Sen. Ferraro vs. VP Bush(1988)

[Historico]

Let's say the 1984 VP Candidate decides to release both her husband's and her own Tax returns in the Fall of '84, allowing her to look better in the General Public's eye. With more popular support, She is able to win against the junior Republican Senator Al D' Amato in 1986, an after declaring her candidacy in late'87 is able to edge out in a tough primary battle against Dukakis and Jackson to win the nomination. How might the General election turn out?

[dunn]

[bhouston79]

Well the problem I see with your hypothetical is that it doesn't seem very likely that you could declare your candidacy for President so short after winning a Senate seat.  Even Obama had already been in the Senate for over two years at that time that he declared his candidacy.  In your scenario, Ferraro declares her candidacy almost immediately after being sworn into her Senate seat.  It just doesn't seem very plausible.

With all that said, I think that the map posted by Dunn is very probably under such an unlikely scenario.