Sanders vs Trump vs Huntsman vs Sasse

[Thunderbird is the word]

In late 2017 the economy slows and a severe recession sets in early in 2018. Between the poor economy and several corruption scandals Trump's approval rating declines precipitously and with Trump increasingly turning his fire on congressional GOP leaders as much as he is on Democrats Republican turnout is surprisingly low in the midterms allowing Democrats to surprisingly take back congress and gain one senate seat. In early 2019 Trump reaches out to Democrats in congress and proposes that they work with him on things like infrastructure and health care to improve the economy and while several Democrats do the majority of the party, motivated by an increasingly empowered grassroots refuses and following an even bigger corruption scandal impeachment is pursued with Rand Paul and Ben Sasse leading the charge along with Democrats. Although Trump narrowly survives and staves off a primary challenge from Ted Cruz he is fatally damaged. Meanwhile Bernie Sanders cruises through the Democratic primary with no candidate able to mount a unified opposition to him. Jon Huntsman enters the race as an independent and has heavy financial backing from Michael Bloomberg, Elon Musk and other wealthy investors dismayed by a match between a left-populist and a right-populist. He picks Jim Webb as his runingmate though and shows some surprising strength in Appalachia as well where despite Trump's overwhelming victory in 2016 many have been dismayed as the region continues to bleed coal jobs. At the same time Ben Sasse leaves the Republican Party and mounts a bid on the new nationwide Conservative Party made up of anti-Trump Republicans. He selects Evan McMullian as his running mate who was elected on an independent platform in 2018.

In the general election Trump attempts to capitalize on a slightly improved economy and attacks Democrats for having refused to work with him to make it even better. However the near impeachment damaged his credibility and with Sanders igniting the left-wing grassroots and uniting the party with Catherine Cortez-Mateo as his running mate the election is his to lose. On election day with unemployment at 7.8% he wins a convincing victory with a surprise upset in Utah mainly as the result of Huntsman and Sasse dividing the opposition vote and Trump finishing in a distant fourth.

Sanders-Cortez Masto 425
Trump-Pence              112
Sasse-McMullian            1
Huntsman-Webb           0

[Hoosier_Nick]

As much as I would love to see Sanders win, I'm not sure what the point would be if there are two conservative tickets opposing Trump. It would be more realistic if they consolidated to just one.

[Thunderbird is the word]

As much as I would love to see Sanders win, I'm not sure what the point would be if there are two conservative tickets opposing Trump. It would be more realistic if they consolidated to just one.

I think it's possible. One would be the more moderate "very serious person" ticket which I think would appeal to disaffected Clintonites and moderate Republicans and the other for more ideological movement conservatives that are #NeverTrump. I do think that if Bernie ends up being the future of the Democratic Party you will get a centrist elite third party in response.

[SCNCmod]

As a Dem, Huntsman is the candidate I would most fear as the Republican Nominee.

I think Webb & Sasse are non-factors.

Sanders running in 2020... is as bad of an idea as Hillary running in 2020 (even though many supporters of each would love to see them run)

[JustinTimeCuber]

Sanders running in 2020... is as bad of an idea as Hillary running in 2020 (even though many supporters of each would love to see them run)

[TJ in Oregon]

Sanders running in 2020... is as bad of an idea as Hillary running in 2020 (even though many supporters of each would love to see them run)

How can someone make a citation for pure speculation?

[JustinTimeCuber]

Sanders running in 2020... is as bad of an idea as Hillary running in 2020 (even though many supporters of each would love to see them run)

How can someone make a citation for pure speculation?

I mean, if you want anyone to give any credibility to your speculation, at least cite a poll or something...

Here's my map. I think the OP overused 4s a bit, and also didn't account for how Sanders was polling +20 against Trump in NH.

Sanders won't win Utah.

[Since I'm the mad scientist proclaimed by myself]

Sanders running in 2020... is as bad of an idea as Hillary running in 2020 (even though many supporters of each would love to see them run)

Hey look. Another bernie fanboy. Just what we need more of.

[Indy Texas 🇺🇦🇵🇸]

I don't understand the purpose of Huntsman and Sasse being in the race splitting what is already a very small portion of the electorate - Republicans who dislike Trump. Even if he's as damaged as he is in this scenario, if he makes it through the primary, they will by and large stand by him.

These independent Very Serious Person campaigns always amount to nothing because the kind of well-educated, upscale centrist types who they're meant for are in short supply outside of the media and some segments of the government and corporate elite.

[JustinTimeCuber]

Sanders running in 2020... is as bad of an idea as Hillary running in 2020 (even though many supporters of each would love to see them run)

Hey look. Another bernie fanboy. Just what we need more of.

Lol I have no response.

[Thunderbird is the word]

I don't understand the purpose of Huntsman and Sasse being in the race splitting what is already a very small portion of the electorate - Republicans who dislike Trump. Even if he's as damaged as he is in this scenario, if he makes it through the primary, they will by and large stand by him.

These independent Very Serious Person campaigns always amount to nothing because the kind of well-educated, upscale centrist types who they're meant for are in short supply outside of the media and some segments of the government and corporate elite.

I could see in 2020 a centrist campaign if it was a race between Bernie and Trump having more of a potential base of support. When you look at the trend of wealthier whites in Fairfield County and North Jersey that shifted heavily to the Democrats I can't see them breaking for Bernie as easily or going to Trump and I think a left-populist vs right-populist matchup would be a situation in which you'd get a third party revolt of the elite which might even eat into some of Gary Johnson's vote total in 2016 also and some disgruntled Trump voters as well who don't want to vote for him or a Democrat. At the same time I think that if Trump was widely unpopular at this point and perhaps even faced a primary challenge there'd be an impetus for a more hard-right third party of anti-Trump conservatives as well. So I don't see something like this as outside the realm of possibility.

[LLR]

Sanders running in 2020... is as bad of an idea as Hillary running in 2020 (even though many supporters of each would love to see them run)

Hey look. Another bernie fanboy. Just what we need more of.

Weren't you a huge Bernie Gal at some point?

[Since I'm the mad scientist proclaimed by myself]

Sanders running in 2020... is as bad of an idea as Hillary running in 2020 (even though many supporters of each would love to see them run)

Hey look. Another bernie fanboy. Just what we need more of.

Weren't you a huge Bernie Gal at some point?

Yes. It's amazing how dramatically I've matured(not just politically) in the past 8 months(Hell, I stopped even liking bernie 3 or 4 months ago).

[Thunderbird is the word]

Sanders running in 2020... is as bad of an idea as Hillary running in 2020 (even though many supporters of each would love to see them run)

Hey look. Another bernie fanboy. Just what we need more of.

Weren't you a huge Bernie Gal at some point?

Yes. It's amazing how dramatically I've matured(not just politically) in the past 8 months(Hell, I stopped even liking bernie 3 or 4 months ago).

No need to be all or nothing or throw the baby out with the bathwater. I've never been a "Berniefanboy." I don't agree with him on everything or am a cult follower, he's just one of the few people who actually comes close to representing my views and I think we need more like him.