2002 midterms under President Al Gore

[Sir Mohamed]

Al Gore wins the 2000 election and becomes prez in January 2001. 9/11 still happens and he invades Afghanistan, but no plans to go into Iraq. Would the 2002 midterms have been a pro-incumbent prez rally-around-the-flag election as under W, or benefits the GOP from fear over national security? The 2000 congressional elections are the same as actual, just for the record.

[darklordoftech]

Could depend on how Gore handles Tora Bora.

[brucejoel99]

It's not hard to imagine that the Republican Congress wouldn't be as lenient on Gore as Tom Daschle & Dick Gephardt were toward Bush, so I think there'd be a political effort to somehow blame Gore for 9/11, but I still think that the Democrats would gain seats as the American people would rally to their banner in the aftermath of 9/11, though who knows if it'd be enough for the majority/majorities.

[TheElectoralBoobyPrize]

I think Democrats would do even worse in the Senate races due to having so many incumbents in red states up....they would be under more pressure with Gore in the White House.

I think Republican gains in the House are the same as in real life actually.

[Mr. Smith]

No change. Perhaps Mondale and Carnahan join Pryor, but that could be offset by Rockefeller and Landrieu going down in defeat.


The Faux News Machine was already there even then as a juggernaut. They'd blame Gore for 9/11 like it's Jimmy Carter and the Iran situation again. Not to mention all the alienated red states because of the environmental changes [which takes out Rockefeller].

[dw93]

2002 under Gore would be similar to 1990 under George HW Bush. The party out of the White House makes slight gains in both houses.

[😥]

D gain: AR, MN
D hold: MO
R gain: SD

D+1