If some prominent figure dropped out of a state race (for whatever reason) shortly before the election, which figure would be your guess as the (popular, vote-attracting, well-known) last-minute replacement?
In New York State, for example, I’d say the Dems would nominate Mario Cuomo and the Reps would nominate Rudy Giuliani.
California:
Republicans - Ronald Reagan or Earl Warren
Democrats - Pat Brown
We have distinct lack of famous retired politicans out here.
There are actually three former governors still alive: Jerry Brown, George Deukmejian, and Pete Wilson. The only one who wouldn’t alienate everybody would be Deukmejian. Brown and Wilson have significant amounts of opposition and ill will in the state.
Former L.A. mayor Richard Riordan would be another option for the Republicans. Of course, the Republicans are likely kicking themselves for not picking Riordan in the primary.
My El Guapo is the actual El Guapo.
Uh, I mean my state’s Lautenberg is the actual Lautenberg. I really had hoped we had seen the last of him.
But in New Mexico, the state of my former residence, I think it would be an easy one: Manuel Lujan. He was Secretary of the interior for 8 years under the first President Bush, and before that was a NM congressman for 22 years. My parents voted for him faithfully every chance they had, and he was very, very popular. If he ran again, he’d win in a landslide.
There are quite a few “cute” answers but the truth is that most of ours are either dead or still in Congress. The exception probably would be Mike Moore who has been our Atty General for years. He was instrumental in getting cigarette money for our state and other states.
I’m having a difficult time coming up with names in Arizona – before the death of Goldwater, he would have been a possibility, and when McCain retires, he will likely be one, but right now there doesn’t appear to be a clear name. The best names I can come up with, and please feel free to add any, are Bruce Babbitt (who isn’t universally popular), Joe Arpaio (Maricopa County sheriff, but it’s questionable how well he would be accepted outside of criminal justice-type positions), or Fife Symington (former governor who was removed from office and spent time in custody).
Make it four and add Ronald Reagan.
In Alaska, the political bench isn’t very deep. Our current congressional delegation has been in office for 34, 30, and 22 years, so there aren’t many ex-congressmen left alive. I’ve haven’t heard from our last former Senator, Mike Gravel, in ages; he probably doesn’t reside here anymore.
Given that seniority is (obviously) of key importance to AK’s small delegation, we’d probably want to put a younger person in play, someone who could spend 30 years in D.C. To that end, our current Senators Ted Stevens and Frank Murkowski each have offspring who are active politicians and could be appointed in their stead (a la Lincoln Chafee, for example).
These are all Republicans, so Democrats are just SOL.
As a New Yorker, I’d add to the OP Pat Moynihan for the Democrats and possibly Susan Molinari for the Republicans.
How could they add Reagan? He certainly isn’t up to being a senator?
Or am I possibly being whooshed?
Well, here in TN we have a certain former VP who is currently unemployed. But I think he has a different office in mind. We also have a former presidential candidate who is available (Alexander) but he is in the middle of his own senate campaign right now.
We also have a former senator who is giving up his seat this year, but in order to serve again, he’d have to get out of his contract with Law & Order.
Guin, I think lel merely meant that Reagan should be added to the list of living formar governors of California, from which list he was omitted by BobT.
Chaim Mattis Keller
Yes, cmkeller stated exactly what I meant. Mr. Reagan’s health is nowhere near sufficient for him to serve in office at this time, from what I have heard.
Hasn’t stopped Strom Thurmond or Jesse Helms.
In Texas, for the Democrats, there’s the popular former-governor Ann Richards. Is Lloyd Bentsen still alive? He’d be a Democratic option to. God, I’m a poli sci major, and I’m not sure if Bentsen’s still alive. That’s pathetic.
For the Republicans, it’s a bit tougher. We were a Democratic state for a long, long time. After this year Phil Gramm will be our fall back guy for Republicans, no doubt. And I suppose if he’s not available, there’s ex-President George Bush, or, even better, ex-First Lady Barbara Bush.
Kirk