# Another Presidential election "what happens if" **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [November 1, 2012, 9:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-presidential-election-what-happens-if/639619 "2012-11-01T21:53:18Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![That\_Don\_Guy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/that_don_guy/32/538_2.png) [@That\_Don\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/That_Don_Guy)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2012, 9:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-presidential-election-what-happens-if/639619/1 "2012-11-01T21:53:18Z")
What if it comes down to one state that’s “too close to call,” but in the end, Romney squeaks out a win - but the Democrats get 50 Senators and thus control both houses of Congress? Do the Democrats (yes, I’m looking at you, Senator Boxer - you’re the one who complained in 2004) challenge that state’s electoral votes, knowing that they can get both houses to vote to accept an “alternate” slate of electors who would vote for Obama? (In other words, imagine what could have happened with Florida’s votes in 2000 had the Democrats controlled both the House and Senate at the time.) Remember, the counting of the electoral votes takes place on January 6 - three days after the new Congress sits for the first time. ---
**Author:** ![HurricaneDitka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/96bed5/32.png) [@HurricaneDitka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HurricaneDitka)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2012, 10:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-presidential-election-what-happens-if/639619/2 "2012-11-01T22:46:20Z")
There’s no chance of the Democrats controlling both houses of Congress. The House will remain solidly in the Republican Party’s control ---
**Author:** ![janeslogin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/df788c/32.png) [@janeslogin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/janeslogin)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2012, 10:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-presidential-election-what-happens-if/639619/3 "2012-11-02T22:06:46Z")
I thought in recent years it took 60+ Senators to control the Senate. No? ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2012, 4:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-presidential-election-what-happens-if/639619/4 "2012-11-03T04:35:44Z")
You seem to have confused the US Congress for a parliament. ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2012, 4:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-presidential-election-what-happens-if/639619/5 "2012-11-03T04:39:33Z")
> [@janeslogin](#): > > I thought in recent years it took 60+ Senators to control the Senate. No? Kind of. You still only need 51 votes to win but 60 to block a filibuster. ---
**Author:** ![adaher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@adaher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/adaher)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2012, 7:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-presidential-election-what-happens-if/639619/6 "2012-11-03T07:16:55Z")
If there’s a good reason to do it, it would be an interesting power play. But they’d better have some evidence before taking that step. “Shenanigans” and anecdotes wouldn’t cut it. Those are a part of every close race. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2012, 11:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-presidential-election-what-happens-if/639619/7 "2012-11-03T11:49:45Z")
Can the OP give more details about what Boxer did in 2004? I don’t remember, and I suspect a lot of other posters don’t, either. ---
**Author:** ![dalej42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@dalej42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalej42)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2012, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-presidential-election-what-happens-if/639619/8 "2012-11-03T16:37:54Z")
There was a minor challenge to Ohio’s electoral votes. ---
**Author:** ![adaher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@adaher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/adaher)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2012, 12:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-presidential-election-what-happens-if/639619/9 "2012-11-04T00:54:45Z")
Yeah, but when you’re down 3 million in the popular vote, it’s kinda sleazy to try to flip one state to give yourself a technical win. ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2012, 1:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-presidential-election-what-happens-if/639619/10 "2012-11-04T01:16:48Z")
It happened in 1876. It will never happen again. Saying it will happen this year is Truther or Birther territory. Ridicule is the best treatment.