Could Mitt Romney have won Ted Kennedy`s seat

Fabilius

When he ran back in the 90s, think it was 92. (Edit: no it is 94 like was pointed out)

Now, it might be impossible, Romney doesn`t have much of a name, he is not a supereffective campaigner and the only way to win would be if something disastrous happened to Ted. (No I don`t mean death... I`m thinking more like a major scandal).

If Romney beat a Kennedy he`d become a hero to many in the republican base me thinks and knowing him he`d probably run in the primaries for the 96 election.

Maybe not winning but who knows come 2000.

Anyway, is this possible or not?
 
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Æsir

It was '94, the year of the "Republican Revolution". 1996 I would think would be too early for him, but he could be a dark horse contender in 2000, or, if Gore wins that year, in 2004. He might also be a potential VP pick for whoever wins the primaries in 1996 or 2000, being a moderate who had proven able to defeat a liberal legend in a heavily Democratic state. Although, there is the question of if he wins reelection in 2000. Who would the Democrats run against him? Does another Kennedy try for it? I kind of doubt Teddy tries to take back the seat.
 

Fabilius

Æsir said:
It was '94, the year of the "Republican Revolution". 1996 I would think would be too early for him, but he could be a dark horse contender in 2000, .
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Yeah, I guess Obama was really the exception, you`d normally have to spend a few years in the senate at least.

If Romney was a VP pick in 1996 then he might not even bother running again for the senate and just focus on a presidential campaign.

It`d be a negative campaign of epic proportions, Romney machine vs. Bush, Dick and Rove.
 
MasterSanders

MasterSanders

I think Romney had a miniscule chance, but a chance nonetheless. He seemed to believe so as well based on his campaign as a serious moderate rather than a die hard conservative running to prove a point.
 

thekingsguard

Make it in 1994, with the republican revolution in full swing, and toss in a big Ted Kennedy scandal, which there was no shortage of, and Romney could win.
 
The Kiat

The Kiat

Funny. I could have sworn those seats in the Senate belonged to Massachussets and were not the explicit property of the Kennedys. I'm not adding anything to the conversation, but it is not his seat, even if his rump was in it for longer than I've lived.
 

Fabilius

The Kiat said:
Funny. I could have sworn those seats in the Senate belonged to Massachussets and were not the explicit property of the Kennedys. I'm not adding anything to the conversation, but it is not his seat, even if his rump was in it for longer than I've lived.
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I think senate seats are often referred to in this manner. I`m not implying any ownership...
 
Meadow

Meadow

Fabilius said:
I think senate seats are often referred to in this manner. I`m not implying any ownership...
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Kiat likes to remind everyone that Scott Brown won some kind of 'election' there a while ago. It takes his mind off the fact he's going to lose the next one.
 
V-J

V-J

If he moves to the right in preparation for a 2000 run for the presidency, then he gets well, well beaten by Bush in the GOP primaries, and nigh-on certainly loses his seat in November in what was a very good year for the Democrats.

Assuming he defines himself as a New England moderate at least for his first term (Maybe he then runs for Governor in 2002 from the Senate, or simply moves to the right and retires in 2006 for his big shot in '08) in readiness for 2000, then he is still saddled with the same sort of RINO baggage as OTL. He may even still lose his seat in 2000 anyway, though. 2000 was a damn tough year for Senate Republicans, he's not going to get a free pass for a second term.
 
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Fabilius

I was musing earlier today about Rove as Romney campaign manager.

It is not as implausible as one´d think. Rove was raised in Utah and went to university there as well.

A slightly different career in the republican party could make them cross paths.
 
Ariosto

Ariosto

jmill said:
Actually he is up in the latest polls
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No, he's down by five, but when you recalculate it to represent the affiliation of the state he is tied. The Limbaugh Scandal and the Blunt Amendment have erased his lead for the time being.
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RogueBeaver

RogueBeaver

Back OT: Romney has to oppo-research himself WRT Bain layoffs. He also has to go negative like he's doing now- and there's plenty of stuff that can be used. When the Kennedys are forced on the defensive they'll wage a scorched-earth Blitzkrieg of the sort Romney's doing right now. The hard part is convincing Romney to do the same.
 

GrandpaTanaka

The Kiat said:
Funny. I could have sworn those seats in the Senate belonged to Massachussets and were not the explicit property of the Kennedys. I'm not adding anything to the conversation, but it is not his seat, even if his rump was in it for longer than I've lived.
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You're not from Massachusetts I take it?

That seat did belong to Teddy. There is a legal statute in the heart of all Massholes that the Kennedys have the right to any office they run for. They may also do anything they please.

But seriously, it wasn't going to anyone else until he died. Even a major scandal would not have changed that. Teddy was no stranger to scandal and although it made him unelectable nationally, he was/is still loved in the bay state.
 
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