In 1994, Senator Ted Kennedy was narrowly defeated by moderate businessman Mitt Romney. Early polls showed a neck and neck race, and Kennedy hoped for a Hail Mary in the pre-election debate. But despite Kennedy's best efforts, Romney's strong showing in the debate put him over the hump and he beat Kennedy with 50.1% to 48.2%.

But what if Romney had turned in a poor debate performance, allowing Kennedy to take the lead and win re-election?
 
Without Romney becoming a Senator it’s highly unlikely he becomes Dubya’s running mate in 2000. Who gets that honor instead? Tom Ridge? John Danforth?
 
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Sen. Romney became the immediate front runner for the 1996 GOP presidential nomination and he did get the nomination after reversing his positions on abortion and gay rights.
That lead to President Clinton winning in a landslide with 56.7% of the popular vote and the Democrats retaking the House and narrowly the Senate.
Romney then resigned from the Senate after his defeat so that MA Gov. Weld a Republican could appoint his successor, Weld then arranged it so that he could be appointed himself which caused problems for him because he just lost his own Senate race to John Kerry.
 
Without Romney becoming a Senator it’s highly unlikely he becomes Dubya’s running mate in 2000. Who gets that honor instead? Tom Ridge? John Danforth?

Sen. Romney became the immediate front runner for the 1996 GOP presidential nomination and he did get the nomination after reversing his positions on abortion and gay rights.
That lead to President Clinton winning in a landslide with 56.7% of the popular vote and the Democrats retaking the House and narrowly the Senate.
Romney the resigned from the Senate after his defeat so that MA Gov. Weld a Republican could appoint his successor, Weld then arranged it so that he could be all himself which caused problems for him because he just lost his own Senate race to John Kerry.

OOC: It's already been established that Romney was Bush's running mate in 2000.
 
Without Romney becoming a Senator it’s highly unlikely he becomes Dubya’s running mate in 2000. Who gets that honor instead? Tom Ridge? John Danforth?

It’d probably be Tom Ridge. Bush was looking for someone more moderate to balance the ticket with his own conservative views. Romney was a perfect candidate for Bush. Many noted that Romney had a more significant influence on Bush’s views, and was able to influence policy on many levels.
 
It was the ultimate jolt of life to the New England branch of the GOP, which was already enjoying something of a golden age, with other highlights including Governor and eventual Senator Bill Weld. That's helped the GOP reign in some of the more... socially conservative branches of the party in the South and Midwest. Big Tent and 11th Commandment and all that.

I'm actually kind of shocked Teddy stayed in the Senate as long as he did - yeah, he was Jack and Bobbies brother, but he was also a literal murderer and an alcoholic. Plus, his post-Senate career as a lobbyist didn't help. Does having Teddy stay in the Senate help the Kennedy family stay relevant in politics a bit longer? As it stands, the one Kennedy whose post-Teddy political career has taken off has been the one married to Arnold Schwarzenegger.
 
It was the ultimate jolt of life to the New England branch of the GOP, which was already enjoying something of a golden age, with other highlights including Governor and eventual Senator Bill Weld. That's helped the GOP reign in some of the more... socially conservative branches of the party in the South and Midwest. Big Tent and 11th Commandment and all that.

I'm actually kind of shocked Teddy stayed in the Senate as long as he did - yeah, he was Jack and Bobbies brother, but he was also a literal murderer and an alcoholic. Plus, his post-Senate career as a lobbyist didn't help. Does having Teddy stay in the Senate help the Kennedy family stay relevant in politics a bit longer? As it stands, the one Kennedy whose post-Teddy political career has taken off has been the one married to Arnold Schwarzenegger.

To be fair to Kennedy, unlike most ex politicians his lobbying work was done on behalf of healthcare reform and disadvantaged children.
 
To be fair to Kennedy, unlike most ex-politicians his lobbying work was done on behalf of healthcare reform and disadvantaged children.

And the Entertainment industry, the Catholic Church post-sex scandals, and various Chinese industrialists... of course, after his death, it turns out he'd been seen as a useful idiot by the Soviets and the Chicoms for decades. Hell, that KGB file on him that came out in the early 90s is probably why Romney eventually beat him.
 
It was the ultimate jolt of life to the New England branch of the GOP, which was already enjoying something of a golden age, with other highlights including Governor and eventual Senator Bill Weld. That's helped the GOP reign in some of the more... socially conservative branches of the party in the South and Midwest. Big Tent and 11th Commandment and all that.

Romney did help with the eventual acceptance of more moderate Republicans in the party. New England’s Republicans saw massive gains. People like former Governor of Massachusetts and current Senator Richard Tisei, Governor Claudine Schneider and Allan Fung in Rhode Island, former Governor Bill Zeliff in New Hampshire, the list goes on.
 
Romney did help with the eventual acceptance of more moderate Republicans in the party. New England’s Republicans saw massive gains. People like former Governor of Massachusetts and current Senator Richard Tisei, Governor Claudine Schneider and Allan Fung in Rhode Island, former Governor Bill Zeliff in New Hampshire, the list goes on.

