2012: Trump (D) vs. Romney (R) (incumbent)

[darklordoftech]

The scenario here is that Kerry defeats Bush in 2004, Romney defeats Kerry in 2008, and then Trump wins the 2012 Democratic primaries. Trump begins his campaign by saying, “When Wall Street donates to candidates, they don’t donate to the best.”

[Vice President Christian Man]

Trump wins narrowly despite intense polarization. Romney would end up being relatively unpopular with around a 44% approval rating on election day due to two unpopular wars, one with Iran and the other with Libya, as well as slow economic gains. Even though we officially exited the recession over the Summer, consumers and businesses alike are pessimistic and look to Trump as a solution to get the economy booming again.

[BigVic]

Trump wins narrowly despite intense polarization. Romney would end up being relatively unpopular with around a 44% approval rating on election day due to two unpopular wars, one with Iran and the other with Libya, as well as slow economic gains. Even though we officially exited the recession over the Summer, consumers and businesses alike are pessimistic and look to Trump as a solution to get the economy booming again.

The two running mates are Ohioans

[Vice President Christian Man]

Trump wins narrowly despite intense polarization. Romney would end up being relatively unpopular with around a 44% approval rating on election day due to two unpopular wars, one with Iran and the other with Libya, as well as slow economic gains. Even though we officially exited the recession over the Summer, consumers and businesses alike are pessimistic and look to Trump as a solution to get the economy booming again.

The two running mates are Ohioans

I assumed that Romney would've chosen someone like Boehner in 2008 as he's a safe, establishment type and Dems didn't hate him as much then as they did in 2012. I had Trump choose Brown in order to neutralize Ohio which was successful. Had Trump not chosen Brown or another Ohioan politician, it would've been enough for Romney to win that state, as well as re-election.

[DPKdebator]

As mentioned by previous posters, Romney is dogged by a weak economic recovery and unpopular wars abroad. Trump numbers in the Rust Belt not seen by Democrats for over a decade and a half at that point with his populist economic platform. Romney might actually win the PV and lose the EC, since he runs up the score in Texas, Georgia, and Arizona while doing better than the Republican baseline in California, Massachusetts, Illinois, and, generally speaking, well-educated and growing metropolitan areas. Essentially, this election would be the trends of 2016 but flipped.

[Agonized-Statism]

President Mitt Romney (R-MA) / Vice President John Cornyn (R-TX)
Businessman Donald Trump (D-NY) / Fmr. Governor Tim Kaine (D-VA) ✓

Boots are on the ground in Iran and/or Syria and the Great Recession has only gotten worse. Conservatives attack Trump for his personal scandals, and Trump faces an uphill fight in the primaries from people in the Kerry administration's orbit (maybe a Senator Obama who ran with Kerry in '08), but the anti-Trump vote is split and an endorsement from Senator Hillary Clinton really helps. In the election, voters just want Romney out.