What if 1992 Went Down Like This....

[DownWithTheLeft]

In early 1991, President George H.W. Bush announced that after twelve years of public service, he decided he would not run for the presidency in 1992.  This creates an open seat, to which VP Dan Qualye says he will not run.  By the time primary season comes around the candidates are as follows:

Republican:
Pat Buchanan
Alan Keyes
Steve Forbes
Bob Dole
Donald Trump

Democrats:
Paul Tsongas
Tom Harkin
Jerry Brown
Dick Gephardt
Mario Cuomo

After bitter primaries, the Republican nominates Pat Buchanan and the Democrats nominate Jerry Brown (don't ask how it happened, it just did, do not argue this point, it is not the point of the thread).

Buchanan selects Bob Dole as his running mate, Jerry Brown chooses DIck Gephardt.

Upset w/the presidential canidates saying they are too extreme, Donald Trump announces he will run under Ross Perot's reform party.  Ross Perot will be his running mate.

How does this race turn out?

My opinion:
Trump/Perot 276
Buchanan/Dole 150
Brown/Gephardt 112

What do you think?

After predicting a result, what does a president Trump do?

[Lincoln Republican]

This election provides Buchanan with the opportunity to make a legitimate claim as the best qualified candidate.

The Republican campaign is successful in perpetuating the stereotyping of Brown as "Governor Moonbeam," far out in left field, and as a big tax and spend liberal, who would drive jobs away.

Trump and Perot are successful in making major inroads, however, even with the two major parties nominating less than ideal candidates, the Reform Party still finds that it is most difficult, almost impossible, to overcome the two party system, and win a Presidential election.

This is the first election since 1912 when one of the major party candidates finishes behind a third party candidate.

Buchanan/Dole                274
Trump/Perot                    146
Brown/Gephardt              118

[True Democrat]

There was no Reform Party in 1992.  Perot ran as an Independent.  His support was focused only around him, not the movement itself.

[NewFederalist]

Can you really imagine Perot playing second fiddle to Trump or vice versa? I sure can't.

[DownWithTheLeft]

Can you really imagine Perot playing second fiddle to Trump or vice versa? I sure can't.

Perot to Trump, YES
Trump to Perot, NO

Perot wanted to change the way parties were run, Trump just wanted to be president.