If Reagan were allowed to run a third term, and did?

[Blank Slate]

I don't think he would have won. No matter what they thought of him at the time, they would have wanted someone else.

A good candidate might have beaten Reagan in '88.  Dukakis was not a good candidate.  Heck, he falls below the level of bad.  He was actively bad. 

What about Reagan vs. Lloyd Bentsen (flip the nominees on the Democrat, or perhaps Bentsen wouldn't have chosen Dukakis?) 

Bentsen, I believe, would have been the only Democrat at the time that could have defeated Reagan for a third term.  (He would have at least denied Reagan Texas and Bentsen might have taken a lot more of the south, of course he probably would have had chose a Mid-west or Northeastern Democrat for balance and to make sure of the win, a la the way LBJ did in 1964).   Bentsen would have brought back all of the Reagan Democrats from the last two elections.

Of course California and most of the Far West (except for perhaps, Hawaii) would have stayed in Reagan's column, but they wouldn't have helped Reagan win re-election to a third term.

[Ronald Reagan]

Dukakis - 95
Reagan - 443

[12th Doctor]

Dukakis loses badly, as in real life. That is, unless Reagan's health issues are leaked.

There was nothing to be leaked.  He didn't start showing signs until 1991.

[Michael Z]

Dukakis loses badly, as in real life. That is, unless Reagan's health issues are leaked.

There was nothing to be leaked.  He didn't start showing signs until 1991.

To be fair, he already started showing signs of dementia well into his second term.

What's interesting about this scenario is where that leaves Bush for 1992. Could he have beaten Clinton (assuming Clinton would run)?

[The Duke]

Dukakis loses badly, as in real life. That is, unless Reagan's health issues are leaked.

There was nothing to be leaked.  He didn't start showing signs until 1991.

To be fair, he already started showing signs of dementia well into his second term.

What's interesting about this scenario is where that leaves Bush for 1992. Could he have beaten Clinton (assuming Clinton would run)?

What doctor who actually examined Reagan says that he was showing signs by 1988?

[J. J.]

Dukakis loses badly, as in real life. That is, unless Reagan's health issues are leaked.

There was nothing to be leaked.  He didn't start showing signs until 1991.

To be fair, he already started showing signs of dementia well into his second term.

What's interesting about this scenario is where that leaves Bush for 1992. Could he have beaten Clinton (assuming Clinton would run)?

Actually, when Howard Baker when in as Chief of Staff (1987) there were concerns among the staff that Reagan was not up to par.  After one meeting him, Baker said Reagan was in full control.  He would have been reelected by a landslide in 1988, though it would have looked more like 1980 than 1984.

[True Democrat]

Dukakis vs. Reagan



453-85

Cuomo vs. Reagan:



356-182, but California would be extremely close

[12th Doctor]

Reagan definatly wins Illinois (since that was his acctual home state) and PA