1976: Muskie/Sanford (D) vs. Ford/Dole (R)
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  1976: Muskie/Sanford (D) vs. Ford/Dole (R)
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Author Topic: 1976: Muskie/Sanford (D) vs. Ford/Dole (R)  (Read 1771 times)
Robespierre's Jaw
Senator Conor Flynn
Junior Chimp
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« on: July 18, 2007, 01:21:57 AM »

In late 1975, Senator Ed Muskie of Maine announces his intentions to run for the 1976 Democratic Nomination. After a tough primary campaign with Jimmy Carter, Mo Udall and George Wallace, Senator Muskie wins the Democratic Nomination. For Vice President, Senator Muskie selects respected former Governor of North Carolina Terry Sanford.

Like in RL, the Republican Primaries are the same with President Ford narrowly winning the 1976 GOP Nomination over former Governor of California, Ronald Reagan. President Ford selects Senator Bob Dole of Kansas to be his running mate.

How would this election turn out? Discuss with maps.
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WalterMitty
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« Reply #1 on: July 18, 2007, 09:28:35 PM »

id just like to say that my son's middle name is 'sanford'.  named after the late, great terry sanford...a personal hero of mine.
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Robespierre's Jaw
Senator Conor Flynn
Junior Chimp
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« Reply #2 on: July 18, 2007, 09:38:27 PM »

id just like to say that my son's middle name is 'sanford'.  named after the late, great terry sanford...a personal hero of mine.

That's pretty cool.

And incase you guys didn't know, if JFK wasn't assassinated in Dallas on November 22 1963, Kennedy would have probably selected Governor Sanford to be his running mate in '64. Who knows if Kennedy didn't die, Sanford could have become President.

Could someone please make a map.
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WalterMitty
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« Reply #3 on: July 18, 2007, 10:04:58 PM »

unfortunately, i think the selection of sanford would have done muskie more harm than good in the south, due to sanford's strong civil rights background.



ford/ dole: 53%, 389 evs
muskie/sanford: 46%, 149 evs
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CultureKing
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« Reply #4 on: July 18, 2007, 10:45:50 PM »

unfortunately, i think the selection of sanford would have done muskie more harm than good in the south, due to sanford's strong civil rights background.



ford/ dole: 53%, 389 evs
muskie/sanford: 46%, 149 evs
Remeber this was right after Watergate, a republican victory would be pretty difficult, especially after Ford pardoned Nixon
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Lincoln Republican
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« Reply #5 on: July 20, 2007, 12:09:52 AM »
« Edited: July 20, 2007, 12:15:30 AM by Tammany Hall Republican »

In 1976, Muskie was a credible candidate.  Ford had improved somewhat since taking office, but his pardon of Nixon, though the right decision in the long run, still left bitterness in much of the country in 1976.  As well, Ford had a tendency for making missteps.

Liberal Muskie is pretty well shut out of the south.  Sanford is not much help in the south, but is able to deliver North Carolina, where he is popular.  Muskie picks up strength in the northeast, midwest, and west, to win the election.

(Actually, I doubt that Muskie would have carried North Carolina even with Sanford on the ticket, but I put it for Muskie on the map in recognition of Sanford)

Muskie/Sanford            298
Ford/Dole                     240

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CPT MikeyMike
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« Reply #6 on: July 20, 2007, 08:07:53 AM »

In 1976, Muskie was a credible candidate.  Ford had improved somewhat since taking office, but his pardon of Nixon, though the right decision in the long run, still left bitterness in much of the country in 1976.  As well, Ford had a tendency for making missteps.

Liberal Muskie is pretty well shut out of the south.  Sanford is not much help in the south, but is able to deliver North Carolina, where he is popular.  Muskie picks up strength in the northeast, midwest, and west, to win the election.

(Actually, I doubt that Muskie would have carried North Carolina even with Sanford on the ticket, but I put it for Muskie on the map in recognition of Sanford)

Muskie/Sanford            298
Ford/Dole                     240



I'll buy that for a dollar! Really no big difference here.
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WalterMitty
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« Reply #7 on: July 21, 2007, 10:05:40 AM »

In 1976, Muskie was a credible candidate.  Ford had improved somewhat since taking office, but his pardon of Nixon, though the right decision in the long run, still left bitterness in much of the country in 1976.  As well, Ford had a tendency for making missteps.

Liberal Muskie is pretty well shut out of the south.  Sanford is not much help in the south, but is able to deliver North Carolina, where he is popular.  Muskie picks up strength in the northeast, midwest, and west, to win the election.

(Actually, I doubt that Muskie would have carried North Carolina even with Sanford on the ticket, but I put it for Muskie on the map in recognition of Sanford)

Muskie/Sanford            298
Ford/Dole                     240



i also doubt sandford would have been able to swing nc.

he really wasnt all that popular in the state, not in 76 at least.  he was seen as too liberal on civil rights.  he also was unpopular due to the 2% food tax he instituted while governor.  furthermore, while president of duke university he was perceived as overly-sympathetic to vietnam war protesters.

that being said, he was extremely popular in the black community.
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Lincoln Republican
Winfield
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« Reply #8 on: July 22, 2007, 01:24:34 PM »

Just me thinking out loud, but I think had Muskie been the Dem candidate in 1976, he would not have pursued any kind of a "southern strategy," by picking a southerner for VP.  This would have done him no good under any circumstances anyway, as far as gaining any electoral advantage in the south.
 
I believe Muskie would have picked Washington Senator Henry Jackson for VP.

Muskie had the liberal credentials.  Jackson was more of a moderate, and was a hawk when it came to defense and national security, which would have been good for a ticket with Muskie.

Jackson was credible and well thought of, although the Democratic left was not fond of him, but like I said, Muskie had the liberal credentials which would have appealed to the Democratic left.
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Kevinstat
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« Reply #9 on: July 22, 2007, 04:33:56 PM »

I think part of the reason Muskie didn't run for President in 1976 was because in 1975 then-Congressmen Bill Cohen was contemplating a challenge to Muskie in '76, and Muskie's own polling in June 1975 didn't put him up by that much (and Cohen's polling, according to Cohen aid,  Bowdoin Professor and self-important veteran campiagn manager Christian Potholm, put Cohen ahead 49 percent to 41 percent at that same time before Muskie recovered by moving to the right and giving more focus to Maine).

Potholm, presumably with Cohen's blessing, actually met with a Muskie aide in May 1975 and offered to give Muskie six months to "make up lost ground" (although Cohen would be unofficially campaiging hard then as well) and if Muskie had then Potholm wouldn't urge Cohen to go through with the race.  Potholm refers to this period as "'The Election That Never Was' of 1975."  By December of that year, Cohen's polling only put the Congressman up by 2% which, in Potholm's words (from one of his several books on Maine politics), "masked even worse news within."  At around (if not exactly) the same time, Cohen put a poll between him and Maine's Junior Senator, Bill Hathaway (who had unseated Margeret Chase Smith in 1972 and whose open Congressional seat Cohen had won), and that poll put Cohen up by 20 points.  In early January Cohen announced that he would not run for the Senate that year, but in 1978 he challenged Hathaway as expected from January 1976 on and won by 23 points, 57% to 34% (a Longleyesque conservative and two more minor independents split the remainder). 
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Kaine for Senate '18
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« Reply #10 on: August 29, 2007, 10:18:25 AM »


Muskie/Sanford: 284
Ford/Dole: 254
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