2004 GOP primaries and presidential election if Gore wins in 2000?

oberdada

Gone Fishin'
Bush could run again, Gore didn't OTL, but if there is a strong feeling among republicans that the electio got stolen, it is a possibility...
 
Bush could run again, Gore didn't OTL, but if there is a strong feeling among republicans that the electio got stolen, it is a possibility...

Possibly, though Bush had a lot of negatives by election time. What he'd do as Governor of Texas until 2002 would also be good for speculation. I am not sure where there's be a feeling of a stolen election if Bush won Florida, but lost New Hampshire. There might be some resentment towards Buchanan who could be seen as preventing Bush from winning Wisconsin, Iowa, and New Mexico.
 
Bush could run again, Gore didn't OTL, but if there is a strong feeling among republicans that the electio got stolen, it is a possibility...
The Bushes would stink of defeat at this point, losing two Presidential elections in eight years. Plus, if George Dubya lost 2000, I think they'd start getting Jeb! ready for 2008 or 2012. Gore would run against a non Bush in 2004.
 
My gut tells me it'd be McCain versus someone conservative, obviously, but someone who would run despite the overwhelming tradition and undoubtedly the polling that would back McCain's bid. As much as I think Santorum would run, I think, as a few others have stated, Mike Huckabee would be the more obvious conservative challenger. Christian conservatives love the guy, he even beat George W. Bush in one of their straw-polls back in '98. By 2003, which would be the ideal time to announce, he'd of been governor for 7ish years. Plus he's got that folksy charm (At least according to some people). Fred Thompson could certainly run, but he served as the national co-chairman of McCain's failed 2000 bid. Obviously this didn't stop him from running in 2008, but with McCain the obvious heir apparent he'd probably avoid running, maybe even try and get a spot on the ticket.

McCain/Thompson has some problems, and it might not satisfy some conservatives, but it would certainly make for an interesting ticket.
 
(especially since there would presumably be plenty of pictures/quotes of him and Gore working together after the attacks).

I believe this is a reference to Christie/Sandy. I'd like to point out that pre-Tea Party, the image of a governor/mayor working with a president of the opposite party post-disaster would not at all be an issue.
 

Minty_Fresh

Banned
NO because Gore (that was elected democratically over the EVVVVIL Bush family ITTL) will destroy the GOP and abolish the UN-democratic electoral college and end global warming and terrorism

/s

In reality, I can see Giuliani, McCain, Huckabee, Jeb Bush and Dick Lugar running. Dick Cheney and Elizabeth Dole might also run, but I aint counting on it. Keyes may run again. If Giuliani was nominated he may win, as the mayor of a city that was hit during 9/11 could be a beneficial factor. If Bin Laden releases the same video, this time mocking Gore, Gore could win as Bush did.
Dick Cheney was not going to run for President. He could not do retail politics for his life and largely disdained the symbolic nature of the office. Huckabee and McCain could both run as the mavericky populist type on economic issues, but Huckabee's social conservatism with the 2004 electorate gives him a leg up. That leaves room for a candidate from the fiscal side of the conservative movement, who likely also has to be seen as tough on foreign policy and terror. Mike Pence wouldn't be an awful pick in that regard, nor would Lindsey Graham.
 

Minty_Fresh

Banned
The Bushes would stink of defeat at this point, losing two Presidential elections in eight years. Plus, if George Dubya lost 2000, I think they'd start getting Jeb! ready for 2008 or 2012. Gore would run against a non Bush in 2004.
Maybe, but nobody else in the party of the time that I can think of could mobilize the big donors and Focus on the Family type Evangelicals at the same time, and the Bush family would have had a cadre of party loyalists to form another campaign around. George would need a strong second term in Texas, which he was on pace to do, based off of their economic performance, and his ability to form ties to the Latino community only grew over time as governor. Bush in 2004 might have the stench of defeat around him, but could he win the primaries?

Now, he might have some issues with 2004 being a foreign policy and terrorism year most likely.
 
Lincoln Chafee might run trying to take the party in a new direction (obviously miserably failing).
 
Maybe, but nobody else in the party of the time that I can think of could mobilize the big donors and Focus on the Family type Evangelicals at the same time, and the Bush family would have had a cadre of party loyalists to form another campaign around. George would need a strong second term in Texas, which he was on pace to do, based off of their economic performance, and his ability to form ties to the Latino community only grew over time as governor. Bush in 2004 might have the stench of defeat around him, but could he win the primaries?

Now, he might have some issues with 2004 being a foreign policy and terrorism year most likely.

The whole Foreign Policy thing is why I don't think he would get it, or at least would really struggle to. You could argue that 2004 OTL being a foreign policy and 9/11 election kept Gore from launching a rematch. McCain would certainly balance the ticket with a fiscal or social conservative and even if he didn't, after 12 years of Clinton/Gore, the GOP would vote for just about any Republican.
 
Also worth remembering: if the the timeline is roughly consistent (and I don't see why butterflies would affect this), Massachusetts just became the first state to legalize gay marriage with a 2003 court case. If that happens ITTL, expect social conservatives to get an even bigger shot in the arm, and for it to be a significant issue in the Republican primaries.
 
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