One of the forgotten (except by Iowans of sufficient age...) figures of 1970's and 1980's politics: Iowa's long-serving very popular moderate Republican Governor Robert Ray, who died a few months ago. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_D._Ray Any way to get him on a national GOP ticket? (Almost certainly this would be as VP, not president, but once elected he's "a heartbeat away" etc.)
Two possibilities: (1) Ford chooses him to replace Nelson Rockefeller as his running mate in 1976. Arguably he could help the ticket more than Dole (whose talk about "Democrat wars" was probably not helpful among swing voters). And Iowa was a swing state, as were nearby Illinois and Wisconsin and Missouri.
(2) Reagan (or if he is nominated Bush) chooses Ray as his running mate in 1980 to appeal to midwestern farmers (who were angry over the grain embargo) and moderates.
"As the 1980 Iowa caucuses approached, political campaigns courted him heavily for an endorsement in the first-in-the-nation contest.
"“Every day there was either a candidate or somebody from a campaign wanting time with the governor to discuss an endorsement,” said Oman, Ray’s chief of staff. “He listened to them all, and he considered some of them.”
"Ray no longer had the perceived weakness in foreign affairs that led Ford to pass him over for Dole for the vice presidential nod in 1976.
"Ray’s work with refugees had made him a national spokesman on the issue, and he had traveled extensively abroad to promote Iowa exports, including stops in China and the Soviet Union in the summer of 1979.
"While Ray never openly ruled out a White House run, he also never said he wanted national office. And when the 1980 caucuses arrived, he remained neutral, refusing to endorse anyone before the voting.
"After the caucuses, Ray endorsed U.S. Senate leader Howard Baker, a moderate Republican from Tennessee with a reputation for compromise so renowned that he was known as the “Great Conciliator.”
"George H.W. Bush won the Republican Iowa caucuses and ultimately became the vice presidential running mate of future President Ronald Reagan.
"“Some people believe Ray could have been Bush’s vice presidential nominee, but I think Bob Ray just liked being governor of Iowa,” said Yepsen, the political reporter. .." https://www.desmoinesregister.com/s...ApbmL19ZItVKgaOJXdraLnh-hCTrVqY477JLQPUfJZCLQ
Two possibilities: (1) Ford chooses him to replace Nelson Rockefeller as his running mate in 1976. Arguably he could help the ticket more than Dole (whose talk about "Democrat wars" was probably not helpful among swing voters). And Iowa was a swing state, as were nearby Illinois and Wisconsin and Missouri.
(2) Reagan (or if he is nominated Bush) chooses Ray as his running mate in 1980 to appeal to midwestern farmers (who were angry over the grain embargo) and moderates.
"As the 1980 Iowa caucuses approached, political campaigns courted him heavily for an endorsement in the first-in-the-nation contest.
"“Every day there was either a candidate or somebody from a campaign wanting time with the governor to discuss an endorsement,” said Oman, Ray’s chief of staff. “He listened to them all, and he considered some of them.”
"Ray no longer had the perceived weakness in foreign affairs that led Ford to pass him over for Dole for the vice presidential nod in 1976.
"Ray’s work with refugees had made him a national spokesman on the issue, and he had traveled extensively abroad to promote Iowa exports, including stops in China and the Soviet Union in the summer of 1979.
"While Ray never openly ruled out a White House run, he also never said he wanted national office. And when the 1980 caucuses arrived, he remained neutral, refusing to endorse anyone before the voting.
"After the caucuses, Ray endorsed U.S. Senate leader Howard Baker, a moderate Republican from Tennessee with a reputation for compromise so renowned that he was known as the “Great Conciliator.”
"George H.W. Bush won the Republican Iowa caucuses and ultimately became the vice presidential running mate of future President Ronald Reagan.
"“Some people believe Ray could have been Bush’s vice presidential nominee, but I think Bob Ray just liked being governor of Iowa,” said Yepsen, the political reporter. .." https://www.desmoinesregister.com/s...ApbmL19ZItVKgaOJXdraLnh-hCTrVqY477JLQPUfJZCLQ
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