The Campaign Trail Game Has Returned.

[Orangemann]

Anyone find it impossible to win 2012 as Romney?

I don't remember how I did it because the game is from late October last year, but I got 305 evs and won popular as Romney.

American History USA

Click to see the Electoral College map from my game, and then try it yourself!

www.americanhistoryusa.com

 

[Reef]

Anyone find it impossible to win 2012 as Romney?

Decided to test your hypothesis because I remember winning big as Romney before by trending fairly centrist with the occasional populist answer to pander to the base. Ended up losing, with OTL+Ohio. Narrowed the PV margin to less than a percent though.

American History USA

Click to see the Electoral College map from my game, and then try it yourself!

www.americanhistoryusa.com

 

[Bomster]

Yeah, it's one of the most difficult elections to win. The trouble is that it's hard enough to win both Ohio and Florida, but even if you can do that, it's still not enough. Romney's 2012 total + Ohio and Florida only gets you to 253 electoral votes so you need another big state too. Pennsylvania is your best bet, but you can't afford to run too far to the right or you won't win it.

Here's the best Romney victory I managed on Normal mode. I got a few lucky answers that helped me narrowly win the popular vote and carry Colorado and Virginia. But Pennsylvania is the place to focus your attentions - I have managed a couple of times to win it by very narrow margins and eke out a 273-electoral-vote win. In this game I picked Portman as my running mate and generally ran as a conciliatory moderate, avoiding the most aggressively right-wing answers, but also throwing a bone or two to the right by taking a hard line on Cuba and supporting Arizona's immigration enforcement.

https://www.americanhistoryusa.com/campaign-trail/game/1646845

Honestly winning as Romney isn't that difficult once you've done it enough. Even with Paul Ryan, simply running a moderate Republican with occasional red meat campaign while focusing on the rust belt can earn you a hefty win:

American History USA

Click to see the Electoral College map from my game, and then try it yourself!

www.americanhistoryusa.com

 

[Corocora]

Moderate Romney 2012 is doable in Impossible, too - although the Electoral College was a close call (272-266), and lost the PV by a very slim margin too (49.50% - 49.56%).
Looking back at it, traveling more to VA and less to OH could've made it a 285-253 win, but past that it's hard to see more room to grow. A different set of questions could do the +300 EVs trick though.

American History USA

Click to see the Electoral College map from my game, and then try it yourself!

www.americanhistoryusa.com

 

[Justaperson]

2016a Trump is very hard.

 

[TimTurner]

is it possible to win Mississippi in 2012, playing as Obama on Easy difficulty?

 

[Deleted member 141906]

is it possible to win Mississippi in 2012, playing as Obama on Easy difficulty?

I won Indiana and Missouri and Georgia as Obama/Clinton, and I was pretty moderate.

 

[TimTurner]

I won Indiana and Missouri and Georgia as Obama/Clinton, and I was pretty moderate.

American History USA

Click to see the Electoral College map from my game, and then try it yourself!

www.americanhistoryusa.com

This is an effort at Obama/Biden, from me just now. I came within 4 points and 50,000 votes of taking Mississippi.
I was told "You have done better than approximately 67.1% of the games that have been played with your candidate and difficulty level."
I was quite moderate overall. I spent literally the entire campaign in Mississippi.

 

[Justaperson]

Is there a way to look at the code and find the best VP candidate?

 

[Intergallactic]

American History USA

Click to see the Electoral College map from my game, and then try it yourself!

www.americanhistoryusa.com

managed to re-enact 2000 but with a different VP

 

[Banghogs]

Sure. You can do it either in Chrome or in Firefox (possibly in other browsers too but I haven't checked). Right-click anywhere on the page in the loading screen of the Campaign Trail game. Then click the menu option 'Inspect' (in Chrome) or 'Inspect element' (in Firefox). A window should open at the right of the screen (on Chrome) or at the bottom of the screen (in Firefox). Click the option where it says 'console.' Then paste in the following string into the console (apologies for how long it is) and hit enter:

