I think during his second term, Gore would not fair any better than Bush (RL) did, admittedly his response to the Katrina catastrophe will be a lot quicker, and therefore there will be no particular fall-out, I think the GOP will make massive gains, and Gore will replace John McCain with Robert Gates. McCain, will thus be free to criticize the Gore administration and will attempt to manipulate a political comeback, however Mitt Romney emerges as the likely GOP nominee and will secure the nomination on the first ballot, both Hillary Clinton and Joe Lieberman will battle it out for the Democratic nod, however it is Joe Lieberman who prevails and goes for John Edwards as his VP, in this TL, Edwards has remained in Senate, winning reelection in 2004. The GOP go with Mitt Romney for President and Jeb Bush for the second spot.
306 for
Romney-Bush232 for
Lieberman-Edwards