What if... Ronald Reagan vs. George McGovern, 1984

[dazzleman]

same electoral map as '72 probably.  McGovern will win one state.

Keep in mind that Reagan won Massachusetts, the only state that Reagan won.  Reagan also came close to carrying Minnesota, Mondale's home state.  And McGovern did not win his home state of South Dakota against Nixon in 1972, so there's no reason to believe he'd win it in 1984.

All signs point to Reagan carrying all 50 states, and McGovern carrying only those brain-dead nitwits in Washington DC.  Reagan probably would have gotten about 62% of the popular vote.

[dazzleman]

McGovern might win MA.

I doubt he'd win Massachusetts in 1984, without Vietnam as an issue.

If Mondale couldn't carry Massachusetts, I don't see why McGovern would have, under the circumstances of 1984.

[dazzleman]

McGovern might win MA.

I doubt he'd win Massachusetts in 1984, without Vietnam as an issue.

If Mondale couldn't carry Massachusetts, I don't see why McGovern would have, under the circumstances of 1984.

Despite that Reagan almost won all 50 states, and MA wasn't close in 1972, the 1972 election was actually more of a landslide.

That's true.  I think McGovern carried Massachusetts 55-45, or something like that.  But in 1984, Reagan carried Massachusetts 51-48, and I can't find any reason to think McGovern would have done better than Mondale in 1984, without the Vietnam War.

I find it funny that Nixon carried Rhode Island in 1972, even while Massachusetts wasn't close.  I have always thought of those states as very similar politically, and can only imagine them being carried by different candidates if both states are very close.

1980 was another time Massachusetts and Rhode Island didn't vote the same, with Carter carrying Rhode Island by a decent margin, and Reagan narrowly carrying Massachusetts.