Spoiler

campaignTrail_temp.running_mate_json = JSON.parse("[{\"fields\": {\"running_mate\": 90, \"candidate\": 80}, \"pk\": 57, \"model\": \"campaign_trail.running_mate\"}, {\"fields\": {\"running_mate\": 120, \"candidate\": 116}, \"pk\": 76, \"model\": \"campaign_trail.running_mate\"}, {\"fields\": {\"running_mate\": 177, \"candidate\": 167}, \"pk\": 115, \"model\": \"campaign_trail.running_mate\"}, {\"fields\": {\"running_mate\": 38, \"candidate\": 18}, \"pk\": 7, \"model\": \"campaign_trail.running_mate\"}, {\"fields\": {\"running_mate\": 39, \"candidate\": 19}, \"pk\": 8, \"model\": \"campaign_trail.running_mate\"}, {\"fields\": {\"running_mate\": 164, \"candidate\": 155}, \"pk\": 106, \"model\": \"campaign_trail.running_mate\"}, {\"fields\": {\"running_mate\": 163, \"candidate\": 154}, \"pk\": 105, \"model\": \"campaign_trail.running_mate\"}, {\"fields\": {\"running_mate\": 151, \"candidate\": 145}, \"pk\": 97, \"model\": \"campaign_trail.running_mate\"}, {\"fields\": {\"running_mate\": 150, \"candidate\": 144}, \"pk\": 96, \"model\": \"campaign_trail.running_mate\"}, {\"fields\": {\"running_mate\": 178, \"candidate\": 168}, \"pk\": 116, \"model\": \"campaign_trail.running_mate\"}, {\"fields\": {\"running_mate\": 76, \"candidate\": 70}, \"pk\": 47, \"model\": \"campaign_trail.running_mate\"}, {\"fields\": {\"running_mate\": 73, \"candidate\": 69}, \"pk\": 46, \"model\": \"campaign_trail.running_mate\"}, {\"fields\": {\"running_mate\": 89, \"candidate\": 79}, \"pk\": 56, \"model\": \"campaign_trail.running_mate\"}, {\"fields\": {\"running_mate\": 114, \"candidate\": 107}, \"pk\": 74, \"model\": \"campaign_trail.running_mate\"}, {\"fields\": {\"running_mate\": 126, \"candidate\": 119}, \"pk\": 82, \"model\": \"campaign_trail.running_mate\"}, {\"fields\": {\"running_mate\": 103, \"candidate\": 93}, \"pk\": 66, \"model\": \"campaign_trail.running_mate\"}, {\"fields\": {\"running_mate\": 104, \"candidate\": 94}, \"pk\": 67, \"model\": \"campaign_trail.running_mate\"}, {\"fields\": {\"running_mate\": 125, \"candidate\": 118}, \"pk\": 81, \"model\": \"campaign_trail.running_mate\"}, {\"fields\": {\"running_mate\": 135, \"candidate\": 131}, \"pk\": 87, \"model\": \"campaign_trail.running_mate\"}, {\"fields\": {\"running_mate\": 30, \"candidate\": 16}, \"pk\": 1, \"model\": \"campaign_trail.running_mate\"}, {\"fields\": {\"running_mate\": 137, \"candidate\": 132}, \"pk\": 89, \"model\": \"campaign_trail.running_mate\"}, {\"fields\": {\"running_mate\": 148, \"candidate\": 143}, \"pk\": 94, \"model\": \"campaign_trail.running_mate\"}, {\"fields\": {\"running_mate\": 31, \"candidate\": 17}, \"pk\": 3, \"model\": \"campaign_trail.running_mate\"}, {\"fields\": {\"running_mate\": 146, \"candidate\": 142}, \"pk\": 92, \"model\": \"campaign_trail.running_mate\"}, {\"fields\": {\"running_mate\": 81, \"candidate\": 77}, \"pk\": 48, \"model\": \"campaign_trail.running_mate\"}, {\"fields\": {\"running_mate\": 45, \"candidate\": 20}, \"pk\": 22, \"model\": \"campaign_trail.running_mate\"}, {\"fields\": {\"running_mate\": 62, \"candidate\": 25}, \"pk\": 41, \"model\": \"campaign_trail.running_mate\"}, {\"fields\": {\"running_mate\": 108, \"candidate\": 105}, \"pk\": 68, \"model\": \"campaign_trail.running_mate\"}, {\"fields\": {\"running_mate\": 121, \"candidate\": 117}, \"pk\": 77, \"model\": \"campaign_trail.running_mate\"}, {\"fields\": {\"running_mate\": 49, \"candidate\": 21}, \"pk\": 26, \"model\": \"campaign_trail.running_mate\"}, {\"fields\": {\"running_mate\": 58, \"candidate\": 24}, \"pk\": 37, \"model\": \"campaign_trail.running_mate\"}, {\"fields\": {\"running_mate\": 55, \"candidate\": 23}, \"pk\": 33, \"model\": \"campaign_trail.running_mate\"}, {\"fields\": {\"running_mate\": 85, \"candidate\": 78}, \"pk\": 52, \"model\": \"campaign_trail.running_mate\"}, {\"fields\": {\"running_mate\": 159, \"candidate\": 153}, \"pk\": 101, \"model\": \"campaign_trail.running_mate\"}, {\"fields\": {\"running_mate\": 71, \"candidate\": 67}, \"pk\": 44, \"model\": \"campaign_trail.running_mate\"}, {\"fields\": {\"running_mate\": 72, \"candidate\": 68}, \"pk\": 45, \"model\": \"campaign_trail.running_mate\"}, {\"fields\": {\"running_mate\": 18, \"candidate\": 36}, \"pk\": 18, \"model\": \"campaign_trail.running_mate\"}, {\"fields\": {\"running_mate\": 