Bush lost because of Ross Perot and Bush’s support for NAFTA and “read my lips”.
Many people that would have voted for Bush voted for Perot. Perot got 16% of the vote. I personally voted for Bush, but looking back everything Perot said was true. There was a “giant sucking sound” of jobs moving south of the border.
He did go back on his promise NOT to raise taxes and “it was the economy stupid”.
Bush went from a 90% approval rating after the conclusion of the first Gulf War to losing the next election. If he had not raised taxes and supported NAFTA he most likely would have won.
Exactly, The Republican Party was ripe for a third party populist challenge as they were seen as the Blue blood party and the people were hungry for a more populist business man style of governance. It most likely laid the seeds for the tea party and the populist Trump support. What's amazing is how a billionaire, Trump, relates so well and understands the plight of the "working class" of all ages. The "youth" hated what the GOP had become with Bush Sr.