Kamala Harris 2023

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Meh, Dukakis-Bentsen lost Texas by nearly 700,000 votes, nearly 13%.   I don't think they ever thought it was ever seriously in play particularly with the machine H.W. Bush already had in place there from his decades of influence in our state.   I know that was the prevailing thought at the time, but a number of his staffers from the 80's will tell you Texas was never really seriously considered in play.  They think it was because Dukakis was a bit soft and ineffectual, and Bentsen liked grinding politics and battles.  He had defeated Bush for Senate in 1970, was more of an inside player than Dukakis, was a great money raiser, and did mind getting his hands dirty.  And I'm not bringing up cliche bullshit like the tank photo, but Bentsen was also viewed as a more masculine, rugged, veteran type to Dukakis' more intellectual, polished, (I know he served in the Army), and above the fray vibe.  It was a formidable ticket, but they were still battling uphill against the Reagan tidal wave.