Reagan Wins Minnesota in 1984

wilcoxchar · Mar 21, 2013

Reagan was 3,000 votes away from winning Minnesota. If he did, he would have become the first person to win every single state by popular vote in the election. Would this have any lasting changes?

Johnrankins · Mar 21, 2013

Mondale would feel even more humiliated than OTL.

wargamer6 · Mar 21, 2013

Other than doing something that even FDR couldn't do, nope.

Sanderford · Mar 21, 2013

Except for winning Walter Mondale the record of being the only U.S. national to lose an election in every single State much more rapidly than in OTL? Nope. Can't think of anything.

JVM · Mar 21, 2013

Somebody in the electoral college votes for Mondale anyway and basically repeats the myth of Monroe's re-election: changes their vote to keep Washington from losing his record.

KorgusCyborgus · Mar 21, 2013

It wouldn't be a complete electoral vote whitewash, Mondale still won DC.

Sanderford · Mar 21, 2013

KorgusCyborgus said:
It wouldn't be a complete electoral vote whitewash, Mondale still won DC.

Yes, but even though he would have still won the District of Columbia, his opponent would still have become the only man to win in every State in a single General Election.

Dathi THorfinnsson · Mar 23, 2013

wilcoxchar said:
Reagan was 3,000 votes away from winning Minnesota. If he did, he would have become the first person to win every single state by popular vote in the election. Would this have any lasting changes?

First? What state did washington lose? None, apparently. Seems to have swept the electoral college.

Also, see the comment above about Monroe's second election

Well · Mar 23, 2013

Dathi THorfinnsson said:
First? What state did washington lose? None, apparently. Seems to have swept the electoral college.

Also, see the comment above about Monroe's second election

I think the operative phrase was 'by popular vote': most of Washington's electors were appointed by state governments, not popularly elected.

Dathi THorfinnsson · Mar 24, 2013

Well said:
I think the operative phrase was 'by popular vote': most of Washington's electors were appointed by state governments, not popularly elected.

Oops. You are, of course, right. I had totally forgotten that. Wow. So, in theory, states could leave the selection of their electors up to left handed dog catchers, and that would be legal? ????

Kidblast · Mar 24, 2013

Dathi THorfinnsson said:
Oops. You are, of course, right. I had totally forgotten that. Wow. So, in theory, states could leave the selection of their electors up to left handed dog catchers, and that would be legal? ????

Yes. (Filler)

adam888 · Mar 24, 2013

A more interesting question would be what if the Iran Contra scandal had come to light prior to the 1984 election.

JVM · Mar 24, 2013

adam888 said:
A more interesting question would be what if the Iran Contra scandal had come to light prior to the 1984 election.

Probably nothing would change, except maybe Massachusetts.

Plumber · Mar 24, 2013

Kidblast said:
Yes. (Filler)

Mhm, there's no right to vote for President in the Constitution.