1992 Presidential Election (Ann's Land)

The 1992 United States presidential election was the 52nd quadrennial presidential election. It was held on Tuesday, November 3, 1992. Democratic Governor Ann Richards of Texas defeated incumbent Republican President George H. W. Bush, independent businessman Ross Perot of Texas, and a number of minor candidates.

After a rousing speech at the 1988 Democratic Convention, Ann Richards rose to famous in national politics. Many at the convention would muse among themselves that they are running the wrong person to beat George Bush. Of course, in 1990, Ann Richards would run for the Texas Governorship and be elected in her own right. She would continue her tenure as Governor but in 1991 around November, Ann looked at the current field of Democratic nominees and considered that she was the one to go forth and usher a real change in America. Once she built a sizable political team many of them from the former Dukakis and Jackson campaigns, Ann Richards announced her campaign for President in December just in time for the New Hampshire primary deadline.

Governor Richards continued her image of assertiveness while keeping her femininity. Many news pundits questioned whether, the country was ready to elect a woman president. However, Gallup polling had shown that 87 percent of Americans were perfectly fine voting for a woman to be President if she was qualified for role. Richards, however had plenty of domestic experience but when it came to foreign policy experience that’s where Bush outran her.

At first, Richards slumped in the polls, her popularity was high but in her own words she was “running with the boys”. However, a woman would come forward and accuse Bill Clinton of an extra marital affair this created many clouds over his candidacy. Being the only woman in the race, the news tried to get her to comment however Ann quickly responded, “Whatever is going on with Governor Clinton is between his wife, the woman and God and quite frankly its none of my business. “After that response no, other reporter asked Ann about it and her response became a media sensation. Her response gave her enough of a boost that Bill Clinton’s comeback kid narrative was canceled out by Richards who came in 2nd place.

From there, Richards would stomp any of her opponents in the southern states. But her progressive brand and running as the first woman president allowed her to peel away a lot of populist/progressive support from Brown, that the others could not. She was able to clinch the nomination in early June. Ann Richards had succeeded and became the first woman nominee of a major party. With such a huge glass breaking moment and a strong polling Bush, the Richards campaign began the extensive search for a Vice Presidential running mate. Her list was far and beyond it included everything from CEO’s to Senators, but no females were included. In the end her final list included, Florida Senator Bob Graham, Pennsylvania Senator Harris Wolford, Iowa Senator Tom Harkin, West Virginia Jay Rockefeller, Nebraska Senator Bob Kerrey, Tennessee Senator Al Gore and lastly Arkansas Governor Bill Clinton.

After much deliberation and many one on one interviews at her Texas home, she chose Governor Bill Clinton. When speaking of her choice of Governor Clinton for her running mate, Richards remarked “Bill Clinton is not perfect none of us, but when I look at the vision I have for this country he understands, Governor Clinton understands what keeps everyday Americans up at night and in a Richards administration will be an effective voice for Americans at any table”. The Governor Richards and Governor Clinton ticket was the first double incumbent Governor ticket since the 1876 Democratic ticket of Tilden and Hendricks. From there, once the ticket was announced, Governor Richards was off to the general election.

Polling had showed her behind the Bush campaign, however as the economy continued to sour, Bush’s approval rating started to slide. At the Democratic Convention, Governor Richard’s tore into Bush’s administration and tied him to Reagan. In Richard’s acceptance speech, she tore into President Bush and famously resurrected her “silver foot” in her mouth line to paint George Bush as a rich person out of touch with the common man. She also promised as President to build a government that worked for you, the people and not the special interests that the Republicans have served for the last 12 years. After the convention, the Ann Richards/Bill Clinton ticket received a large polling bump. Governor Richards went from being around 20 points behind to being 20 points ahead.

After the convention, Governor Richards campaigned in the Midwest to get the party roused in that region. While Governor Clinton stayed in the south to keep the region in play but also ease any discomfort white male voters in the south would have voting for Richards. As the campaign waned on, the Bush campaign kept hitting the Richards/Clinton ticket on their lack of foreign policy experience and Clinton’s character. But as the economy began to fall into a slump, polling bumps began to occur for the Richards campaign. Governor Richard’s message painting Bush as out of touch and a working America for you began to resonate and her polling stayed strong. Even Ross Perot reentry into the race didn’t weaken Richards polling and after 4 stellar debate performances where Governor Richards “dog whipped” Bush and Perot and Clinton “dog walked” Quayle and Stockdale.

On November 3rd, the joint ticket of Governor Ann Richards and Governor Bill Clinton beat the Bush/Quayle ticket. Inaugurated on January 20th, 1993, Ann Richards became the first woman President of the United States of America.