1968 Election Story For Open Participation

[gorkay]

Not to nitpick, but... the presidential nominee of a party can't just dump the vice-presidential nominee and pick someone else. At the very least, it has to be ratified by a special convention, as was done with Shriver in '72.

[Lincoln Republican]

Not to nitpick, but... the presidential nominee of a party can't just dump the vice-presidential nominee and pick someone else. At the very least, it has to be ratified by a special convention, as was done with Shriver in '72.

There is no time to convene a special convention.  The Democratic National Committee meets in emergency session, and gives unanimous and immediate approval to the Jackson Vice Presidential candidacy the day after Humphrey announced his choice of Jackson. 

The members of the DNC who could not attend the meeting were put on speaker phone so they could hear the proceedings and contribute to the proceedings. 

[Lincoln Republican]

The big states in the northeast are reporting. 

The appeal of Romney and the strength and influence of Rockfeller on the ticket shows in the results.

The northeast does not like candidates who use their wealth and influence to bribe the government.  The voters in these states render their judgment on Perot, and it is devastatingly negative. 

New York  43 EV
Total votes 6,824,397
Romney/Rockefeller              3,486,197  51.08%
Humphrey/Jackson               2,749,438  40.39%
Wallace/LeMay                        374,936    5.49%
Perot/Goldwater                      213,826    3.13%

Pennsylvania 28 EV
Total votes 4,869,431
Romney/Rockefeller               2,252,833  46.17%
Humphrey/Jackson                2,061,072  42.24%
Wallace/LeMay                          420,360    8.41%
Perot/Goldwater                        155,166    3.18%

New Jersey 17 EV
Total votes 2,931,474
Romney/Rockefeller                  1,509,416  51.49%
Humphrey/Jackson                   1,265,517  43.17%
Wallace/LeMay                              79,150    2.70%
Perot/Goldwater                            77,391    2.64%

Maine  4 EV
Total votes 456,255
Romney/Rockefeller                       233,642  56.14%
Humphrey/Jackson                        178,083  42.79%
Wallace/LeMay                               26,634    0.64%
Perot/Goldwater                             17,896    0.43%

EV Totals
Romney/Rockefeller            130
Humphrey/Jackson                 3
Wallace/LeMay                     34
Perot/Goldwater                     0   

                                   
         

[Lincoln Republican]

More east coast results are in.  Humphrey finally starts to show some strength

Massachusetts 14 EV
Humphrey/Jackson      54%
Romney/Rockefeller     41%
Wallace/LeMay              3%
Perot/Goldwater            2%

Connecticut 8 EV
Humphrey/Jackson        50%
Romney/Rockefeller       46%
Wallace/LeMay                3%
Perot/Goldwater              1%

Rhode Island 4 V
Humphrey/Jackson         62%
Romney/Rockefeller        34%
Wallace/LeMay                  3%
Perot/Goldwater               1%

Maryland 10 EV
Humphrey/Jckson             49%
Romney/Rockefeller          41%
Wallace/LeMay                   8%
Perot/Goldwater                 2%

Delaware 3EV
Romney/Rockefellr             48%
Humphrey/Jackson             46%
Wallace/LeMay                    4%
Perot/Goldwater                  2%

EV Count
Romney/Rockefeller             133
Humphrey/Jackson                39
Wallace/LeMay                      34
Perot/Goldwater                    26

[Lincoln Republican]

After seeing a setback in Oho, the Romney/Rockefeller juggernaut continues it's way through Romney's home state region of the midwest.

Michigan 21 EV
Romney/Rockefeller        62%
Humphrey/Jackson         34%
Wallade/LeMay                 2%
Perot/Goldwater               2%

Wisconsin 12 EV
Romney/Rockefeller         51%
Humphrey/Jackson          46%
Wallace/LeMay                  2%
Perot/Goldwater                1%

Iowa 9 EV
Romney/Rockefeller          52%
Humphrey/Jackson           44%
Wallace/LeMay                   2%
Perot/Goldwater                 2%

Missouri 12 EV
Romney/Rockefeller           46%
Humphrey/Jackson            45%
Wallace/LeMay                    5%
Perot/Goldwater                  3%

Minesota 10 EV
Humphrey/Jackson             61%
Romney/Rockefeller            34%
Wallace/LeMay                     3%
Perot/Goldwater                   2% 

EV Count
Romney/Rockefeller             187
Humphrey/Jackson                49
Wallace/LeMay                      34
Perot/Goldwater                    26 

[Lincoln Republican]

Results from the south are coming in and they show good news for Wallace.

