President Forever results thread...

[Mike Thick]

I played as Johnson (but didn't campaign) in a scenario where Romney ran and Trump stayed out, with a handful of candidates adjusted accordingly. Carson wound up winning the Republican nod after winning Iowa but losing South Carolina and New Hampshire to Kasich and Nevada to Cruz. Romney won a handful of states, including Georgia, Cruz won Texas, Oklahoma, and Massachusetts, and Kasich won only Ohio. Meanwhile, Clinton won every state and cruised to the nomination. Carson picked Tim Pawlenty as his veep, and Clinton picked O'Malley. Ultimately, it was the most lopsided landslide I've ever seen in the game.

Hillary Clinton/Martin O'Malley: 74.5%, 538 EVs
Ben Carson/Tim Pawlenty: 24.5%, 0 EVs
Gary Johnson/Jim Gray: 1%, 0 EVs
Carson's best state was Kansas, where Clinton won only [sic] 55% of the vote. Clinton nearly broke 90% in Massachusetts, and Carson nearly fell below 3% in D.C.. Although I didn't campaign, I won about 11% in New Mexico, which is probably why Clinton was under 70% in the state. The downballot stuff for Republicans must have been mind-bogglingly awful: it's hard to imagine them holding more than a handful of House and Senate seats in such a crushing defeat.

I played this for a while a few months ago, and took a break. It was weird then. It's far weirder now.

[Mike Thick]

So, in the 2012 scenario I turned Christie and Clinton on and let the computer do the work. It ended up being a heavily contested primary between Romney, Christie, and Gingrich all the way through. Christie took Iowa, Gingrich New Hampshire and Nevada, Paul South Carolina (for whatever reason), and Romney Florida. A few months out, it looked like there would be a brokered convention. However, Gingrich dropped out and endorsed Christie just before the end of the primary season, giving him just enough delegates to go over the line. He picked Bob McDonnell as his running mate.

Clinton led Obama in a few southern states and Nevada, but momentum from wins in New Hampshire and Iowa gave him a narrow win in the Silver State, and he easily won renomination.

Christie started the general in a deep hole (presumably due to the contentious primary) and I was surprised to see him trailing Obama in several Southern and Southwestern states. He did relatively well in the debates, but it wasn't enough.

President Barack Obama/Vice President Joe Biden: 56.9%, 379 EVs
New Jersey Governor Chris Christie/Virginia Governor Bob McDonnell: 41.6%, 159 EVs
Former New Mexico Governor Gary Johnson/Mr. Jim Gray: 1.2%, 0 EVs

I won't include percentages by state, but Obama won about 90% in Tennessee and Christie won about 70% in Florida. A last-minute momentum surge game Christie New Jersey and Wisconsin, but he still lost in a landslide/near landslide. Obama also cane within a few thousandvotes of winning Georgia. My best state was, strangely, North Carolina, where I got 2% to Christie's 13% and Obama's 85%.

[Mike Thick]

Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton/Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren: 50% PV, 297 EVs
Former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin/Dr. Ben Carson: 49.7% PV, 241 EVs

Maine was the closest state, being decided by about 4,000 votes. Indiana was a surprise, as polls showed Palin leading there up until election day.

[Mike Thick]

Ted Cruz/Tim Scott: 69.9% PV, 195 EVs
Joe Biden/Hillary Clinton: 25.2% PV, 30 EVs
Gary Johnson/Jesse Ventura: 4.9% PV, 13 EVs

Observed as Johnson.

Cruz beat Romney, Pence, Carson, and Haley in the primaries comfortably. Biden beat O'Malley by a similar margin. Cruz picked Tim Scott as his VP, while Biden picked... Hillary Clinton.

Cruz started with a 538-0 lead and never totally relinquished it: going in, I expected him to carry every state and D.C. In the end, though, Biden surged, and managed to snag a whole quarter of the PV. Despite not campaigning at all, I managed to narrowly win Virginia (with 38%) and come within striking distance of Cruz in Oregon, even though I failed to hit 5% in the PV.