Quick scenario:
View attachment 29816
Dubya loses to Richards in 1994. It doesn't affect the '96 elections, but it does affect 2000. Jeb finally wins in '98, but Bush doesn't run again, and Richards narrowly slides into a third term. She runs in '00 against VP Gore and Senator Bradley, running a formidable campaign, but Gore manages to wins, and Richards ends up barely above Bradley in votes and delegates and is chosen as VP, a contentious pick, considering it was Mondale's play back in '84. The Republican primaries are chaotic, and many candidates end up winning primary states. Due to McCain's insistence that he stay in the race, it ends up being Dole v. McCain by the end of the primary season, despite the fact that he remains in fourth place by the time everyone else drops out. Dole narrowly wins a majority, avoiding a contested convention and picks Dancroft, a Midwestern Moderate to counter her own Conservativism. Throughout the campaign, Gore and Richards hit hard on Dole for being easily swayed on issues, for being weak, a Dole, etc and eventually win out, with a popular vote win of ~4% and are able to carry Texas by a fraction of a percent. You can give or take Florida. I may end up giving it to Gore, which would be 349-188