WI: Bill Weld defeated John Kerry in the 1996 Massachusettes Senate Election

The easier way to achieve Senator Bill Weld, is to have him reject Bill Clinton's offer to become United States Ambassador to Mexico, that way he doesn't resign for nothing. Have Ted Kennedy not run for re-election in the United States Senate Election in Massachusetts of 2000 for health reasons, which leaves his Senate seat open and vulnerable. Weld being a popular former governor wins Kennedy's Senate seat easily. In the Senate, Weld is a moderate (and possibly libertarian) who often breaks with Bush and the conservative Republicans.
 
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kernals12

Banned
I assume this thread is motivated by Weld's presidential announcement.
Fun fact: Weld resigned as Governor to seek an Ambassadorship to Mexico on the day I was born.
 
I assume this thread is motivated by Weld's presidential announcement.
Fun fact: Weld resigned as Governor to seek an Ambassadorship to Mexico on the day I was born.
I actually got the idea from a timeline on uselectionsatlas.org on which Bill Clinton is less popular in 1996 than OTL, so although Clinton gets re-elected, Weld defeats Kerry.
 
I actually got the idea from a timeline on uselectionsatlas.org on which Bill Clinton is less popular in 1996 than OTL, so although Clinton gets re-elected, Weld defeats Kerry.

Maybe Weld would try to run for President in 2000, but he's more likely to sit out the race and support Bush or McCain. A liberal like Weld wouldn't have any chance of winning the GOP nomination in 2000.
 

kernals12

Banned
But seriously, how does Weld defeat Kerry in an extremely blue state with Clinton's coattails. Mitt Romney couldn't defeat Ted Kennedy (who killed a woman) in the Republican wave year of 1994.
 
But seriously, how does Weld defeat Kerry in an extremely blue state with Clinton's coattails. Mitt Romney couldn't defeat Ted Kennedy (who killed a woman) in the Republican wave year of 1994.

I think a more likely scenario is that Clinton picks Kerry as his running mate in 1992, and Kerry resigns to become VP. Weld appoints a Republican to replace him. A special election is held in 1993 and a Democrat wins. However, he/she proves to be less capable and popular than Kerry. Weld runs in 1996 and narrowly wins.
 

kernals12

Banned
I think a more likely scenario is that Clinton picks Kerry as his running mate in 1992, and Kerry resigns to become VP. Weld appoints a Republican to replace him. A special election is held in 1993 and a Democrat wins. However, he/she proves to be less capable and popular than Kerry. Weld runs in 1996 and narrowly wins.
I don't think Clinton would want to poach a Democratic senator knowing a Republican would choose his interim replacement.
 
I don't think Clinton would want to poach a Democratic senator knowing a Republican would choose his interim replacement.

Low, low priority consideration in getting the right VP. Certainly if we're talking about the metrics Bubba was using.

I think Kerry is a realistic Gore 1992 pick, which opens up the seat for 1994, but... what's up with these Massachusetts Republican senate threads we have on here all the time. People know a GOP MA senate seat is poison to any presidential consideration, right? As was, MA gubnor Romney faced an avalanche of non-enthusiasm over his Romneycare transgression in 2012. And he didn't have the starkness of outright liburl senate votes designed to ensure re-election.

(Incidentally, we already have a historical example of Weld sounding out a presidential run in 1996, and he rapidly concluded, correctly, that he had no chance of being nominated. So anyone who thinks he's presidentiable from Mass is going against the man's own conclusions.)
 
but... what's up with these Massachusetts Republican senate threads we have on here all the time. People know a GOP MA senate seat is poison to any presidential consideration, right?

Agreed, people look at the fluke that was Scott Brown and assume if he did it (in a low turnout special election against a notoriously bad campaigner) any republican post-Ed Brooke can do it too.
 
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