111, \"candidate\": 106}, \"pk\": 71, \"model\": \"campaign_trail.running_mate\"}, {\"fields\": {\"running_mate\": 99, \"candidate\": 92}, \"pk\": 62, \"model\": \"campaign_trail.running_mate\"}, {\"fields\": {\"running_mate\": 156, \"candidate\": 152}, \"pk\": 98, \"model\": \"campaign_trail.running_mate\"}, {\"fields\": {\"running_mate\": 29, \"candidate\": 27}, \"pk\": 12, \"model\": \"campaign_trail.running_mate\"}, {\"fields\": {\"running_mate\": 27, \"candidate\": 29}, \"pk\": 13, \"model\": \"campaign_trail.running_mate\"}, {\"fields\": {\"running_mate\": 95, \"candidate\": 91}, \"pk\": 58, \"model\": \"campaign_trail.running_mate\"}, {\"fields\": {\"running_mate\": 157, \"candidate\": 152}, \"pk\": 99, \"model\": \"campaign_trail.running_mate\"}, {\"fields\": {\"running_mate\": 100, \"candidate\": 92}, \"pk\": 63, \"model\": \"campaign_trail.running_mate\"}, {\"fields\": {\"running_mate\": 129, \"candidate\": 68}, \"pk\": 85, \"model\": \"campaign_trail.running_mate\"}, {\"fields\": {\"running_mate\": 127, \"candidate\": 67}, \"pk\": 83, \"model\": \"campaign_trail.running_mate\"}, {\"fields\": {\"running_mate\": 169, \"candidate\": 165}, \"pk\": 107, \"model\": \"campaign_trail.running_mate\"}, {\"fields\": {\"running_mate\": 173, \"candidate\": 166}, \"pk\": 111, \"model\": \"campaign_trail.running_mate\"}, {\"fields\": {\"running_mate\": 171, \"candidate\": 165}, \"pk\": 109, \"model\": \"campaign_trail.running_mate\"}, {\"fields\": {\"running_mate\": 97, \"candidate\": 91}, \"pk\": 60, \"model\": \"campaign_trail.running_mate\"}, {\"fields\": {\"running_mate\": 40, \"candidate\": 29}, \"pk\": 15, \"model\": \"campaign_trail.running_mate\"}, {\"fields\": {\"running_mate\": 175, \"candidate\": 166}, \"pk\": 113, \"model\": \"campaign_trail.running_mate\"}, {\"fields\": {\"running_mate\": 174, \"candidate\": 166}, \"pk\": 112, \"model\": \"campaign_trail.running_mate\"}, {\"fields\": {\"running_mate\": 96, \"candidate\": 91}, \"pk\": 59, \"model\": \"campaign_trail.running_mate\"}, {\"fields\": {\"running_mate\": 170, \"candidate\": 165}, \"pk\": 108, \"model\": \"campaign_trail.running_mate\"}, {\"fields\": {\"running_mate\": 113, \"candidate\": 106}, \"pk\": 73, \"model\": \"campaign_trail.running_mate\"}, {\"fields\": {\"running_mate\": 40, \"candidate\": 27}, \"pk\": 10, \"model\": \"campaign_trail.running_mate\"}, {\"fields\": {\"running_mate\": 160, \"candidate\": 153}, \"pk\": 102, \"model\": \"campaign_trail.running_mate\"}, {\"fields\": {\"running_mate\": 44, \"candidate\": 23}, \"pk\": 34, \"model\": \"campaign_trail.running_mate\"}, {\"fields\": {\"running_mate\": 86, \"candidate\": 78}, \"pk\": 53, \"model\": \"campaign_trail.running_mate\"}, {\"fields\": {\"running_mate\": 109, \"candidate\": 105}, \"pk\": 69, \"model\": \"campaign_trail.running_mate\"}, {\"fields\": {\"running_mate\": 33, \"candidate\": 27}, \"pk\": 9, \"model\": \"campaign_trail.running_mate\"}, {\"fields\": {\"running_mate\": 172, \"candidate\": 165}, \"pk\": 110, \"model\": \"campaign_trail.running_mate\"}, {\"fields\": {\"running_mate\": 42, \"candidate\": 36}, \"pk\": 20, \"model\": \"campaign_trail.running_mate\"}, {\"fields\": {\"running_mate\": 41, \"candidate\": 36}, \"pk\": 19, \"model\": \"campaign_trail.running_mate\"}, {\"fields\": {\"running_mate\": 33, \"candidate\": 29}, \"pk\": 16, \"model\": \"campaign_trail.running_mate\"}, {\"fields\": {\"running_mate\": 82, \"candidate\": 77}, \"pk\": 49, \"model\": \"campaign_trail.running_mate\"}, {\"fields\": {\"running_mate\": 112, \"candidate\": 106}, \"pk\": 72, \"model\": \"campaign_trail.running_mate\"}, {\"fields\": {\"running_mate\": 147, \"candidate\": 142}, \"pk\": 93, \"model\": \"campaign_trail.running_mate\"}, {\"fields\": {\"running_mate\": 161, \"candidate\": 153}, \"pk\": 103, \"model\": \"campaign_trail.running_mate\"}, {\"fields\": {\"running_mate\": 88, \"candidate\": 78}, \"pk\": 55, \"model\": \"campaign_trail.running_mate\"}, {\"fields\": {\"running_mate\": 87, \"candidate\": 78}, \"pk\": 54, \"model\": \"campaign_trail.running_mate\"}, {\"fields\": {\"running_mate\": 122, \"candidate\": 117}, \"pk\": 78, \"model\": \"campaign_trail.running_mate\"}, {\"fields\": {\"running_mate\": 98, \"candidate\": 91}, \"pk\": 61, \"model\": \"campaign_trail.running_mate\"}, {\"fields\": {\"running_mate\": 