1988: back to the future

[True Democrat]

After the first round, Buchanan captured 35% of the delegates, while surprise second place finisher Kansas Senator Bob Dole got a whopping 30%.  By the seventh vote, Dole has successfully captured the nomination.  For Vice-President, Dole casts Betty Ford for Vice-President.  In order to get former Ford supporters on his side, Dole had to make this move, which was actually supproted by Gerald Ford himself.  Betty Ford has been known for her commitment to socially conservative causes and her anti-drug programs.

Meanwhile, at the Democratic convention, Carter sat idly by while he gained from the Republican confusion.  However, the first day of the convention, while watching it from his hotel room, Carter collapses.  He has had a heart attack from all the stress of the campaign, as the doctors say.  Carter lives, but he can no longer run for President.  The Democrats also have to deal with balloting issues and picking their own candidate at the convention.  Carter's VP choice comes in third on the first ballot, as she is seen as too liberal.  Instead, the delegates go with the establishment candidate and 1984 nominee, Walter Mondale.  Meanwhile, Mondale, like Dole, was also forced to appease Carter.  In order to do this, he selected Carter's son, who had been interested in politics for years, John "Jack" Carter, as VP.  Carter had been involved with a number of charitable causes.

The 1976 VP candidates are now facing off in a presidential election of their own.

So the election was set:

Mondale/Carter for the Democrats
Dole/Ford for the Republicans
Brokaw/Kirkpatrick as Independents

[True Democrat]

It is time to end this story.

No one else has come forward, so I will issue the "official" election results.

Mondale and the Democrats rallied somewhat and were able to make a better than expected showing, however, placing third.

Final results

Republican-Dole/du Pont                209
Independent-Brokaw/Kirkpatrick    178
Democrat-Mondale/Carter              151

As there is no majority, the election for President goes to the House, to choose from the top two candidates, Dole and Brokaw.  The election for Vice President goes to the Senate, to choose from the top three candidates, du Pont, Kirkpatrick and Carter.

The new House consists of 221 Democrats and 214 Republicans, with the Democrats controlling 52 state delegations and the Republicans controlling 48 state delegations.  Democrat Mondale failed to finish in the top two for President.  Therefore, the choice was between Republican Dole and Independent Brokaw.  The Democrats decided not to put a Republican in the Oval Office.  On a party line vote, the Democrats took a bold step, and a big chance, and elected politically inexperienced Tom Brokaw as President, who becomes the first third party candidate elected to the Presidency.  Republicans argued Brokaw's inexperience could lead to major problems. 

The New Senate consists of 52 Republicans and 48 Democrats.  Even most Democrats would not countenance putting Jack Carter into the Vice Presidential office, and most of them, but not all, supported Jeane Kirkpatrick for Vice President.  The other Democrats split their votes between du Pont and Carter.  With the support of the Republican majority, and with some Democratic votes, the Senate elected Republican Pete du Pont as Vice President by a substantial margin of 64 du Pont, 32 Kirkpatrick, and 4 Carter.   

Therefore, Independent President Tom Brokaw has experienced Republican Pete du Pont as Vice President for four years.  The Independent Brokaw administration will be working with a Democrat controlled House and a Republican controlled Senate.  The inexperienced new President will be treading a fine line.

One of the first things President Brokaw must now decide is how much authority and which responsibilities to give to his Vice President, Pete du Pont.   

There's a couple problems with your story.  First, the top three finishers for President go to the House, and the top two VPs go to the Senate.  Second of all, there are 50 states, not 100.