retain their 35-15 Majority.

[Attorney General, LGC Speaker, and Former PPT Dwarven Dragon]

1972 Results: Nevada

President: Reagan wins 55-41

1972 Results: Utah

President: Reagan wins 60-38

Governor: Calvin Rampton (D) is reelected with 68% of the vote. D Hold.

1972 Results: Arizona

President: Reagan wins 56-42

1972 Results: Montana

President: Reagan wins 58-38

Senate: In one of the marquee races of the cycle, Democratic Sen. Lee Metcalf faces Republican Henry Hibbard. Metcalf works hard to win reelection by carefully inserting earmarks for his state into bills and holding over 300 town hall meetings, but in the end it is not enough as Reagan's Coattails give Hibbard a 50-48 victory. R Gain!

Governor: In a lesser thrill of a contest then the senate race, Democrat Thomas Lee Judge wins the seat 53-47. D Hold.

1972 Results: Wyoming

President: Reagan wins 67-30

Senate: Clifford Hansen wins reelection 73-26. R Hold.

1972 Results: Colorado

President: Reagan wins 55-43.

Senate: In another key contest, Gordon Allott spends 1971 and 1972 carefully moderating his voting record and running attack after attack on his democratic challenger Floyd Haskell. Early in the night, Haskell leads as he puts up good numbers in Denver and some swing areas. But the rest of the state overtakes it as the count nears its end, and Allott wins reelection 49-47. R Hold.

1972 Results: New Mexico

President: Reagan wins 55-43.

Senate: Jack Daniels proves to be one of the less than stellar recruits for the democratic party, as several late gaffes give Pete Domenici a larger than expected 54-44 victory in the open seat race. R Gain!

-------------------

President:

Reagan: 98
Albert: 4

Senate:

If there are no pickups in other states, Democrats will have a 57-43 Majority.

Governor:

If there are no pickups in other states, Democrats will retain their 35-15 Majority.

[Kingpoleon]

Would Reagan really choose Romney? He's a liberal Republican with little experience. Admittedly, he does have money to fund the campaign.

I would think Percy or Rockefeller would be better options - the former has foreign policy experience, which Reagan desperately needs, and the latter has foreign policy experience. Both have charisma and cash, but Rockefeller trades campaigning skill for uniting the party.

It's your timeline, but I'd like to see a Reagan/Percy or Reagan/Rockefeller victory, which seems more realistic.

I'm rambling, aren't I? Sorry.

That said, good timeline! If Reagan wins, I have some ideas for his Cabinet...

[Attorney General, LGC Speaker, and Former PPT Dwarven Dragon]

Would Reagan really choose Romney? He's a liberal Republican with little experience. Admittedly, he does have money to fund the campaign.

I would think Percy or Rockefeller would be better options - the former has foreign policy experience, which Reagan desperately needs, and the latter has foreign policy experience. Both have charisma and cash, but Rockefeller trades campaigning skill for uniting the party.

It's your timeline, but I'd like to see a Reagan/Percy or Reagan/Rockefeller victory, which seems more realistic.

I'm rambling, aren't I? Sorry.

That said, good timeline! If Reagan wins, I have some ideas for his Cabinet...

I did "pick the runner up" in my first timeline and wanted to do something different this time, so that rules out Rockefeller. As for Percy, he's sort of tainted in this timeline (From being in Nixon's cabinet), plus he is looking to get back to the Senate in 1974, when Adlai Stevenson III is up for reelection.

[Kingpoleon]

Would Reagan really choose Romney? He's a liberal Republican with little experience. Admittedly, he does have money to fund the campaign.

I would think Percy or Rockefeller would be better options - the former has foreign policy experience, which Reagan desperately needs, and the latter has foreign policy experience. Both have charisma and cash, but Rockefeller trades campaigning skill for uniting the party.

It's your timeline, but I'd like to see a Reagan/Percy or Reagan/Rockefeller victory, which seems more realistic.

I'm rambling, aren't I? Sorry.

That said, good timeline! If Reagan wins, I have some ideas for his Cabinet...

