AHC/WI: John McCain runs as an Independent in 2000?

2000 if McCain ran on the Reform Ticket:

Al Gore (Democratic): 383 (48%)
George W. Bush (Republican): 155 (37%)
John McCain (Reform): 0 (10%)



genusmap.php

From the Alternate Electoral Maps page. I would have thought even with 10% nationwide, McCain could at least get Arizona, or even a faithless elector.
 

McCain can't run outside of the Reform Party; to many state ballots would have been closed to him by the end of March (California notably), while the Reform Party maintained its status in virtually all the states. Pat Buchanan is in the same pickle, with Philips already the Constitution Party nominee.

If he was running on an Independent campaign, the chances of McCain trying to split a deal with Buchanan would be even smaller than if he'd run normally I'd guess? As in there's no way in hell he'd offer him the VP slot, or Sec of State, but maybe something like promising to abolish a department, like the Dept of Health/Energy, or put a Buchanan loyalist in a relatively high position?
 
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