That didn't last long though. 2006 and 2008 saw the GOP get trashed in New England.

As for Romney, he was a moderating influence in Bush's administration. A more hardline VP might've convinced Bush to authorize warrantless wiretapping and/or torture in the wake of 9/11. Chief of Staff Dick Cheney clashed with Romney so often over these issues he resigned after Bush was re-elected in 2004.
 
That didn't last long though. 2006 and 2008 saw the GOP get trashed in New England.

As for Romney, he was a moderating influence in Bush's administration. A more hardline VP might've convinced Bush to authorize warrantless wiretapping and/or torture in the wake of 9/11. Chief of Staff Dick Cheney clashed with Romney so often over these issues he resigned after Bush was re-elected in 2004.

Recently, the GOP is getting back on there feet as of the last three years. 2006 and 2008 was inevitable, but it could have been worse. The slight recession towards the end of Bush’s second term did somewhat tarnish his decent approval ratings, but luckily the post-election bump every President gets was enough to help him out like his father.

Even Bush has stated that having Cheney on as Chief of Staff was a huge mistake. Romney was instrumental in persuading Bush into keeping himself from fulfilling Cheney's most macabre desires, like nearly launching an invasion of Iraq.

OOC: Is retconning the Iraq War in this timeline too much of a stretch? Can’t have it too much like OTL.
 
Recently, the GOP is getting back on there feet as of the last three years. 2006 and 2008 was inevitable, but it could have been worse. The slight recession towards the end of Bush’s second term did somewhat tarnish his decent approval ratings, but luckily the post-election bump every President gets was enough to help him out like his father.

Even Bush has stated that having Cheney on as Chief of Staff was a huge mistake. Romney was instrumental in persuading Bush into keeping himself from fulfilling Cheney's most macabre desires, like nearly launching an invasion of Iraq.

OOC: Is retconning the Iraq War in this timeline too much of a stretch? Can’t have it too much like OTL.

Cheney was weird. Iraq was doomed to fail. It was all proved unnecessary anyway when Saddam Hussein was overthrown by his own people in 2011.

As for Romney, he did his best in 2008. But it wasn't enough to overcome the Clinton/Obama ticket.
 
Cheney was weird. Iraq was doomed to fail. It was all proved unnecessary anyway when Saddam Hussein was overthrown by his own people in 2011.

As for Romney, he did his best in 2008. But it wasn't enough to overcome the Clinton/Obama ticket.

It’s a shame that he ran in 2008 and not 2012. That was the prime year for him, but he passed in favor of endorsing Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal, who capitalized on Clinton’s weaknesses and inability to legislate with Republicans to beat her.

Speaking of the President, I think he’s done a fine job. You think Vice President Mitch Daniels has a shot at winning in 2020? He just picked up the Romney endorsement, so that’s a huge boon for him. Of course, there’s other Republicans in the running.
 
Speaking of the President, I think he’s done a fine job. You think Vice President Mitch Daniels has a shot at winning in 2020? He just picked up the Romney endorsement, so that’s a huge boon for him. Of course, there’s other Republicans in the running.

Given that Jindal's approval rating is something like 35%, I wouldn't place my bets on Daniels winning in 2020.

On the Democratic side, there are plenty of strong contenders. Former VP and current Governor of Illinois Barack Obama has a good chance IMO.
 
Without Romney I wonder what happens to Donald Trump. The successful political career of his fellow businessman convinced Trump that if Romney could do it, he could too. Trump ran for and was elected Mayor of NYC in 2001, and after two terms as mayor he was elected Governor of New York in 2010. Now he's running for President in 2020. If Romney's political career doesn't get off the ground, does Trump enter politics?
 
Given that Jindal's approval rating is something like 35%, I wouldn't place my bets on Daniels winning in 2020.

On the Democratic side, there are plenty of strong contenders. Former VP and current Governor of Illinois Barack Obama has a good chance IMO.

Really? Could’ve sworn it was something higher. Either way, I think he did a good job throughout the first six years. The last two have been rougher on him, what with Supreme Court battles, his efforts to repeal ClintonCare, his efforts at diplomacy with North Korea and Iran. I think he’s done an overall good job. Although, as a Republican, I’m, admittedly, somewhat biased. XD

I’m surprised Obama might run again, given his role in a more forgettable one-term Democratic administration. Might have been why he ran for Governor of Illinois again.
 
Without Romney I wonder what happens to Donald Trump. The successful political career of his fellow businessman convinced Trump that if Romney could do it, he could too. Trump ran for and was elected Mayor of NYC in 2001, and after two terms as mayor he was elected Governor of New York in 2010. Now he's running for President in 2020. If Romney's political career doesn't get off the ground, does Trump enter politics?

Given that Romney is a Republican and Trump is a Democrat, I don't see how Trump's career is seriously impacted. But maybe if butterflies allow for Gore to defeat Bush in 2000, that could prevent Trump's narrow victory in 2001.

Personally I think the Democrats can do better than Trump in 2020. I mean, Trump's liberal policies on healthcare certainly appeal to the Democratic base. But come on, him?
 
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