Exit polls in Texas showed Texans were ashamed of Perot's behavior, and many of these voters gave their votes to Wallace in protest.

Tenessee 11 EV
Wallace/LeMay             42%
Humphrey/Jackson        31%
Romney/Rockefeller       22%
Perot/Goldwater              5%

North Carolina 12 EV
Wallace/LeMay               51%
Humphrey/Jackson         29%
Romney/Rockefeller        18%
Perot/Goldwater               2%

Mississippi 7 EV
Wallace/LeMay                61%
Humphre/Jackson            24%
Romney/Rockefeller         12%
Perot/Goldwater                3%

Alabama 10 EV
Wallace/LeMay                 65%
Humphrey/Jackson           18%
Romney/Rockefeller          14%
Perot/Goldwater                 3%

Arkansas 6 EV
Wallace/LeMay                  58%
Humphrey/Jackson            28%
Romney/Rockefeller           12%
Perot/Goldwater                  2%

Louisiana 10 V
Wallace/LeMay                   61%
Humphrey/Jackson             21%
Romney/Rockefeller            14%
Perot/Goldwater                   4%

Texas 25EV
Wallace/Lemay                   38%
Perot/Golwater                   34%
Romney/Rockefeller            15%
Humphrey/Jackson             13%

EV Count
Romney/Rockefeller           187
Wallace/LeMay                  115
Humphrey/Jackson              49
Perot/Goldwater                  26

[Lincoln Republican]

West Virginia and Illinois have been close all night and both are now called for Humphrey.

West Virginia 7 EV
Humphrey/Jackson            41%
Romney/Rockefeller           39%
Wallace/LeMay                   18%
Perot/Goldwater                  2%

Illinois 26 EV
Humphrey/Jackson              42%
Romney/Rockefeller             40%
Wallace/LeMay                     12%
Perot/Goldwater                    6%

EV Count
Romney/Rockefeller             188
Wallace/LeMay                    116
Humphrey/Jackson                85
Perot/Goldwater                    26                                                     

Electoral Map To Date

Romney/Rockefeller - Blue
Wallace/leMay         - Green
Humphrey/Jackson  - Red
Perot/Goldwater      - Pink
Not Called                - Light Blue

[Lief 🗽]

Results start coming in from the west, where Romney remains strong. Perot's 8 point lead in Oklahoma has evaporated, with most of his support shifting to Wallace, giving Wallace a surprise win in the Sooner State.

North Dakota 4 EV
Romney - 41%
Humphrey - 30%
Perot - 23%
Wallace- 6%

South Dakota 4 EV
Romney - 39%
Humphrey - 35%
Perot - 22%
Wallace - 4%

Nebraska 5 EV
Romney - 48%
Perot - 25%
Humphrey - 23%
Wallace - 4%

Kansas 7 EV
Romney - 36%
Humphrey - 28%
Perot - 26%
Wallace - 10%

Oklahoma 8 EV
Wallace - 28%
Perot - 27%
Romney - 27%
Humphrey - 18%

EV Count
Romney/Rockefeller             208
Wallace/LeMay                    124
Humphrey/Jackson                85
Perot/Goldwater                    26

Romney is 62 electoral votes from victory.

[Lief 🗽]

Arizona, Colorado, and New Mexico remained too close to call until about half an hour after their polls had closed. Perot's numbers dropped dramatically from polls a few weeks ago in the states, though his small government message and Barry Goldwater at the bottom of the ticket allowed him to stay in the thick of it with Humphrey and Romney.

