1996 Gore v Dole

[Samof94]

How does Dole do in this 1996??? Let’s say he’s President as Tsongas won in 1992 and was removed by 25th amendment due to cancer(and passing out at a meeting with PM Kim Campbell in Ottawa). Gore suffers a 1994 loss just as Clinton did. Clinton himself dropped out due to a sex scandal.

[Samof94]

President Al Gore (D-TN) / Senator John Kerry (D-MA) ✓
Senator Bob Dole (R-KS) / General Colin Powell (R-NY)
Businessman Ross Perot (RE-TX) / Economist Pat Choate (RE-DC)

The biggest impact here is on the Republican primaries. Dole probably still gets nominated on his own merit rather than as a sacrificial lamb, because the field wasn't great that year and there weren't a lot of other stellar options, but gets Colin Powell on the ticket with a one-term pledge. This may or may not cause a schism with Pat Buchanan, although IIRC Powell hadn't yet clarified his position on abortion and could be convinced to take a more conservative one. Gore still wins if the 1990s tranquility isn't interrupted.

The 1990’s likely run differently, but much of the environment had little to do with Clinton. 1994 likely would be a very different year politically. President Gore wouldn’t have sex scandals and Tipper Gore isn’t Hillary Clinton.

[Samof94]

The 1990’s likely run differently, but much of the environment had little to do with Clinton. 1994 likely would be a very different year politically. President Gore wouldn’t have sex scandals and Tipper Gore isn’t Hillary Clinton.

What? What does this have to do with my post?

It would explain having a different Democrat would change things and the GOP would find it harder to vilify him.