MA-Senate 1996, Weld v. Kerry

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This race was pretty much THE RACE in 1996.  Weld held a lead into mid-September, but Kerry made a comback, won the debates, and won the election 54-45% (with the help of Bill Clinton).

I'd probably have voted for Bill Weld.  I absolutely love the guy, and I'm lukewarm-at-best about Kerry.

The real reason I made this poll is, to ask this question, which I think is an mind-twister and...well, you get the idea.  Here it is.

If Bill Weld defeated John Kerry in the 1996 Massachusetts Senate race, would a Democratic candidate have won the 2004 Presidential election?

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Edwards. 

The Dean vs Kerry battle in the 2004 primaries would have turned into an Edwards vs Dean battle.  The only thing that held Edwards back in 2004 was his lack of media attention.  No one really paid attention to him until the De Moines Register endorsed his candidacy.

And Edwards, had he picken a good foreign policy expert VP like Clark, would have done very well.  He would have paid more attention to economics and brought Ohio at least to the Democratic column though perhaps lost New Hampshire.

Nah, can't go with Clark...an Edwards/Clark ticket has a total of 1 (!) electoral victories under their belts.  It'd be Biden or Bob Graham.