I did "pick the runner up" in my first timeline and wanted to do something different this time, so that rules out Rockefeller. As for Percy, he's sort of tainted in this timeline (From being in Nixon's cabinet), plus he is looking to get back to the Senate in 1974, when Adlai Stevenson III is up for reelection.

Ah... A very liberal Vice President for Reagan would be interesting. I'm sorry. Percy might make State for two years to increase his name recognition.

[Attorney General, LGC Speaker, and Former PPT Dwarven Dragon]

1972 Results: North Dakota

President: Reagan wins 62-35

Governor: In the first republican pickup of the night, Richard Larsen defeats Arthur Link 52-46 to capture the open seat. R gain!

1972 Results: South Dakota

President: Reagan wins 57-40

Senate: Hirsch's bumbling campaign is an utter fail on election day, as Abourezk wins the open seat 56-44. D Gain!

Governor: No surprise, as Governor Kneip wins reelection with 62% of the vote. D Hold.

1972 Results: Nebraska

President: Reagan wins 59-40.

Senate: Hoping for a repeat of 1970, Democrats once again manage to recruit a strong candidate against another inoffensive yet non-entrenched senator. However, the climate is just not right, and Curtis wins reelection 54-46. R Hold.

1972 Results: Kansas

President: Reagan wins 61-37.

Senate: Pearson wins reelection 69-30. R Hold.

Governor: Docking wins reelection 59-40. D Hold.

1972 Results: Oklahoma

President: Reagan wins 64-36.

Senate: Ed Edmonson's conservadem credentials are worth squat, as Pat Patterson wins the open seat 55-44. R Gain!

1972 Results: Texas

President: In a state that is essential for Democratic presidential candidates in this era, Albert spends more time campaigning here than he does in any other state, but as Sen. Tower (R) pulls away in his race (see below), Democrats begin to doubt their chances in the state. On election night, the rural vote comes in early and Reagan takes a large lead. It dwindles throughout the night, but he is still leading by 25,000 with 90% of the vote in, at which point ABC News calls the state for Reagan. NBC and CBS do not follow suit, which ends up being a good decision, as Albert takes the lead at 96% in and wins by about 17,000 votes at the count's end thanks to better than expected performances in late-reporting swing areas, a margin of 48.9%-48.3%!

Senate: No surprise, as Tower wins reelection 56-43. R Hold.

Governor: In another thrilling contest, Dolph Briscoe defeats Governor Smith in the Democratic Primary and repeats that same starpower in the general election, outperforming Albert in most areas despite a strong challenge on the part of Republican Henry Grover, and winning the open seat 48-46 with heavy third party vote. D Hold.

1972 Results: Minnesota

President: No surprise in the state that Reagan tried hard to contest but was never really in play, as Albert wins 53-45.

Senate: Mondale wins reelection 57-43. D Hold.

--------------

President:

Reagan: 125
Albert: 40

Senate:

If there are no pickups in other states, Democrats will have a 57-43 Majority.

Governor:

If there are no pickups in other states, Democrats will have a 34-16 Majority.

[Kingpoleon]

Secretary of State: Charles Percy(R-IL)
Secretary of the Treasury: Nelson Rockefeller(R-NY)
Secretary of Defense: Nathan Farragut Twining(R-IL)
Attorney General: William Saxbe(R-OH)
Postmaster General: Daniel Evans(at-WA)
Secretary of the Interior: George H. W. Bush(R-TX)
Secretary of Agriculture: Barry Goldwater(R-AZ)
Secretary of Commerce: John Volpe(R-MA)
Secretary of Labor: John Connally(D-TX)
Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare: Clyde Elmer Anderson(R-MN)
Secretary of Housing and Urban Development: Larry Pressler(R-ND)
Secretary of Transportation: Charles Matthias(R-MD)


For special elections, Agnew would be a very powerful candidate for the Senate.

[Attorney General, LGC Speaker, and Former PPT Dwarven Dragon]

1972 Results: Wisconsin

President: No surprise, as Albert wins the state 53-45.

1972 Results: Iowa

President: No surprise, as Reagan wins the state 52-46.

Senate: Senator Miller runs a great campaign, especially in the final weeks, and as Reagan and Gubernatorial Candidate Robert Ray widen their polling leads, he begins to be more and more confident that he will survive against Democrat Dick Clark. On election night, the race is consistently close and remains uncalled until the next morning, but in the end, Clark prevails by a margin of 50 to 49 percent. D Gain!

