April 6, 2001

Political Scientists Say Downturn in Economy Last Fall Cost Gore the White House

By D.W. MILLER

SMALL CONSOLATION: Should Al Gore have beaten George W. Bush handily? Most political scientists who handicapped the 2000 election expected the surging economy to propel the Democrat straight to the White House.

After he won a mere 50.5 percent of the major-party vote, many scholars defended their models by blaming his campaign strategy. Voters didn't credit him for prosperity, they said, because he failed to tout the Clinton record.

Now the March issue of PS: Political Science

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