The 1974 Presidential Election

[The Duke]

We are in bizarro world.  Presidential elections still happen every four years, but the cycle is moved up two years starting in 1974.  In 1974 Gerald Ford faces Jimmy Carter in the midst of Watergate with Nixon term limited and under investigation, but still in office as the campaign begins.

How does Watergate figure into the election?  Does Nixon still resign in August of '74?  Does Ronald Reagan overtake Ford in the Republican Primaries?  Who wins the general?

This is the first in a series.

[Adlai Stevenson]

Interesting.  I suppose one would have to start with an election in 1790 and continue until the present day.  Otherwise its impossible for us to know who won or what history is like.  I suppose that Roosevelt runs in 1930 a year after the Great Depression and defeats Hoover more narrowly, his period in office is now 1931-45; Truman doesn't have enough time and loses to Dewey in a great year for the Republicans.  From then on?

[The Duke]

Interesting.  I suppose one would have to start with an election in 1790 and continue until the present day.  Otherwise its impossible for us to know who won or what history is like.  I suppose that Roosevelt runs in 1930 a year after the Great Depression and defeats Hoover more narrowly, his period in office is now 1931-45; Truman doesn't have enough time and loses to Dewey in a great year for the Republicans.  From then on?

No, just the 1974 election is moved up two years.  Everything else is the same.

As you said, it would be too open ended to have this start in 1790.

[afleitch]

Nixon's resignation is even more fresh in the mind than it was in 1976, we would probably see a bigger Carter victory. If elections were held every 4 years afterwards...

1978- Carter v Reagan - Carter wins (No Iran)
1982- Mondale v Bush - Bush wins (and is more centrist than he was under Bush)
1986- Bush v ? - This would be interesting, would the Contra scandal have taken place and surfaced?

EDIT: Just seen other polls posted relating to future elections!

[Peter]

Interesting.  I suppose one would have to start with an election in 1790 and continue until the present day.  Otherwise its impossible for us to know who won or what history is like.  I suppose that Roosevelt runs in 1930 a year after the Great Depression and defeats Hoover more narrowly, his period in office is now 1931-45; Truman doesn't have enough time and loses to Dewey in a great year for the Republicans.  From then on?

No, just the 1974 election is moved up two years.  Everything else is the same.

There are several theories as to how this could have happened. These have come about as a result of the famous timeshift in The West Wing which sees Josiah Bartlet first elected in 1998 and re-elected in 2002.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timeline_skew_theories_for_The_West_Wing