Governor: In a reversal of fortunes from the 1970 contest, Fmr. Gov. Robert Ray (R_ returns to the gubernatorial mansion, defeating the man who defeated him in their first matchup, Democrat Robert Fulton, by a 54-45 margin. R Gain!

1972 Results: Illinois

President: In the key battleground state, Cook County reports in early and strong for Albert, and while Reagan cleans up downstate and wins most of the collar counties, Albert never loses his lead, and wins the state 50-48 at night's end.

Senate: No surprise, as Blair wins reelection 52-44. R Hold.

Governor: Ogilvie wins reelection 49-47, a surprise result considering the presidential contest, which is largely credited to a surge in support for Socialist Party candidate George LaForest in the final weeks. R Hold.

1972 Results: Missouri

President: In the true bellwether state of this era, which has voted with the winner in every election in the 20th century aside from 1900 and 1956, rural turnout is slightly lacking for Mr. Reagan, allowing Albert to earn a 49-48 victory.

Governor: No surprise, as Kit Bond wins the seat 56-43. R Gain!

1972 Results: Arkansas

President: Reagan wins 53-46.

Senate: No surprise, as McClellan wins reelection 62-38. D Hold.

Governor: Also no surprise, as Bumpers wins reelection 83-15. D Hold.

1972 Results: Louisiana

President: Reagan wins 54-44.

Senate: Democrat Bennett Johnson wins the open seat 53-25 with a strong independent in the race. D Hold.

1972 Results: Mississippi

President: Reagan wins 54-45.

Senate: Eastland wins reelection 59-39. D Hold.


-------------

President:

Reagan: 156
Albert: 89

Senate:

If there are no pickups in other states, Democrats will have a 58-42 Majority.

Governor:

If there are no pickups in other states, Democrats will have a 32-18 Majority.

[Attorney General, LGC Speaker, and Former PPT Dwarven Dragon]

1972 Results: Alabama

President: Reagan wins 55-44

Senate: Sparkman wins reelection 60-35. D Hold.

1972 Results: Georgia

President: In the key battleground state, it's a battle between the urban/minority areas and the rest of the state for 12 important electoral votes. This time, Reagan wins the battle by a 50-48 margin.

Senate: Sam Nunn is able to illustrate the same starpower he had in the primary in the general, winning 52-44 with a strong libertarian in the race. D Hold.

1972 Results: Tennessee

President: It is close throughout the night in the key battleground state, with Albert having a 1-2 point lead for most of it. But Reagan breaks through in the final 25% of precincts and wins the state 51-48.

Senate: Baker wins his return to the Senate by a 59-39 margin. R Hold.


1972 Results: Kentucky

President: In a state where Albert threw a late-hail mary pass in hopes of capturing its 9 electoral votes, the polls tighten in the closing days, and on election night, coal country comes in much stronger than expected for Albert, allowing him to pull off an upset win in the state by a 49.7%-48.9% margin.

Senate: With Albert winning the state at the presidential level, Huddleston enjoys a more comfortable victory than was expected, winning the open seat 52-47. D Gain!

1972 Results: Indiana

President: Reagan wins 61-38

Governor: Bowen wins the open seat 55-43. R Hold.

1972 Results: Michigan

President: Boosted by a home state advantage from his running mate George Romney, Reagan wins 52-46 in the battleground state.

Senate: Reagan's coattails allow Griffin to hang on by a 50-47 margin. R Hold.

1972 Results: Ohio

President: In a state that no republican has ever lost while winning nationally, Reagan spends a wealth of time here in the final days, and initially, it seems to be paying off, as he does at least "good enough" in the rural and swing areas. However, Albert does well enough in the late reporting precincts in the northern part of the state to earn a 50-49 victory statewide.

1972 Results: South Carolina

President: Reagan wins 54-45.

Senate: Thurmond wins 64-36. R Hold.

----------------------

President:

Reagan: 229
Albert: 123

Senate:

If there are no pickups in other states, Democrats will retain their 59-41 Majority.

