2008: John McCain vs. John Edwards (With Edwards scandal)

[Suburbia]

Former North Carolina Sen. John Edwards surprisingly wins the 2008 Democratic presidential nomination against strong fundraisers and frontrunners/celebrities Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-N.Y.) and Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) in a shocking nomination. Edwards, the 2004 Democratic VP nominee (Kerry-Edwards) faces off against Sen. John McCain.

Meanwhile, Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) wins the 2008 Republican presidential nomination in a lackluster GOP field of former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney and former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee.

In August 2008, a scandal emerges over Edwards' and his personal life. It engulfs the Democratic Party.
In September 2008, a global economic crisis emerges.

Who wins?

[NewYorkExpress]

I think depends how McCain reacts to the economic crisis in this scenario.

If he reacts well, he wins.

If he doesn't he loses, though by a smaller margin than he does IRL.

[tmthforu94]

He admitted to the affair before the DNC, so I think party leaders would have pressured him to drop out and let the convention nominate someone else. His favorable numbers were in the teens following the scandal, if I recall correctly.

If Edwards stays in, McCain plays it safe and picks Pawlenty. Edwards, desperate to try and win back the female vote, is able to convince Stephanie Herseth Sandlin, an early endorser, to join the ticket in an effort to shake up the race. Herseth Sandlin is able to help with women but many progressives felt the ticket was too moderate. Initially the race looked like it would approach a 50-state landslide, but Edwards is able to somewhat consolidate the Democratic base after the economic crisis and is able to win Democratic strongholds. McCain still wins in a landslide.

McCain/Pawlenty: 424
Edwards/Herseth Sandlin: 114

[morgankingsley]

This is probably the only way republicans can win that year

[MillennialModerate]

This scenario means vote splitting:

An overwhelming democratic congress and a McCain Presidency.

[Senator-elect Spark]

Sen. John Edwards (D-NC) / Sen. Joe Lieberman - 287 EVs, 50.7%
Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) / Gov. Sarah Palin (R-AK) - 251 EVs, 47.3%

Dems still win, albeit much narrower.