From 1969 to 1977, Ed Koch served as a US Congressman from New York, and then as Mayor of New York City from 1978 to 1989. In 1982, he ran for Governor of New York but lost the primary to then-lieutenant governor Mario Cuomo. Let's say he managed to win in '82, and then went on to run for President at some point. What are his odds of even getting the Democratic nomination, let alone winning a General Election? And if he did somehow win, what would the US look like after President Ed Koch?
 
Ed Koch was a New Yorker above anything. It's hard to imagine even being Governor. He said that Albany was a small town and that upstate was sterile. Let's assume he does win against all odds and runs for the Democratic nomination in '88. First off he and Jesse Jackson are going to hate, hate, hate each other. Koch is going to go ballistic over the "Hymietown" remark and Jackson is going to accuse Koch of racism. Which may or may not be true depending on how you look at it. It's going to be extreme nasty.
 
Ed Koch was a New Yorker above anything. It's hard to imagine even being Governor. He said that Albany was a small town and that upstate was sterile. Let's assume he does win against all odds and runs for the Democratic nomination in '88. First off he and Jesse Jackson are going to hate, hate, hate each other. Koch is going to go ballistic over the "Hymietown" remark and Jackson is going to accuse Koch of racism. Which may or may not be true depending on how you look at it. It's going to be extreme nasty.
Would Koch still have a shot at winning if he never ran for Governor?
 
I think he'd have a shot, but less than a 1/3000 chance. But I'm not willing to write off any election coemtpeltly
 
Whew! Thought for a second this was about one of the Oklahoma Koch brothers elected President.
Under most circumstances those Kochs wouldn't really even get the GOP nomination (they are IIRC social liberals even as they are arch-capitalists). Under 2016 conditions, maybe, but they wouldn't have Trump's populist appeal.
 
Top