Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire Off the wall question

Given the polarity in the USA and propensity for violence, I pose a question about process in our elections. What would happen to the election if either candidate was assassinated? Two options here: 1) The VP has been selected, or 2) not selected.

After an election I’d say the VP moves up.


No dang idea what to do before.


The #2 in the primaries would be the logical choice,
but if it happened in October? You can’t go from almost zero to wide open campaign in weeks. Maybe missed the debates….


I’ll throw out a good question, then muddy it up.

In the case of losing a candidate, and running the primary runner up days ahead of the election.

Does it matter that they missed the campaign?

They used to say 40% voted R and 40% voted D, always. It was 20% decided.
I’m gonna bet it’s 45% at least.

If Trump were nominee and died, how many would even consider voting Biden?
Same situation on the other side.
In either case, the new guy might do better.
Bringing in the ones who hated the #1 guy enough to not vote.

Lotta angles and possibilities

No eligible candidate would receive 270 electoral votes and then it would be decided by the House of Representatives.

You mean the "house of not representing". A much better name for it. "The peoples house" my butt.

"off the wall"? 5 years ago I'd say yes. Today? I think it's a valid thought

Is Biden still alive? The last time I saw him try to give a speech, he wasn't.

Your first point is speculative, what is your basis for the second?

Your first point is speculative, what is your basis for the second?[/quote

How can none get 270 in a 2 person race?

Kennedy could pull enough in that situation I guess?

That does remind me of a governor election in Minnesota. I was no longer living in Minnesota when this happen so those that know more feel free to correct me. About two weeks before the election a candidate was removed. While his family was on a summer vacation they went skinny dipping. The problem was that his daughter brought a 15 year old friend with her. The candidate was skinny dipping with a 15 year old girl not part of his family but with other family members. So a new candidate was appointed to run. The new candidate won. What I heard was that no one had time to dig up dirt on him.

Does this ring a bell to anyone from Minnesota?

We are quite possibly about to find out.

The US CONSTITUTION.

"The Person having the greatest Number of Votes shall be the President, if such Number be a Majority of the whole Number of Electors appointed; and if there be more than one who have such Majority, and have an equal Number of Votes, then the House of Representatives shall immediately chuse by Ballot one of them for President; and if no Person have a Majority, then from the five highest on the List the said House shall in like Manner chuse the President."

Thank you. Back to my question. Dead candidate has selected a VP and the assassination occurs a week before the election. What happens then?

Again, a dead person cannot be sworn in. The VP only takes the role if the President is incapacitated; not the President-elect--a dead person cannot be elected and is thus ineligible. It goes to the House if no person receives needed electoral votes. Additionally, keep in mind that electors don't necessarily have to vote for their state's popular candidate.

Another scenario is that if the candidate dies before the filing deadline, then the party will select another candidate and likely ask for a delay in the election.

With apologies, this is a related observation: If a few more R's resign from the The House, Dems would have control of the House. They would then be prepared to put their candidate in office if nobody gets 270 Electoral Votes. With 3rd party candidates in the picture, this may be realistic strategy.

The Rs who are resigning might as well be dummycraps anyway. They're abandoning ship before Trump makes them walk the plank, hoping they can derail his inevitable win. They would rather be turncoats to the opposition than have their self-serving shenanigans exposed to publicity.

The obvious solution to the "dead candidate" problem is to shoot his opponent and let the VP picks duke it out.

That would get lively if it should happen. If it goes to the house, it's 1 VOTE PER STATE. Tiny Idaho and Wyoming have the same 1 vote as does CA or NY. Each state's reps have to decide among them who their 1 vote will go to. There would be some very dirty dealing going on.

I truly thought some Bubba [bleep] Hater was going to take a shot at Obummer.

Didn't want to see it, but I'm a little disappointed.

The fact they pretend Brandon is a viable candidate, while barely aware, means something shady is in the works. The Lawfare ain’t working. Without the Supreme Court gutting fundamental law of the land, it can’t. Not that they don’t want to. So assassin that looks like accident or stroke? Mike Johnson takes the throne after requisite shuffling Camel Toe and Joe comedy act. But it has to be believable. WW III cannot be ruled out completely, although that would be tricky to play out non nuclear. We ned a crisis! Something transformative. Like a new Pearl Harbor.

They're out to destroy the country and Gavin Newsome would take it to a whole new level. If they dump Biden and Harris moves up, they can put Newsome in as VP. Then get rid of Harris. We'd have a president that no one voted for.