George Bush v Lloyd Bentsen 1988

[afleitch]

I would have voted Bentsen and Texas would have been closer but as much as I admire the man I'm not sure if he could have won. But i'm hoping he would shift votes where they matter!

[Gustaf]

Considering that the Southern states were so distant for Dukakis, I'm not so sure...Bentes would've done better, but the closest Southern state was Lousiana, which Bush won 54-44. I'm guessing Bentsen would have picked up Illinois, for instance. Maybe he could've pulled a Clinton though. We know from experience that being from the South can have radical effects.

[Lincoln Republican]

Bentsen was slightly more appealing than Dukakis, though not much. 

With George H W Bush vs Lloyd Bentsen, the electoral map of 1988 would not have changed much at all, still resulting in a big win for Bush.

[True Democrat]

Undecided, but probably Bush/Bush

[MasterJedi]

Bush/Bush

[M]

Likely Bentsen/Bush, though I'm not positive about either half of that equation.

[Michael Z]

I wonder who Bentsen would've picked as his running mate. Al Gore perhaps, he would've given an age balance to the ticket.

[© tweed]

As for Bentsen's VP, maybe a likeable young southern governor from Arkansas (who almost ran for president in 1988) would have done the trick.

I'm going to say Bentsen/Bentsen.  It'd be a close race, but Bush was down 53-38% at one point in the campaign, which means he could have been beaten.  Dukakis was an abosolutely terrible candidate; he beat himself.

[Keystone Phil]

I really dislike Lloyd Bentsen.  Bush/Bush

[jokerman]

Bentsen wins with 318 EC votes to 220.

[Michael Z]

Bentsen wins with 318 EC votes to 220.

I think Bush might have narrowly won Texas, but that's neither here nor there really. I doubt Kentucky would've voted Dem, even for someone like Bentsen.

[WiseGuy]

Bush/Bush.  You've got to remember Reagan just got out of office and was hugely popular, and (as a result of affilliation) so was Bush.

[Democratic Hawk]

I'd have voted for Bentsen but Bush would have most likely won since it was Reagan's "third-term"

Dave

[WiseGuy]

I think this is the best case scenario for Bentsen:

[Tory]

Bush/Bush

[True Democrat]

I think this is the best case scenario for Bentsen:

Because obviously Bentsens would be able to win Oklahoma (which Carter never won) and not win Illinois, Washington, Oregon, Pennsylvania or Maryland

[True Federalist (진정한 연방 주의자)]

Bush 51% PV 300 EV
Bentsen  48% PV 238 EV

A net 4% swing to Bentsen, but perversely, it'll be concentrated in the states where the it will do hm the least good.  Minimal changes in the crucial states of Michigan and Ohio which the Dems needed if they were to win that year.

[The Duke]

Bentsen would win.  Bush won because he attacked Dukakis and succesfully discredited Dukakis.

Bentsen has no Willy Horton, no "If Kitty was murdered" moment, no joyriding in an Abrams tank.  Bentsen would not have lost his a 17 point lead the way Dukakis did.  Bentsen wins, and I don't think its too close.

[CheeseWhiz]

I really dislike Lloyd Bentsen.  Bush/Bush

^^^^

[kashifsakhan]

Bensten wins states that Dukakis did well in but still lost such as Montana and New Mexico

Bentsten wins the more traditional Democrat states such as California and Illinois, but its still a comfortable win for the Republicans

Bensten - 218
Bush - 320

[Galactic Overlord]

Louisiana might have gone for Bentsen depending on how good a candidate he would have been on his own, or if Bush did worse.  Dukakis already had won much of Cajun country, it was in every urban and suburban area outside of N.O. that he got badly beat.  Bentsen might have done better in some rural LA counties in the north, but there wasn't much more to add from traditionally Democratic areas.  Then again, Dukakis might have scared up the big suburban turnout in the first place due to the Willie Horton issue.

[Speed of Sound]

Llyod was a pretty good guy, and would have done better, but still wouldnt have won.

[Reignman]

Bentsen would win because he's not an idiot.  It's just a shame he wouldn't do the Jack Kennedy line.

[adam]

I actually think that Bentsen could have beaten HW. I wouldn't say that Bush beat Dukakis at all...but more so that Dukakis beat Dukakis. Lloyd Bentsen had more charisma that Dukakis, was a better debator than Dukakis, and most likely would have spent more time campaigning and less time governing - unlike Dukakis. It's close, but I think Bentsen 88' could have shut the door on the Republican party.

Bentsen - 51% - 300 EVs
Bush - 49% - 238 EVs

[Nym90]

Bentsen/Bentsen.

Bentsen would have been a fantastic President.