Could anyone win all 50 states?

[Akno21]

Are we counting DC or not? If so, since it does have EV's, than a Republican would be hard pressed to do it, and judging by recent elections, that would be the only party to have a chance. I like the Republicans chances in MD, MA, and DE better than the Democrats chances in UT, MS, and AL.

[Akno21]

Are we counting DC or not?

No.

Why not DC? It's not really a sweep if the final EV tally is 535-3.  

[Akno21]

Are we counting DC or not?

No.

Why not DC? It's not really a sweep if the final EV tally is 535-3.  

Nothing was said about an electoral college sweep only winning all 50 states. DC does not qualify on that count.

All right, fine. Since reagan almost did it, it probably could be done, but it would take someone of his campaigning ability to do it.

[Akno21]

Edwards couldn't win Alabama. 75% of the people there supported Moore! Also forget Mississippi and Utah.

in today's political landscape: no. Unless the opponent was a huge kook a la LaRouche, but I can't see any realistic matchup winning all 50 states. In fact I can't see anyone in any realistic matchup getting under 100 electoral votes.

I don't believe Reagan would've won 49 states against Mondale today either, since states are now more rigidly partisan. He would lose NY, MA, RI, HI, VT and possibly MD and NJ.

Both parties know the stakes are too high to go with a LaRouche. Bush vs. Dean had the potential to become a landslide for Bush, but that's why the Dems went against Dean in the primaries.

[Akno21]

Edwards couldn't win Alabama. 75% of the people there supported Moore! Also forget Mississippi and Utah.

in today's political landscape: no. Unless the opponent was a huge kook a la LaRouche, but I can't see any realistic matchup winning all 50 states. In fact I can't see anyone in any realistic matchup getting under 100 electoral votes.

I don't believe Reagan would've won 49 states against Mondale today either, since states are now more rigidly partisan. He would lose NY, MA, RI, HI, VT and possibly MD and NJ.

The only way I see it happening is if a Democrat was in office and was assasinated 2 months out of the election. Then maybe the VP would win in a landslide.

Why would it have to be a Democrat?

[Akno21]

Edwards couldn't win Alabama. 75% of the people there supported Moore! Also forget Mississippi and Utah.

in today's political landscape: no. Unless the opponent was a huge kook a la LaRouche, but I can't see any realistic matchup winning all 50 states. In fact I can't see anyone in any realistic matchup getting under 100 electoral votes.

I don't believe Reagan would've won 49 states against Mondale today either, since states are now more rigidly partisan. He would lose NY, MA, RI, HI, VT and possibly MD and NJ.

The only way I see it happening is if a Democrat was in office and was assasinated 2 months out of the election. Then maybe the VP would win in a landslide.

Why would it have to be a Democrat?

I am using this as a example because IMHO it would be easier for a Republican to win a landslide of all 50 states. A Democrat would have a harder time winning states such as Alabama, Utah and Wyoming thus IMHO that would be the only chance a Democrat would really have a chance at winning all 50.

True, there are more staunchly Republican states than staunchly Democratic.  

[Akno21]

I could win all 50 states....

against LaRouche I suppose

If it were LaRouche vs. Moore, the third party candidate would win the election. I have faith in my party never to allow Loudon LaRouche on the ballot as Democratic Presidential Nominee in November.

[Akno21]

Well, I can think of some possibilites.

For the Republicans: If it was Lincoln Chafee vs. Dennis Kucinich, Chafee wins all 50 states. Though Kucinich would still win DC (I can't think of any plausible scenario where a Republican wins DC, maybe if it was Bush vs. Kucinich and a major terrorist attack occured right before the election or some such). Even here, Massachusetts and New York would probably be close.

For the Democrats: Jim Matheson vs. Alan Keyes would be a 50 state sweep for Matheson. Likewise, even Idaho and Wyoming would probably be close (the fact that Matheson is from a neighboring state however may put him over the top, plus Keyes is black which would cost him the vote of hardcore white racists). Utah would probably be close to, but it's Matheson's home state.

But barring a situation like the above (where one party nominates a candidate from a state and region in which they are normally very weak, and the other party nominates someone who is just way out there and not from that same region) I don't think anyone would win all 50 states.

That all looks good, except the part that about Bush winning DC if there was a terror attack right before the election. It would have to be a Republican who wasn't as rich, well-connected, elitist, to get all the minorities in DC to vote GOP.  

[Akno21]

There's no way anyone could sweep the electoral college...ever.

You could run Martin Luther King as the Republican and Adolf Hitler as the Democrat and Washington, DC. would vote Democratic...

I do hope you are exaggerating.

[Akno21]

There's no way anyone could sweep the electoral college...ever.

You could run Martin Luther King as the Republican and Adolf Hitler as the Democrat and Washington, DC. would vote Democratic...

I do hope you are exaggerating.

Yes.....and no.

By saying that people in DC would vote for Adolf Hitler if he was a (D) is really insulting the DC people. They aren't that dumb. Plus, there would never be a MLK v. Hitler race, and if there was it wouldn't be with (D) and (R)