A much closer contest in this scenario.
Bentsen is well respected and comes across as much more capable executive material than does Dukakis. Being from Texas, and highy thought of, Bentsen is able to pull off some victories in the south, and to win more traditional Democraic states.
Election night proves to be a nail biter for both sides.
New York, with their major prize of 36 electoral votes, wavers back and forth all evening between Baker and Bentsen, with Kemp given the credit for the Republican's strong showing in that state. Party loyalty, however, out does a favorite son on the Republican ticket, and New York is called for Bentsen at 2:48 A.M. by a marjin of just 52,000, out of almost 7,000,000 votes cast, with 100% of precints reporting.
In California, President Reagan makes some campaign swings with Baker in the state, and Baker wins the biggest electoral state prize of all, by a margin of 300,000, out of over 9,000,000 votes cast.
Most of the northeast stays loyal to their Democratic traditions, the south and midwest are split, and the western Republican bastion remains solidly in GOP hands.
After having come off four years of a very popular administration, and with a very popular Republican President leaving office, Baker campaigns on the platform of continuing the work begun by Reagan. Baker is likeable and well thought of by supporters of both parties.
The election of Howard Henry Baker Jr. as the fourty first President of the United States is called by the networks at 4:27 A.M.
In the end, America opts to stay with the Republican administratiion to continue the work begun by Reagan.
Baker wins.
Instead of Republican 525, Democrat 13, results are
Baker/Kemp 276
Bentsen/Biden 262
Poll
