1988: Mario Cuomo/Lloyd Bentsen vs Bush/Quayle. How would it go down

[Hindsight was 2020]

What if in 1987 Mario had run for the dem nom and won off of his rock start status an like Dukakis chooses Bentsen as his running mate to avoid being seen as a East Coast liberal. How would he of done against the Bush/Quayle ticket?

[P. Clodius Pulcher did nothing wrong]

I think they would have had a better chance against Bush, since Dukakis's loss could be partly attributed to his mistakes on the campaign trail (the tank, the debate, Willie Horton, etc.).

[MAINEiac4434]

He probably would've done better than Dukakis but I don't think he would've won.

[Mr. Smith]

Cuomo/Bentsen
Bush/Quayle

[Kingpoleon]

271: Mario Cuomo/Lloyd Bentsen - 46.0%
267: George H. W. Bush/Dan Quayle - 46.5%
Ron Paul/Ed Clark - 5.0%
La Donna Harris/Peter Camejo - 2.0%
Others - .5%

[Lechasseur]

Cuomo definately had more charisma than Dukakis so I think a Cumo vs. Bush election would have been a lot closer than the Dukakis vs. Bush election which actually happened, but I suspect Bush would still have won in this scenario (because Cuomo wasn't any more moderate than Dukakis). I think a more conservative Democrat would have been needed to beat Bush, like say Lloyd Bentsen or Dick Gephardt.

[OSR stands with Israel]

Bush still wins

Bush 294
Cuomo 244



 

[Lechasseur]

Bush still wins

Bush 294
Cuomo 244



 

I think Missouri and Montana, and maybe Pennsylvania, would have gone for Bush but otherwise that is more or less what the map would have looked like. States like California, Maryland and Illinois would have voted Democratic had Cuomo ran instead of Dukakis. Bush still wins but the popular vote and electoral college but the election would have certainly been more competitive than with Dukakis.