Governor:

If there are no pickups in other states, Democrats will have a 32-18 Majority.


(Florida is being saved for the end.)

[Attorney General, LGC Speaker, and Former PPT Dwarven Dragon]

1972 Results: North Carolina

President: Reagan wins 53-45

Senate: In a race that the Democrats were once very confident about, the accusations of Jesse Helms being too conservative for the state never have enough effect, as he wins a 53-47 victory in the open seat. R Gain!

Governor: In a true thriller of a contest that saw multiple visits from party stalwarts on both sides in the final weeks, Bowles tries to shape himself as a true conservadem, while Holshouser does his best to shake off accusations of being "Helms-like". The race remains uncalled late into election night, with HolsHouser eventually prevailing by a 49-47 margin. R Gain!

1972 Results: Virginia

President: Reagan wins 55-43

Senate: Sen. Spong initially looked fairly safe, but William Scott proved to be a strong recruit, and won 51-46 on Reagan's coattails. R Gain!

1972 Results: West Virginia

President: Albert wins 59-40

Senate: Randolph wins 65-35. D Hold.

Governor: Moore wins 54-46. R Hold.

1972 Results: Maryland

President: Albert wins 58-41

1972 Results: Delaware

President: Albert wins 56-42

Senate: Sen. J. Caleb Boggs (R) faces a truly tough challenge against Democrat Joe Biden, who attacks the Senator as being too conservative for the democratic state. However, Boggs is able to highlight the moderate parts of his record and his disagreements with the national party. A poll released 4 days before the election shows an exact tie, but a Biden gaffe in the final days allows Boggs to hold on 50-48. R Hold.

Governor: Despite the results in the Senate contest, the Democrats are able to find success in the equally competitive governor's race, as Sherman Tribbitt defeats Incumbent Russell Peterson 49.6%-48.9%. D Gain!

1972 Results: D.C.

President: Albert wins 91-8

1972 Results: Pennsylvania

President: In another key battleground, Reagan performs "good enough" in the Philadelphia suburbs and gets the turnout he needs in the rural parts of the state. It's all up to the suburbs of Pittsburgh, which Albert does well enough in to win statewide by a razor thin 49.4%-48.7% margin.

1972 Results: New Jersey

President: In the state known in this era as a frequent republican bright spot in the northeast, the polls trend extremely tight in the final days, and no one feels comfortable as the count begins. Throughout much of the night, Reagan leads, but he does not get the margins he wants in several key areas. Reagan is left to hope that the Urban vote will not be enough to allow Albert to win. At first, the Urban results seem to give Reagan some hope. But they get more democratic as the night goes on, allowing Albert to win a 49.5%-48.6% statewide victory.

Senate: Case wins 61-38. R Hold.

1972 Results: New York

President: Albert wins 58-40

-------------

President:

Reagan: 254
Albert: 230

Senate:

If there are no pickups in other states, Democrats will have a 57-43 Majority.

Governor:

If there are no pickups in other states, Democrats will have a 32-18 Majority.

[Attorney General, LGC Speaker, and Former PPT Dwarven Dragon]

1972 Results: Connecticut

President: Albert wins 57-41

1972 Results: Rhode Island

President: Albert wins 60-39

Senate: In a race that initially looked like an opportunity for republicans but slipped away as time went on, Pell wins reelection 53-46. D Hold.

Governor: DeSimone's candidacy looked strong at the beginning of the final month, but late gaffes turned what should have been a very close race into a 52-47 victory for Democrat Phillip Noel. D Hold.

1972 Results: Massachusetts

President: Albert wins 62-37

Senate: Brooke wins 58-38. R Hold.

1972 Results: Vermont

President: Reagan wins 61-36

Senate: Stafford wins 64-32. R Hold.

Governor: In a bright spot for Democrats in the traditionally Republican state, Democrat Thomas Salmon wins a 52-45 victory over the bumbling candidacy of Republican Luther Hackett. D Gain!

1972 Results: New Hampshire

President: Reagan wins 58-40

Senate: McIntyre wins 55-43. D Hold.

Governor: In a riveting three way contest, Democrat Roger Crowley is defeated in his bid for a 2nd term, as Meldrim Thomson eeks out a 40-38-19 victory. R Gain!

