2012 Rick Santorum vs 2004 John Edwards

[Andrew Yang 2024]

No scandals for Edwards. Who wins? Also pick the VPs. 2012 demographics too.

[brucejoel99]

No scandals? Then the correct & only answer is obviously Edwards. Maybe Obama would be his VP.

[HisGrace]

These threads don't make any sense. Candidates don't exist in a vacuum. The year someone is running and the conditions of that year have a lot to do with whether they win or lose, not just their positions and personal qualities.

[Some of My Best Friends Are Gay]

A moderate, somewhat charismatic white guy from the South would mop the floor with a radical social conservative like Santorum. Edwards might win the PV by double digits.

[terp40hitch]

This scenario would probably be President Edwards, elected in 2008. Edwards would have Senator Barack Obama be VP and Edwards/Obama would be running for reelection. Rick Santorum would have won the primary by an easier but still close win in Iowa then a win in South Carolina. That would knock out Gingrich and a strong southern/midwestern campaign knocks Romney out of the running a few weeks after Super Tuesday with Paul just winning around 10-20% of the vote in each state. Santorum chooses Tim Pawlenty to win over moderates and establishment figures that still were angry with Romney's primary lose

Edwards: 341
Santorum: 197

Santorum wins Evangicals easily which helps in Iowa, Missouri, and Indiana flipping two states Edwards and his neo-populism won in 2008. Santorum is unable to win moderates over even as Pawlenty has a strong appeal. Obama strengths Edward with African-Americans which helps keep Virginia and North Carolina.

[Andrew Yang 2024]

That's exactly how it would go. Good job!