128, \"candidate\": 67}, \"pk\": 84, \"model\": \"campaign_trail.running_mate\"}, {\"fields\": {\"running_mate\": 130, \"candidate\": 68}, \"pk\": 86, \"model\": \"campaign_trail.running_mate\"}, {\"fields\": {\"running_mate\": 64, \"candidate\": 25}, \"pk\": 43, \"model\": \"campaign_trail.running_mate\"}, {\"fields\": {\"running_mate\": 63, \"candidate\": 25}, \"pk\": 42, \"model\": \"campaign_trail.running_mate\"}, {\"fields\": {\"running_mate\": 61, \"candidate\": 24}, \"pk\": 40, \"model\": \"campaign_trail.running_mate\"}, {\"fields\": {\"running_mate\": 60, \"candidate\": 24}, \"pk\": 39, \"model\": \"campaign_trail.running_mate\"}, {\"fields\": {\"running_mate\": 149, \"candidate\": 143}, \"pk\": 95, \"model\": \"campaign_trail.running_mate\"}, {\"fields\": {\"running_mate\": 59, \"candidate\": 24}, \"pk\": 38, \"model\": \"campaign_trail.running_mate\"}, {\"fields\": {\"running_mate\": 158, \"candidate\": 152}, \"pk\": 100, \"model\": \"campaign_trail.running_mate\"}, {\"fields\": {\"running_mate\": 51, \"candidate\": 21}, \"pk\": 30, \"model\": \"campaign_trail.running_mate\"}, {\"fields\": {\"running_mate\": 50, \"candidate\": 21}, \"pk\": 28, \"model\": \"campaign_trail.running_mate\"}, {\"fields\": {\"running_mate\": 47, \"candidate\": 20}, \"pk\": 24, \"model\": \"campaign_trail.running_mate\"}, {\"fields\": {\"running_mate\": 31, \"candidate\": 29}, \"pk\": 17, \"model\": \"campaign_trail.running_mate\"}, {\"fields\": {\"running_mate\": 31, \"candidate\": 27}, \"pk\": 11, \"model\": \"campaign_trail.running_mate\"}, {\"fields\": {\"running_mate\": 123, \"candidate\": 117}, \"pk\": 79, \"model\": \"campaign_trail.running_mate\"}, {\"fields\": {\"running_mate\": 124, \"candidate\": 117}, \"pk\": 80, \"model\": \"campaign_trail.running_mate\"}, {\"fields\": {\"running_mate\": 138, \"candidate\": 132}, \"pk\": 90, \"model\": \"campaign_trail.running_mate\"}, {\"fields\": {\"running_mate\": 57, \"candidate\": 23}, \"pk\": 36, \"model\": \"campaign_trail.running_mate\"}, {\"fields\": {\"running_mate\": 56, \"candidate\": 23}, \"pk\": 35, \"model\": \"campaign_trail.running_mate\"}, {\"fields\": {\"running_mate\": 48, \"candidate\": 20}, \"pk\": 25, \"model\": \"campaign_trail.running_mate\"}, {\"fields\": {\"running_mate\": 33, \"candidate\": 17}, \"pk\": 5, \"model\": \"campaign_trail.running_mate\"}, {\"fields\": {\"running_mate\": 46, \"candidate\": 20}, \"pk\": 23, \"model\": \"campaign_trail.running_mate\"}, {\"fields\": {\"running_mate\": 101, \"candidate\": 92}, \"pk\": 64, \"model\": \"campaign_trail.running_mate\"}, {\"fields\": {\"running_mate\": 110, \"candidate\": 105}, \"pk\": 70, \"model\": \"campaign_trail.running_mate\"}, {\"fields\": {\"running_mate\": 34, \"candidate\": 16}, \"pk\": 2, \"model\": \"campaign_trail.running_mate\"}, {\"fields\": {\"running_mate\": 162, \"candidate\": 153}, \"pk\": 104, \"model\": \"campaign_trail.running_mate\"}, {\"fields\": {\"running_mate\": 136, \"candidate\": 131}, \"pk\": 88, \"model\": \"campaign_trail.running_mate\"}, {\"fields\": {\"running_mate\": 37, \"candidate\": 17}, \"pk\": 6, \"model\": \"campaign_trail.running_mate\"}, {\"fields\": {\"running_mate\": 32, \"candidate\": 17}, \"pk\": 4, \"model\": \"campaign_trail.running_mate\"}, {\"fields\": {\"running_mate\": 83, \"candidate\": 77}, \"pk\": 50, \"model\": \"campaign_trail.running_mate\"}, {\"fields\": {\"running_mate\": 43, \"candidate\": 36}, \"pk\": 21, \"model\": \"campaign_trail.running_mate\"}, {\"fields\": {\"running_mate\": 139, \"candidate\": 132}, \"pk\": 91, \"model\": \"campaign_trail.running_mate\"}, {\"fields\": {\"running_mate\": 52, \"candidate\": 21}, \"pk\": 31, \"model\": \"campaign_trail.running_mate\"}, {\"fields\": {\"running_mate\": 53, \"candidate\": 21}, \"pk\": 32, \"model\": \"campaign_trail.running_mate\"}, {\"fields\": {\"running_mate\": 115, \"candidate\": 106}, \"pk\": 75, \"model\": \"campaign_trail.running_mate\"}, {\"fields\": {\"running_mate\": 102, \"candidate\": 92}, \"pk\": 65, \"model\": \"campaign_trail.running_mate\"}, {\"fields\": {\"running_mate\": 84, \"candidate\": 77}, \"pk\": 51, \"model\": \"campaign_trail.running_mate\"}, {\"fields\": {\"running_mate\": 176, \"candidate\": 166}, \"pk\": 113, \"model\": \"campaign_trail.running_mate\"}]");