1972 Results: Maine

President: Albert wins the state 54-44 and the 1st district 58-41. The 2nd district is much more of a contest, but Albert still wins it 50-47.

Senate: In a surprise result, Sen. Smith is able to hold her own throughout the night against Democrat William Hathaway, and the race goes to a recount after Smith wins the first count by .09%. After the recount, completed 2 weeks after the election, her margin expands to .21% (49.5%-49.3%) and Hathaway quickly concedes. R Hold.

------------

President:

Reagan: 261
Albert: 260

It all comes down to Florida....

Senate:

All Senate races have now been decided. Democrats will have a 57-43 Majority.

Governor:

All Gubernatorial Races have now been decided. Democrats will have a 32-18 Majority.

[Attorney General, LGC Speaker, and Former PPT Dwarven Dragon]

1972 Results: Florida

President: In a critical battleground state, both candidates spend lots of time here in the final weeks, and neither has even a shred of confidence as the count begins. The early vote is heavily urban, and Albert takes a substantial lead. But then the panhandle comes in, allowing Reagan to take a substantial lead. Then, in the final 10% of the vote, some swing areas allow Albert to take an extremely narrow lead. His lead is a mere 876 votes at the end of the count, leading to a contentious three week long recount. After the recount, his lead expands to 1,053 votes (48.87%-48.86%) and Reagan then concedes the state and the election. Carl Albert has been elected to his first full term as President of the United States!

Final Electoral Map:

Albert: 277
Reagan: 261

Due to a faithless elector in Florida, Albert's win narrows to 276-262 upon certification by congress.

National Popular Vote:

Albert: 48.7%
Reagan: 48.6%
Others: 2.7%

U.S. House Results:

Democrats: 253 Seats (-8)
Republicans: 182 Seats (+8)


Epilogue: The 1972 Presidential Election Results, while initially disappointing the republican party, would prove to be a blessing in disguise. Albert's popularity, which had been barely positive during the part of Nixon's term that he served, gradually switched to being several points underwater, fueling a Republican resurgence: In 1974, the Democrats' Senate Majority was reduced to just 53-47, their house majority was reduced to 239-196, and Republicans got a 30-20 Gubernatorial Majority. In 1976, despite his approval ratings hovering around 45%, Albert insisted on running for reelection (which he was legally allowed to do, as he had served just under 2 years of Nixon's term). Howard Baker was nominated on the republican side, and he would go on to defeat Albert, winning 330 electoral votes. Republicans also took control of the Senate, 52-48, and reduced the democrats house majority to 226-209.

As for Mr. Reagan, he finished out his term of Governor of California, which concluded in January 1975. He then launched a campaign for the Senate seat up for election in 1976, and successfully picked up the seat for the republican party. He would serve 3 terms in the Senate, refusing to run for reelection in 1994 due to health reasons.

Mr. Rockefeller would successfully run for reelection as Governor of New York in 1974. In 1976, he mounted another presidential run and once again lost the primary. He did not run for reelection in 1978 and died just a few days after leaving office due to a heart attack.

Mr. Bartlett would successfully run for another term to the job he lost in 1970, Governor of Oklahoma, in 1974. He did not run for reelection in 1978 due to a lung cancer diagnosis. He died the next year.

As Howard Baker began his inauguration speech, he pledged to, unlike Nixon, be a president of Integrity and Bipartisanship. And his party hoped he would keep that promise.

The End

[CapoteMonster]

Why did Reagan lose Florida? It was a much more conservative state back then than it is now. It almost went for Goldwater in 1964.

[Attorney General, LGC Speaker, and Former PPT Dwarven Dragon]

Why did Reagan lose Florida? It was a much more conservative state back then than it is now. It almost went for Goldwater in 1964.

Albert is from Oklahoma. I decided against having him do well throughout the south (and giving Reagan NJ/OH to even things out) because of his liberal positions on civil rights. But I wanted to give him a southern state for his final victory. I'm aware that GA/TN might have been more realistic, but I went with Florida for a good surprise and an asthetically pleasing map. Keep in mind that Albert's performance there (winning by 0.01%) still significantly underperforms Carter's RL 5.3%  win there in '76.