The Cause Endures: Kennedy vs. Reagan(1984)

[Historico]

So What If Edward M. Kennedy followed the playbook of then President Reagan, following a tought primary/convention floor fight against a sitting President decides to run again in following presidential election? His concession speech at the Democratic Convention in 1980 is now considered to have be one of,if not the best speech of his career but what if he decided to follow up on the promises made within it.

Now let's say he spends the years following the '80 election much like Reagan did following the '76 election consolidating his base and sowing up the wounds of his divisive campaign. After declaring his candidacy in early in 1983, which convinces Mondale not to run in an increasingly crowded playing field battles it out with Gary Hart and Rev Jesse Jackson for the nomination to clinch the nomination.

Getting him the nomination is the easy part, having him win the General is the really hard part...So does the Liberal Lion follow a path simmiliar to OTL Mondale and choose a Woman/Minority to be his running mate(Dianne Feinstein, Martha Layne Collins,Tom Bradley, Henry Ciseneros and Andrew Young are all sound choices IMO) or would he try to balace the ticket by selecting someone like Lloyd Bentsen, John Glenn, Dale Bumpers, Bob Grahm or even Gary Hart?

After we could find him a solid Running Mate, what kind of General Campaign would Teddy run? Could he outperform Reagan in the debates? Will the Morning Again in America win out against a return to Camelot? Plus the youth and inexpierence line really wouldn't stick to the 52 year old, 5 term Senator lol. But Reagan would undoubtdly bring up Chappaquidick, the women and the booze. Finally what might the electoral picture differ from OTL? And what would be some potential longer lasting effects with Kennedy as the Democratic Nominee in 1984? Please discuss

[bhouston79]

Kennedy picks San Antonio Mayor, Cisneros as his running mate.  The election is closer than it was in real life, and at times it looks as though election night may be a barn burner.  But in the end Reagan still wins comfortably.  Here's the result:

Electoral Vote
Reagan/Bush          354
Kennedy/Cisneros  184

Popular Vote
Reagan/Bush         53.4%
Kennedy/Cisneros 45.9%
Other                       0.7%

After running a liberal from Massachussets in 1984 and failing, the Democrats opt not do make the same mistake twice.  As a result, a moderate Southern Senator from Tennessee named Al Gore wins the nomination.  He chooses fellow Southernor, Lloyd Bentsen to round out his ticket.  Gore/Bensten win a very close election.  Here are the results:

Electoral Vote

Gore/Bentsen   290
Bush/Quayle     248

Popular Vote

Gore/Bentsen   49.9%
Bush/Quayle     49.1%
Other                  1.0%