After this you should be able to navigate to the '2016a' scenario and play as Trump, where you will now be able to choose Cruz as a running mate.
If you want to know how I figured this out, I examined the code of the game itself using the 'Inspect Element' tool and found a hidden piece of text describing Cruz as a potential running mate for Trump. To add him to the game you have to add a clause to the list above that pairs Trump's candidate identifier (166) with Cruz's identifier as a running mate (176).
There are all sorts of other curiosities in the code. For example, there are pieces of code that suggest it should be possible to run as Gary Johnson or as an alt-history Newt Gingrich or Ron Paul in 2012, as well as some code for John C. Breckinridge and John Bell in 1860. But I haven't managed to get any of those to work yet - though I will tell you if I do!

that's very interesting.. i heard about that Gingrich possibility too

 

[Brady5557678]

If they add 2020 this week I will be the happyest man alive

 

[President Jack Kemp]

Is there a way to look at the code and find the best VP candidate?

I don't *think* so. The code only identifies the VP candidates by number so they can be paired with the Presidential candidates and placed into the menus. The only thing I've succeeded in doing so far is enabling you to choose VPs that are coded in but haven't been added to the bit of the code that generates the selection screen. I can't see any numbers telling me what effect picking a VP has. In many cases there is no 'best' VP candidate; for example you can win as Nixon in 1960 by choosing Rockefeller or by choosing Goldwater, it's just that your path to victory goes through different states. (Although there are also clearly 'wrong' VP choices that do make life harder. Cassius Clay, for example, will put off moderates if you pick him for Lincoln in 1860.)

In other news, here is a revised version of my 'inspect element' console hack:

Spoiler

campaignTrail_temp.running_mate_json = JSON.parse("[{\"fields\": {\"running_mate\": 90, \"candidate\": 80}, \"pk\": 57, \"model\": \"campaign_trail.running_mate\"}, {\"fields\": {\"running_mate\": 120, \"candidate\": 116}, \"pk\": 76, \"model\": \"campaign_trail.running_mate\"}, {\"fields\": {\"running_mate\": 177, \"candidate\": 167}, \"pk\": 115, \"model\": \"campaign_trail.running_mate\"}, {\"fields\": {\"running_mate\": 38, \"candidate\": 18}, \"pk\": 7, \"model\": \"campaign_trail.running_mate\"}, {\"fields\": {\"running_mate\": 39, \"candidate\": 19}, \"pk\": 8, \"model\": \"campaign_trail.running_mate\"}, {\"fields\": {\"running_mate\": 164, \"candidate\": 155}, \"pk\": 106, \"model\": \"campaign_trail.running_mate\"}, {\"fields\": {\"running_mate\": 163, \"candidate\": 154}, \"pk\": 105, \"model\": \"campaign_trail.running_mate\"}, {\"fields\": {\"running_mate\": 151, \"candidate\": 145}, \"pk\": 97, \"model\": \"campaign_trail.running_mate\"}, {\"fields\": {\"running_mate\": 150, \"candidate\": 144}, \"pk\": 96, \"model\": \"campaign_trail.running_mate\"}, {\"fields\": {\"running_mate\": 178, \"candidate\": 168}, \"pk\": 116, \"model\": \"campaign_trail.running_mate\"}, {\"fields\": {\"running_mate\": 76, \"candidate\": 70}, \"pk\": 47, \"model\": \"campaign_trail.running_mate\"}, {\"fields\": {\"running_mate\": 73, \"candidate\": 69}, \"pk\": 46, \"model\": \"campaign_trail.running_mate\"}, {\"fields\": {\"running_mate\": 89, \"candidate\": 79}, \"pk\": 56, \"model\": \"campaign_trail.running_mate\"}, {\"fields\": {\"running_mate\": 114, \"candidate\": 107}, \"pk\": 74, \"model\": \"campaign_trail.running_mate\"}, {\"fields\": {\"running_mate\": 126, \"candidate\": 119}, \"pk\": 82, \"model\": \"campaign_trail.running_mate\"}, {\"fields\": {\"running_mate\": 103, \"candidate\": 93}, \"pk\": 66, \"model\": \"campaign_trail.running_mate\"}, {\"fields\": {\"running_mate\": 104, \"candidate\": 94}, \"pk\": 67, \"model\": \"campaign_trail.running_mate\"}, {\"fields\": {\"running_mate\": 125, \"candidate\": 118}, \"pk\": 81, \"model\": \"campaign_trail.running_mate\"}, {\"fields\": {\"running_mate\": 135, \"candidate\": 131}, \"pk\": 87, \"model\": \"campaign_trail.running_mate\"}, {\"fields\": {\"running_mate\": 30, \"candidate\": 16}, \"pk\": 1, \"model\": \"campaign_trail.running_mate\"}, {\"fields\": {\"running_mate\": 137, \"candidate\": 132}, \"pk\": 89, \"model\": \"campaign_trail.running_mate\"}, {\"fields\": {\"running_mate\": 148, \"candidate\": 143}, \"pk\": 94, \"model\": \"campaign_trail.running_mate\"}, {\"fields\": {\"running_mate\": 31, \"candidate\": 17}, \"pk\": 3, \"model\": \"campaign_trail.running_mate\"}, {\"fields\": {\"running_mate\": 146, \"candidate\": 142}, \"pk\": 92, \"model\": \"campaign_trail.running_mate\"}, {\"fields\": {\"running_mate\": 81, \"candidate\": 77}, \"pk\": 48, \"model\": \"campaign_trail.running_mate\"}, {\"fields\": {\"running_mate\": 45, \"candidate\": 20}, \"pk\": 22, \"model\": \"campaign_trail.running_mate\"}, {\"fields\": {\"running_mate\": 62, \"candidate\": 25}, \"pk\": 41, \"model\": \"campaign_trail.running_mate\"}, {\"fields\": {\"running_mate\": 108, \"candidate\": 105}, \"pk\": 68, \"model\": \"campaign_trail.running_mate\"}, {\"fields\": {\"running_mate\": 121, \"candidate\": 117}, \"pk\": 77, \"model\": \"campaign_trail.running_mate\"}, {\"fields\": {\"running_mate\": 49, \"candidate\": 21}, \"pk\": 26, \"model\": \"campaign_trail.running_mate\"}, {\"fields\": {\"running_mate\": 58, \"candidate\": 24}, \"pk\": 37, \"model\": \"campaign_trail.running_mate\"}, {\"fields\": {\"running_mate\": 55, \"candidate\": 23}, \"pk\": 33, \"model\": \"campaign_trail.running_mate\"}, {\"fields\": {\"running_mate\": 85, \"candidate\": 78}, \"pk\": 52, \"model\": \"campaign_trail.running_mate\"}, {\"fields\": {\"running_mate\": 159, \"candidate\": 153}, \"pk\": 101, \"model\": \"campaign_trail.running_mate\"}, {\"fields\": {\"running_mate\": 71, \"candidate\": 67}, \"pk\": 44, \"model\": \"campaign_trail.running_mate\"}, {\"fields\": {\"running_mate\": 72, \"candidate\": 68}, \"pk\": 45, \"model\": \"campaign_trail.running_mate\"}, {\"fields\": {\"running_mate\": 18, \"candidate\": 36}, \"pk\": 18, \"model\": \"campaign_trail.running_mate\"}, {\"fields\": {\"running_mate\": 111, \"candidate\": 106}, \"pk\": 71, \"model\": \"campaign_trail.running_mate\"}, {\"fields\": {\"running_mate\": 99, \"candidate\": 92}, \"pk\": 62, \"model\": \"campaign_trail.running_mate\"}, {\"fields\": {\"running_mate\": 156, \"candidate\": 152}, \"pk\": 98, \"model\": \"campaign_trail.running_mate\"}, {\"fields\": {\"running_mate\": 29, \"candidate\": 27}, \"pk\": 12, \"model\": \"campaign_trail.running_mate\"}, {\"fields\": {\"running_mate\": 27, \"candidate\": 29}, \"pk\": 13, \"model\": \"campaign_trail.running_mate\"}, {\"fields\": {\"running_mate\": 95, \"candidate\": 91}, \"pk\": 58, \"model\": \"campaign_trail.running_mate\"}, {\"fields\": {\"running_mate\": 157, \"candidate\": 152}, \"pk\": 99, \"model\": \"campaign_trail.running_mate\"}, {\"fields\": {\"running_mate\": 100, \"candidate\": 92}, \"pk\": 63, \"model\": \"campaign_trail.running_mate\"}, {\"fields\": {\"running_mate\": 129, \"candidate\": 68}, \"pk\": 85, \"model\": \"campaign_trail.running_mate\"}, {\"fields\": {\"running_mate\": 127, \"candidate\": 67}, \"pk\": 83, \"model\": \"campaign_trail.running_mate\"}, {\"fields\": {\"running_mate\": 169, \"candidate\": 165}, \"pk\": 107, \"model\": \"campaign_trail.running_mate\"}, {\"fields\": {\"running_mate\": 173, \"candidate\": 166}, \"pk\": 111, \"model\": \"campaign_trail.running_mate\"}, {\"fields\": {\"running_mate\": 171, \"candidate\": 165}, \"pk\": 109, \"model\": \"campaign_trail.running_mate\"}, {\"fields\": {\"running_mate\": 97, \"candidate\": 91}, \"pk\": 60, \"model\": \"campaign_trail.running_mate\"}, {\"fields\": {\"running_mate\": 40, \"candidate\": 29}, \"pk\": 15, \"model\": \"campaign_trail.running_mate\"}, {\"fields\": {\"running_mate\": 175, \"candidate\": 166}, \"pk\": 113, \"model\": \"campaign_trail.running_mate\"}, {\"fields\": {\"running_mate\": 