1976: Carter v. Baker

[Kaine for Senate '18]

Republicans:
Senator Howard Baker (Tennessee)
Governor Daniel Evans (Washington)

Democrats:
Governor Jimmy Carter (Georgia)
Senator Walter Mondale (Minnesota)

[Kaine for Senate '18]

Baker victory, 295-243:

[Kaine for Senate '18]

Baker victory, 295-243:

explain your reasoning. I do not think that any republican could have won in 1976. Jerry Ford came very close, but I do not think that any republican could win in 1976.

Howard Baker, as you may or may not know, was a key figure in the Watergate Committee, and gained a lot of favorable press for his work; he was a moderate Southern Republican, who was very popular, and would not have had Ford's handicap of giving a pardon to Nixon.  Therefore, he takes several Southern states, in addition to the closest states to go to Carter, and wins the election.

[Kaine for Senate '18]

Baker victory, 295-243:

explain your reasoning. I do not think that any republican could have won in 1976. Jerry Ford came very close, but I do not think that any republican could win in 1976.

Howard Baker, as you may or may not know, was a key figure in the Watergate Committee, and gained a lot of favorable press for his work; he was a moderate Southern Republican, who was very popular, and would not have had Ford's handicap of giving a pardon to Nixon.  Therefore, he takes several Southern states, in addition to the closest states to go to Carter, and wins the election.

but, he is more conservative than Ford and Nixon. was the country really ready for that kind of conservative at that time? I doubt that Reagan would have defeated Carter in 1976 because Reagan was so conservative. as we had both heard it said, it took four years of Jimmy Carter for Americans to appreciate Ronald Reagan. I think that it would be the same way with baker.

No, it wouldn't.  Conservatism wasn't the issue, and Baker wasn't even more conservative than they were.  You're ignoring Watergate, and the fact that Baker was seen as clean.

[Kaine for Senate '18]

Gporter, if Ford nearly won in '76, and Baker was a better candidate than Ford, would've Baker have won?  Baker appealed across party lines, and was very popular, and seen as honest.  He would've won.

[Kaine for Senate '18]

Then why the f**k did you waste all this time arguing with me?