Ted Kennedy (D) vs. Ronald Reagan (R), 1976

[Kaine for Senate '18]

Kennedy/Carter: 50% PV, 276 EV
Reagan/Weicker: 49% PV, 262 EV

[Kaine for Senate '18]

Kennedy/Carter: 50% PV, 276 EV
Reagan/Weicker: 49% PV, 262 EV

No logic AGAIN!

How does a Democrat win the New England states of VT, NH and ME? If JFK or Dukakis couldn't then Teddy couldn't. They were solid Republican until 1992.

Why would Reagan pick Weicker? Reagan correctly labeled Weicker as a "a no-good pompous fat head." Besides Reagan had already announced Schweiker would be his running mate prior to the convention.

On your first point, I reason that by 1976, the GOP hold on those states was not resolute, and that the liberal Kennedy would be able to capture those states.  On your point about Weicker, Reagan decides that Weicker would do better hitting Kennedy's New England base than Schweiker would.

[Kaine for Senate '18]

When JFK lost them, they were still solid, I will give you that.  In 1976, Carter was a conservative Southerner running against a Northeastern liberal, 1980, 1984, and 1988 were landslides, so I find it difficult to call them "solid" by that point.

[Kaine for Senate '18]

In 1976, Carter was a conservative Southerner running against a Northeastern liberal,

What?

Gerald Ford

[Kaine for Senate '18]

In 1976, Carter was a conservative Southerner running against a Northeastern liberal,

What?

Gerald Ford

Again; what?  Ford wasn't even from the Northeast, let alone a liberal.  And while Carter may have been a Southerner, he certainly wasn't conservative.

You scored 25%.  Please try harder.

Alright, Ford was not from the "Northeast" as in New England, but he was a Northerner, certainly, and he without a doubt more liberal than Jimmy Carter, especially on social issues.