Arizona 5 EV
Perot - 36%
Romney - 27%
Humphrey - 21%
Wallace - 4%

New Mexico 4 EV
Perot - 30.2%
Romney - 29.7%
Humphrey - 29.1%
Wallace - 11%

Colorado 6 EV
Romney - 33%
Humphrey - 30%
Perot - 29%
Wallace - 8%

Wyoming 3 EV
Romney - 53%
Humphrey - 26%
Perot - 14%
Wallace - 7%

EV Count
Romney/Rockefeller             217
Wallace/LeMay                    124
Humphrey/Jackson                85
Perot/Goldwater                    35

[Lincoln Republican]

(Why in the name of common sense would Ronald Reagan, who even in 1968 aspires to become the Republican Presidential nominee at some time in the future, endorse the pesky little Texas wingnut Perot?  Only if he had a political death wish as far as ever becoming the Republican Presidential nominee would he do anything so bizarre.  So he endorses Perot, which is now part of the story.)

With late reporting urban areas in the southern part of the state, and with returns now coming in from the Bay area, and from the northern part of the state, voting heavily for Humphrey, Humphrey now jumps into a slight lead over Perot. 

With about 75% of the California vote in, the results now stand at

Humphrey       36%
Perot               35%
Romney           25%
Wallace             4%               

[Lief 🗽]

As California remains close, the results in Washington, Hawaii and Alaska start to come in:

Washington 9 EV
Humphrey 44%
Romney 31%
Perot 14%
Wallace 11%

Alaska 3 EV
Perot 33%
Romney 31%
Humphrey 23%
Wallace 13%

Hawaii 4 EV
Humphrey 41%
Romney 29%
Perot 29%
Wallace 1%

With 84% of the vote now in in California, Perot is leading Humphrey by 2000 votes. However, neither Humphrey nor Perot will be able to crack 270 votes with a win in California, and it is now mathematically impossible for Romney to take the state.

[Lincoln Republican]

With 100% of the precincts now reporting in California, and with late returns now in from heavily union areas, Humphrey pulls out a win of about 60,000 votes, out of about 7,500,000 votes cast.

Electoral Vote Totals

Romney/Rockefeller                  229
Humphrey/Jackson                   144
Wallace/LeMay                         124
Perot/Goldwater                         41

Humphrey's total of 144 EV is subject to a recount for the 40 electoral votes in California.

Regardless of the outcome in California, this election is heading to the House of Representatives.         

   

[Lief 🗽]

Popular Vote:
George Romney: 34%
Hubert Humphrey: 29%
Ross Perot: 20%
George Wallace: 17%

[defe07]

I wonder who Perot's electors would vote for. Promises to be interesting!

[Lincoln Republican]

One scenario that results in the election of George Romney as President and Nelson Rockefeller as Vice President.

Romney/Rockefeller have 229 electoral votes.

Perot/Goldwater have 41 electoral votes.

Don't forget, it was Humphrey's urging of Johnson to have Perot arrested and jailed over the bribery scandal.

In order to retaliate against Humphrey for this act, Perot, with the backing of Goldwater, who is still a Republican at heart, instruct their 41 electors to cast their electoral votes for Romney/Rockefeller, giving them the magic total of 270 electoral votes, just enough to win the Presidency and the Vice Presidency.

Both Perot and Goldwater reason as well that Romney received a higher percentage of the popular vote than Humphrey, 34% to 29%, only 5% higher, but a substantially higher number of electoral votes, 229 to 144.  Therefore, they reason, correctly, that Romney has greater support in the country than does Humphrey, and therefore should be President.

In this scenario, Perot and Goldwater prevent a House vote, that has a majority of Democrats, that would result in the election of Humphrey as President, something Perot will not consider. 

This scenario also avoids a Senate vote, also controlled by Democrats, on the Vice Presidency, that would have resulted in the election of Jackson as Vice President. 

Therefore, in this scenario, George Romney becomes President and Nelson Rockefeller becomes Vice President.   

Generally, of course, electors cast their electoral votes for the winner of the state, but, constitutionally, they are free to cast their electoral votes for another candidate, which would be the case in this scenario. 

I am sure that in such a scenario as this that Perot and Goldwater, in return for their electoral votes,  would have wrung some concessions out of Romney and Rockefeller, e.g., running a fiscally responsible administration.

Perhaps Perot would even have been nominated for the cabinet.