174, \"candidate\": 166}, \"pk\": 112, \"model\": \"campaign_trail.running_mate\"}, {\"fields\": {\"running_mate\": 96, \"candidate\": 91}, \"pk\": 59, \"model\": \"campaign_trail.running_mate\"}, {\"fields\": {\"running_mate\": 170, \"candidate\": 165}, \"pk\": 108, \"model\": \"campaign_trail.running_mate\"}, {\"fields\": {\"running_mate\": 113, \"candidate\": 106}, \"pk\": 73, \"model\": \"campaign_trail.running_mate\"}, {\"fields\": {\"running_mate\": 40, \"candidate\": 27}, \"pk\": 10, \"model\": \"campaign_trail.running_mate\"}, {\"fields\": {\"running_mate\": 160, \"candidate\": 153}, \"pk\": 102, \"model\": \"campaign_trail.running_mate\"}, {\"fields\": {\"running_mate\": 44, \"candidate\": 23}, \"pk\": 34, \"model\": \"campaign_trail.running_mate\"}, {\"fields\": {\"running_mate\": 86, \"candidate\": 78}, \"pk\": 53, \"model\": \"campaign_trail.running_mate\"}, {\"fields\": {\"running_mate\": 109, \"candidate\": 105}, \"pk\": 69, \"model\": \"campaign_trail.running_mate\"}, {\"fields\": {\"running_mate\": 33, \"candidate\": 27}, \"pk\": 9, \"model\": \"campaign_trail.running_mate\"}, {\"fields\": {\"running_mate\": 172, \"candidate\": 165}, \"pk\": 110, \"model\": \"campaign_trail.running_mate\"}, {\"fields\": {\"running_mate\": 42, \"candidate\": 36}, \"pk\": 20, \"model\": \"campaign_trail.running_mate\"}, {\"fields\": {\"running_mate\": 41, \"candidate\": 36}, \"pk\": 19, \"model\": \"campaign_trail.running_mate\"}, {\"fields\": {\"running_mate\": 33, \"candidate\": 29}, \"pk\": 16, \"model\": \"campaign_trail.running_mate\"}, {\"fields\": {\"running_mate\": 82, \"candidate\": 77}, \"pk\": 49, \"model\": \"campaign_trail.running_mate\"}, {\"fields\": {\"running_mate\": 112, \"candidate\": 106}, \"pk\": 72, \"model\": \"campaign_trail.running_mate\"}, {\"fields\": {\"running_mate\": 147, \"candidate\": 142}, \"pk\": 93, \"model\": \"campaign_trail.running_mate\"}, {\"fields\": {\"running_mate\": 161, \"candidate\": 153}, \"pk\": 103, \"model\": \"campaign_trail.running_mate\"}, {\"fields\": {\"running_mate\": 88, \"candidate\": 78}, \"pk\": 55, \"model\": \"campaign_trail.running_mate\"}, {\"fields\": {\"running_mate\": 87, \"candidate\": 78}, \"pk\": 54, \"model\": \"campaign_trail.running_mate\"}, {\"fields\": {\"running_mate\": 122, \"candidate\": 117}, \"pk\": 78, \"model\": \"campaign_trail.running_mate\"}, {\"fields\": {\"running_mate\": 98, \"candidate\": 91}, \"pk\": 61, \"model\": \"campaign_trail.running_mate\"}, {\"fields\": {\"running_mate\": 128, \"candidate\": 67}, \"pk\": 84, \"model\": \"campaign_trail.running_mate\"}, {\"fields\": {\"running_mate\": 130, \"candidate\": 68}, \"pk\": 86, \"model\": \"campaign_trail.running_mate\"}, {\"fields\": {\"running_mate\": 64, \"candidate\": 25}, \"pk\": 43, \"model\": \"campaign_trail.running_mate\"}, {\"fields\": {\"running_mate\": 63, \"candidate\": 25}, \"pk\": 42, \"model\": \"campaign_trail.running_mate\"}, {\"fields\": {\"running_mate\": 61, \"candidate\": 24}, \"pk\": 40, \"model\": \"campaign_trail.running_mate\"}, {\"fields\": {\"running_mate\": 60, \"candidate\": 24}, \"pk\": 39, \"model\": \"campaign_trail.running_mate\"}, {\"fields\": {\"running_mate\": 149, \"candidate\": 143}, \"pk\": 95, \"model\": \"campaign_trail.running_mate\"}, {\"fields\": {\"running_mate\": 59, \"candidate\": 24}, \"pk\": 38, \"model\": \"campaign_trail.running_mate\"}, {\"fields\": {\"running_mate\": 158, \"candidate\": 152}, \"pk\": 100, \"model\": \"campaign_trail.running_mate\"}, {\"fields\": {\"running_mate\": 51, \"candidate\": 21}, \"pk\": 30, \"model\": \"campaign_trail.running_mate\"}, {\"fields\": {\"running_mate\": 50, \"candidate\": 21}, \"pk\": 28, \"model\": \"campaign_trail.running_mate\"}, {\"fields\": {\"running_mate\": 47, \"candidate\": 20}, \"pk\": 24, \"model\": \"campaign_trail.running_mate\"}, {\"fields\": {\"running_mate\": 31, \"candidate\": 29}, \"pk\": 17, \"model\": \"campaign_trail.running_mate\"}, {\"fields\": {\"running_mate\": 31, \"candidate\": 27}, \"pk\": 11, \"model\": \"campaign_trail.running_mate\"}, {\"fields\": {\"running_mate\": 123, \"candidate\": 117}, \"pk\": 79, \"model\": \"campaign_trail.running_mate\"}, {\"fields\": {\"running_mate\": 124, \"candidate\": 117}, \"pk\": 80, \"model\": \"campaign_trail.running_mate\"}, {\"fields\": {\"running_mate\": 138, \"candidate\": 132}, \"pk\": 90, \"model\": \"campaign_trail.running_mate\"}, {\"fields\": {\"running_mate\": 57, \"candidate\": 23}, \"pk\": 36, \"model\": \"campaign_trail.running_mate\"}, {\"fields\": {\"running_mate\": 56, \"candidate\": 23}, \"pk\": 35, \"model\": \"campaign_trail.running_mate\"}, {\"fields\": {\"running_mate\": 48, \"candidate\": 20}, \"pk\": 25, \"model\": \"campaign_trail.running_mate\"}, {\"fields\": {\"running_mate\": 33, \"candidate\": 17}, 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\"candidate\": 77}, \"pk\": 50, \"model\": \"campaign_trail.running_mate\"}, {\"fields\": {\"running_mate\": 43, \"candidate\": 36}, \"pk\": 21, \"model\": \"campaign_trail.running_mate\"}, {\"fields\": {\"running_mate\": 139, \"candidate\": 132}, \"pk\": 91, \"model\": \"campaign_trail.running_mate\"}, {\"fields\": {\"running_mate\": 52, \"candidate\": 21}, \"pk\": 31, \"model\": \"campaign_trail.running_mate\"}, {\"fields\": {\"running_mate\": 53, \"candidate\": 21}, \"pk\": 32, \"model\": \"campaign_trail.running_mate\"}, {\"fields\": {\"running_mate\": 115, \"candidate\": 106}, \"pk\": 75, \"model\": \"campaign_trail.running_mate\"}, {\"fields\": {\"running_mate\": 102, \"candidate\": 92}, \"pk\": 65, \"model\": \"campaign_trail.running_mate\"}, {\"fields\": {\"running_mate\": 84, \"candidate\": 77}, \"pk\": 51, \"model\": \"campaign_trail.running_mate\"}, {\"fields\": {\"running_mate\": 176, \"candidate\": 166}, \"pk\": 113, \"model\": \"campaign_trail.running_mate\"}, {\"fields\": {\"running_mate\": 40, \"candidate\": 17}, \"pk\": 5, \"model\": \"campaign_trail.running_mate\"}, {\"fields\": {\"running_mate\": 43, \"candidate\": 17}, \"pk\": 5, \"model\": \"campaign_trail.running_mate\"}]");

