After Reagan, I’m not sure being written off by the GOP would have been the kiss of death it was for Goldwater.
I’m sure that Pat would have put up a heck of a fight.
I’m not going to the wall on this one. I’m pleasantly surprised by Trump—the rest of the field eventually pretty well all stank, which made it easier to swallow Trumps rough spots.
At one point I regretted that Walker had thrown in the towel so early.
Well, no Republican was going to win in 1964 after the assassination of St. Jack. The GOP Eastern Establishment squishies were worried then that Goldwater would tank the party downballot (back then, even those liberals didn’t want the party to go down in flames). Unfortunately, that actually did happen, and resulted in that horrendous 1965-66 Congress that rubber-stamped LBJ’s insanity.
Pat would’ve been in the same position as Goldwater (and Trump to a degree). He would’ve had both parties against him, the media, Big Ed, pop culture, everything almost. Worse yet, he would’ve had VERY little money. Trump didn’t have such a problem (and had built-in name recognition). Candidates would’ve been scrambling to run away from him (what they did in 1964 with Goldwater, at least many of the incumbents). Ultimately, the House would’ve been lost and Buchanan would’ve maybe ended up with 35-37% of the vote, worse than Goldwater’s 38% in ‘64 and Dole’s 40.7% in ‘96.
RE: Walker. Do you mean Scott Walker ?