A New America Series - 2008 General Election

[Maxwell]

A New America Series - 2008 General Election

President Kasich comes out of the convention damaged from a tough primary battle, but nevertheless he is fighting like hell to get back out of it. Despite economic calamity, Kasich has laid out an economic growth package with major tax reduction across the board and a pledge to keep the budget in balance. He lays blame for the economy on, you guessed it, the previous administration. Some thought Schwegmann was a liability due to some familial issues and her being a gaffe machine, but Kasich has nevertheless kept her on the ticket to make sure the Perot-ites stay on board.

Former Vice President Russ Feingold won the nomination convincingly against two underfunded opponents and two well-funded opponents who never caught on with voters. Feingold, with this amount of leeway, went on to pick moderate Senator Evan Bayh as his Vice Presidential candidate, in hopes that centrists would begin to look his way after the sorry tale of the last four years. Feingold's economic package includes some tax credits, but is largely more focused on ready made projects, wall street reform, and expanding healthcare and unemployment benefits to those displaced.

And finally, on the independent side, Former Governor Buddy Roemer is running on a vaguely populist platform of breaking up the big banks, balancing the budget NOW, extensive and strict campaign finance reform, reforming the tax code more fairly, and putting together a committee to come with a healthcare plan that covers all Americans without breaking the bank. He's picked the Independent Senator Tim Penny of Minnesota to run with him.

[Maxwell]

Wait...why was Feingold's VP Evan Bayh?  There were none for Bayh and like four or five for Schweitzer

Schweitzer did not become Governor or Senator of Montana.

[Maxwell]

Wait...why was Feingold's VP Evan Bayh?  There were none for Bayh and like four or five for Schweitzer

Schweitzer did not become Governor or Senator of Montana.

Well, in fairness, you could've said something beforehand

You're probably right, my bad.

[Maxwell]

Why does Kasich win these things, especially with horrible economic conditions under him.

It's a little early to call it.

[Maxwell]

Why does Kasich win these things, especially with horrible economic conditions under him.

It's a little early to call it.

First they voted out a President with great economic conditions, but re-elect the guy who has awful ones. Atlasia get yo priorities straight.

Only two vote difference.

[Maxwell]

If the margin is tied, maybe. It does not look likely, though.

[Maxwell]

Nah, Roemer actually takes more from Feingold. Unlike previous third party runs, Roemer at this point basically leans left-wing.

Please don't play pundit on my Interactive Timeline.

[Maxwell]

A New America Series - 2008 General Election

President Kasich's approval ratings remained low even after his victory, but the important lesson for Feingold was not to run in a divided field. Despite as much as 55% of Americans thinking President Kasich should not be re-elected, the Roemer candidacy killed Feingold's chances. Not only did Roemer attract a significant number of disaffected, but more than Trump before him, Roemer attracted Democrats sick of the machine politics of all ideological stripes and even won the Independent vote. President Kasich held a narrow lead most of the election, basically tying most debates, with the one Kasich win being a surprise VP performance from Melinda Schwegmann, who bested Penny and Bayh on foreign affairs. The last minute reason for such a large Kasich victory? Republicans soldiering behind him.

President John Kasich (R-OH)/Vice President Melinda Schwegmann (R-MS) - 40.5%, 344 EV's
Former Vice President Russ Feingold (D-WI)/Senator Evan Bayh (D-IN) - 33.3%, 179 EV's
Former Governor Buddy Roemer (I-LA)/Senator Tim Penny (I-MN) - 26.2%, 15 EV's