Who should have easily won but ended up blowing it?

[GeorgeBFree]

I don't know why people thought Romney had a chance to win. He was running against a relatively popular incumbent and he was in no mans land for popular appeal (he was unpopular with conservatives in his own party as being too left and by general public for working in LBO industry). Also his only path to victory was Bush 04 map as the campaign had no new policy ideas to expand into the "blue wall" at the time.

I think the biggest choke was Perot in '92 blowing a chance at winning by dropping out mid campaign.