Texas Governor 1994

[Liberalrocks]

Is there anything that Ann Richards could have done to defeat George W Bush in 1994?
If so, how might history have been different for Richards, Bush and the country as a whole?

RIP~ Ann a tough fighter !

[Meeker]

If Bush I had somehow been re-elected in 1992 and the economy was still in the tank in 1994 then Richards may have been able to win. Bush II may not have even run if Bush I was still President though. Bush I winning in 1992 probably could have only occurred had the economy been getting noticeably better though, so 1994 may not have actually been so bad for the Republicans in such a scenario.

Alternatively, if Clinton hadn't decided to pass his budget or the Brady Bill and had just sort of stuck to non-controversial issues and never really did much of anything domestically (sort of like his entire Presidency post-1994...) then maybe the country wouldn't've turned so sour on the Democrats by 1994.

In short: Somehow 1994 needed to have been better for the Democrats. Richards couldn't've survived in a climate like that.

(Of course it wasn't all the climate - Karl Rove's campaign tactics had a big hand in it as well.)

[rbt48]

An alternative question is this:  what if both George Bush had won in Texas and Jeb Bush had pulled out a win in Florida in 1994?  Which one of them would have sought the Presidency in 2000? 

Oh, by the way, Jeb Bush lost to Lawton Chiles by 1.52% while George Bush defeated Richards by 7.6%.

[Liberalrocks]

An alternative question is this:  what if both George Bush had won in Texas and Jeb Bush had pulled out a win in Florida in 1994?  Which one of them would have sought the Presidency in 2000? 

Oh, by the way, Jeb Bush lost to Lawton Chiles by 1.52% while George Bush defeated Richards by 7.6%.

Still proably would have been the same amount of pain with eithier Bush. Although I do suspect Jebb has a much higher IQ but would still send the country in the same crappy direction....just my personal two cents.

[JoeyJoeJoe]

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Jeb, who the family was planning to run in 2000 before 1994.

[sg0508]

There are highlights of the actual news for Election Night '94 on youtube.  All throughout the night, they expected a nailbiter.  They were shocked that the final margin was 8 pts.  The GOP tide that night was far too big to overcome.

[krazen1211]

Is there anything that Ann Richards could have done to defeat George W Bush in 1994?
If so, how might history have been different for Richards, Bush and the country as a whole?

RIP~ Ann a tough fighter !

Not likely. For a non-corrupt incumbent governor, Ann Richards lost in a relative landslide.

[Miles]

Is there anything that Ann Richards could have done to defeat George W Bush in 1994?
If so, how might history have been different for Richards, Bush and the country as a whole?

RIP~ Ann a tough fighter !

Not likely. For a non-corrupt incumbent governor, Ann Richards lost in a relative landslide.

Losing by 7 points in a year where Democrats lost 12 Governorships nationwide isn't a "relative landslide"...more like par for the course.
Remember, Richards only won by 2.5% in 1990, so she probably would have been somewhat vulnerable anyway, even in a normal year.

[krazen1211]

Is there anything that Ann Richards could have done to defeat George W Bush in 1994?
If so, how might history have been different for Richards, Bush and the country as a whole?

RIP~ Ann a tough fighter !

Not likely. For a non-corrupt incumbent governor, Ann Richards lost in a relative landslide.

Losing by 7 points in a year where Democrats lost 12 Governorships nationwide isn't a "relative landslide"...more like par for the course.
Remember, Richards only won by 2.5% in 1990, so she probably would have been somewhat vulnerable anyway, even in a normal year.

How many incumbent governors lose by 7 points, ever? It's quite rare for an incumbent governor to lose by such a margin. Only Bruce King from that year; Cuomo and Folsom did better in 1994. Most of those 12 were vacant seats.