2012 General Election TL (Edwards vs Johnson)

[Former Senator Haslam2020]

President Edwards's approval rating is 51.5%. He has re-legalized abortion, legalized gay marriage, passed a good, national healthcare system. He is well loved in his party but is criticized as too moderate and too willing to compromise. In March 2011, his wife died of cancer, and Bernie Sanders, who was running an exploratory committee at that time decided not to run, giving the staff of liberal socialism to Lincoln Chafee, an unpopular governor. He was easily defeated in the primary by Edwards. The republican nomination fight was long, but Johnson won in late June, just before the convention, as part of a deal, Cain endorsed Johnson and Johnson named him as Veep. Evan Bayh declined to seek a second term as VP, he has been replaced by Senator Bernie Sanders, a very liberal senator, to unite the party.

[Higgs]

I'd support Johnson, but Edwards would have been a lot better than Obama

[Former Senator Haslam2020]

President John Edwards/Senator Bernie Sanders: 344 Electoral Votes 54.5%
Fmr Gov. Gary Johnson/Senator Herman Cain: 194 Electoral Votes 45.5%

Edwards dominated the debates, portraying Johnson as a weak crazy-liberty-right wing extremist, and him as a moderate problem solver. It worked. Most people seemed to forget Edwards's primary challenge and the GOP primaries. Also, Edwards's veep pick of Sanders solidified his liberal credentials, and without any major third party opposition, he cruised to victory on election night.