Give it a try on 2012 as Romney. The unmodified game gives you 4 VP choices - Marco Rubio, Paul Ryan, Tim Pawlenty, and Rob Portman. This should allow you to pick Mike Huckabee or Rand Paul as well. I don't know why the default game doesn't let you pick Huckabee. Rand Paul, if you read the accompanying text, seems to be intended as a running mate in the alternate scenario where Ron Paul runs for the presidency, which I haven't got working yet. But seeing he is a Republican senator, I think it's vaguely plausible that Mitt Romney might choose him as a running mate, so I've added him to the mod too.

A winning Romney-Paul game in which I selected some in-character libertarian answers, including advocating an end to the war on drugs (!):

https://www.americanhistoryusa.com/campaign-trail/game/1649103

 

[Jaeckex]

Do you guys think the 2020 scenario is still coming? I'd argue the beginning of October is over by now... And the FAQ or anything hasn't been updated. The creator also doesn't answer to emails.

 

[Banghogs]

Do you guys think the 2020 scenario is still coming? I'd argue the beginning of October is over by now... And the FAQ or anything hasn't been updated. The creator also doesn't answer to emails.

The creator is probably waiting to see if a big event can happen before election day. Yk, just like the last days of the 1968 (Nixon sabotation), 1988 (Dukakis' photo-op), 2000 (Bush arrested in Maine) and 2016 (Trump gaffe) elections, these events are factors that can change the games to a player, and pretty much the election irl. So i'd say that, optimiscally, the dev(s) are waiting until the electionm week (early November/late October), or, in the worst case, he gave up on the game.

 

[2ndH00PTIE$ON]

Do you guys think the 2020 scenario is still coming? I'd argue the beginning of October is over by now... And the FAQ or anything hasn't been updated. The creator also doesn't answer to emails.

Alot of huge events happened in the past few weeks such as the Trump’s COVID diagnosis and Justice Ginsberg’s death which the creator has to now add in. Probably come out by Election Day but I wouldn’t know.

 

[Intergallactic]

Alot of huge events happened in the past few weeks such as the Trump’s COVID diagnosis and Justice Ginsberg’s death which the creator has to now add in. Probably come out by Election Day but I wouldn’t know.

Releasing it on Election Day would be a nice treat

 

[Worffan101]

Humphrey '68, I think this is my biggest win yet! https://www.americanhistoryusa.com/campaign-trail/game/1659770

 

[Rosenheim]

Releasing it on Election Day would be a nice treat

I think he'll probably release it after the result, just so he has some sort of baseline. -See 2016a allowing for pretty wide swings into places like Texas and South Carolina, but 2016 (Real) being much more inelastic.

 

[Johannes Parisiensis]

Tonight, I did two 1860 Lincoln/Hamlin runs: in the first one, I run on abolitionism, homestead and high tariffs but lost voters with support for civil rights, going to visit Seward and doing speeches in New York. I got a hung college.
In the second run, I did the same excepted I opposed civil rights for blacks, invited Seward to Springfield, ignoted national bank and went to Ohio since New York was largely for me and Illinois had less votes.

In the second time I got 181 votes, Douglas got Missouri, Bell Tennessee, Maryland and Kentucky, Breckinridge the South, and did better than 99.9% of the players. Impressive when I didn't play since months.