WI: Obama/Nunn in 2008

So John McCain won Georgia by about 196,000 votes in 2008. Sam Nunn typically won his elections unopposed, so he had a modicum of popularity in the state. Additionally, Georgia had been trending more Democratic up to that point. So it's very possible that an Obama/Nunn ticket can flip Georgia blue. However, I don't think this would affect the outcome in other southern states.
 
So John McCain won Georgia by about 196,000 votes in 2008. Sam Nunn typically won his elections unopposed, so he had a modicum of popularity in the state. Additionally, Georgia had been trending more Democratic up to that point. So it's very possible that an Obama/Nunn ticket can flip Georgia blue. However, I don't think this would affect the outcome in other southern states.

Well one more Southern state, Georgia + North Carolina, Virginia, Florida, Missouri... sure does send a signal to Republicans at least.

What about the potential impact on the Senate and House races in Georgia?
 
This isn't electoral, but Nunn would provide an interesting voice on nuclear disarmament issues, which could lead to some changes to New Start. He's currently the co-chairman of the Nuclear Threat Initiative, and has long been a leading voice on eliminating weapons that provide a nuclear quick strike capability, his view being that we want to provide as much time as possible for a world leader to figure out what's a real launch and what's an error.
 
Well one more Southern state, Georgia + North Carolina, Virginia, Florida, Missouri... sure does send a signal to Republicans at least.

What about the potential impact on the Senate and House races in Georgia?

Sorry, I should have been more clear. I meant it wouldn't have had an effect on the other southern states not won by Obama.

Not too sure about the House races, but the Senate had to go to a runoff. It's possible that Nunn being on the ticket gains the Democratic candidate enough momentum to get more votes than the Republican candidate. Though this may not be enough to avoid a runoff.
 
Sorry, I should have been more clear. I meant it wouldn't have had an effect on the other southern states not won by Obama.

Not too sure about the House races, but the Senate had to go to a runoff. It's possible that Nunn being on the ticket gains the Democratic candidate enough momentum to get more votes than the Republican candidate. Though this may not be enough to avoid a runoff.

If Georgia did flip, I think the Senate race could possibly be a slight Democratic edge in the GA Senate race. Another possible impact could be in KY where McConnell almost lost his Senae seat. Maybe Nunn is the difference there.

Either way let’s assume the Dems take GA. This means the Democratic supermajority stays in the Senate.
 

raharris1973

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Interesting bit about Nunn, he was one who started knifing Clinton at the beginning of his term over gays in the military. Is there any crow eating he would have to do in 2008?
 
If Georgia did flip, I think the Senate race could possibly be a slight Democratic edge in the GA Senate race. Another possible impact could be in KY where McConnell almost lost his Senae seat. Maybe Nunn is the difference there.

Either way let’s assume the Dems take GA. This means the Democratic supermajority stays in the Senate.

Mitch McConnel won by about 100,000 votes in 2008; which was an extremely narrow victory for him. So it's possible that Nunn could help shift the momentum there as well.
 
Mitch McConnel won by about 100,000 votes in 2008; which was an extremely narrow victory for him. So it's possible that Nunn could help shift the momentum there as well.

Hey if we can flip two more Senate seats all the better for the Democratic supermajority.

Plus the world will be spared McConnels stonewalling of Obama
 
Sam Nunn was one of the three people considered for a Bloomberg VP (along with Hagel and Boren) so it'd be a very strongly centrist ticket with more conservative and centrist appeal. Some 20% of Conservatives OTL voted for Obama, so I could see that number being 25-30% in this election.

Obama wins Missouri, Georgia, and Montana here. Georgia was a fairly close Senate race in the first round (49.8-46.8 before the runoff) so I could see things swinging there. Kentucky was close so perhaps that goes blue, but I'm skeptical.
 
This isn't electoral, but Nunn would provide an interesting voice on nuclear disarmament issues, which could lead to some changes to New Start. He's currently the co-chairman of the Nuclear Threat Initiative, and has long been a leading voice on eliminating weapons that provide a nuclear quick strike capability, his view being that we want to provide as much time as possible for a world leader to figure out what's a real launch and what's an error.
Yes, it helps us, too! :)

I understand Sam’s been long known as a conservative Democrat. Yes, we want military preparedness. At the same time, we want to be smart and measured if and when we use it.
 

Philip

Donor
I don't know that a former senator would move any state.

I tend to agree with this. I have a hard time imagining many people saying, "I'm not going to vote for Obama because x,y,z. Oh, wait, he's brought in Nunn? That changes everything." Voter turnout was already high. Moderates had mostly moved to Obama. No core Republicans will be swayed by Nunn.
 
I always thought Barack Obama should have selected Sam Nunn as Secretary of Defense. Perhaps Joe Biden either becomes President pro tempore of the United States Senate or Secretary of State. If Biden decides not to serve as Secretary of State for a second term, Obama could replace him with either OTL's John Kerry or a Hillary Clinton retiring from the Senate in 2013. Either way, the relationship between Nunn and Biden/Kerry/Clinton would be interesting; and Nunn's opinions on Putin and Trump would be a conventional wisdom.
 
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Nunn was very popular in Georgia with demos Obama didn't try to touch at all, so I think that probably helps. The guy was reelected unopposed in 1990 and got 79.9% in 1984, so I think he'd definitely bring some star power in his home state.

The idea that Nunn might swing 0.2% in Missouri in Obama's favor isn't that wild. "Obama picks conservative running mate" would be an interesting headline that'd go around.
 
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So I believe this would be the result with an Obama/Nunn ticket. McCain won Georgia by 5.21% in OTL. So if Nunn can help overcome that deficit, then he should be able to help flip both Missouri and Montana (won by McCain by 0.13% and 2.26% respectively).
 
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