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On November 5, 2002, Governor Robert Ritchie lost the election to President Bartlet by over 10 million votes, and 208 electoral votes.<ref>Election results seen in [[Election Night]].</ref>
 
On November 5, 2002, Governor Robert Ritchie lost the election to President Bartlet by over 10 million votes, and 208 electoral votes.<ref>Election results seen in [[Election Night]].</ref>
==Notes==
 
<references/>
 
The '''Ritchie presidential campaign''' was the [[2002]] [[presidential campaign]] for the [[Republican Party]]. It's candidate was [[Governor]] [[Robert Ritchie]] of [[Florida]], and his running mate was [[Jeff Heston]].
 
 
==Campaign Staff==
 
* [[Robert Ritchie]] - Presidential Candidate
 
* [[Jeff Heston]] - Vice Presidential Candidate
 
* [[Kevin Kahn]]
 
* [[Teddy Tomba]] - Consultant
 
* [[Milton Friedman]] - Economic Advisor
 
* [[Leonard Tynan]] - Education Advisor
 
 
==Platform==
 
They were against the use of [[affirmative action]] with regards to college admission.<ref>"Governor Ritchie came out this morning in support of the Pennsylvania Referendum banning affirmative action, with regards to college admissions." from [[The Two Bartlets]]</ref>
 
 
They believed in exploring the [[Arctic National Wildlife Preserve]] for new sources of energy.<ref>"He says that we should be exploring the Arctic National Wildlife Reserve for new sources of energy." from [[The U.S. Poet Laureate]]</ref>
 
 
They believed that [[Title IX]] should be re-examined.<ref>"Ritchie mentioned yesterday it was worth reexamining." from [[College Kids]]</ref>
 
 
They believe that their is a crisis in the American family, that parents are not spending enough time with their children.<ref>"Governor Ritchie contends there's a crisis in the American family that parents aren't spending enough time with their kids." from [[Debate Camp]]</ref>
 
 
They were against the [[Department of Education]]'s policies, and didn't believe in teaching "[[Esperanto]]" or "[[Eskimo poetry]]."<ref>"we don't need a Federal Department of Education telling us our children have to learn Esperanto, they have to learn Eskimo poetry." from [[Game On]]</ref>
 
 
They prefer putting more power into the hands of the states, even if it means using [[unfunded mandate]]s.<ref>"Let the states decide. Let the communities decide on health care, on education, on lower taxes, not higher taxes. Now, he's going to throw a big word at you-- 'unfunded mandate.'" from [[Game On]]</ref>
 
 
The centerpiece of their economic policy is a tax cut, that many economists believe would actually harm the economy. Ritchie believed it was good to cut taxes for one reason, "the American people know how to spend their money better than the federal government does."<ref>From the debate in [[Game On]]</ref>
 
 
==Primary Election==
 
The campaign season began with Ritchie winning the [[Iowa Caucus]], surprising the "[[Bartlet for America (2002)|Bartlet for America]]" campaign staff.<ref>"It's gonna be Ritchie." from [[The Two Bartlets]]</ref>
 
 
After the Iowa Caucus, the Bartlet for America staff was preparing for Ritchie to be nominated, even though he faced tough competition against [[Kalmbach]], [[Daniel]] and [[Wesley]].<ref>"Why? They got some serious guys in the field. Kalmbach, Daniel, Wesley?" from [[Hartsfield's Landing]]</ref>
 
 
After President made a remark about Ritchie's lack of intelligence<ref>"I think we might be talking about a .22 caliber mind in a .357 magnum world." from [[The U.S. Poet Laureate]]</ref>, the campaign asked for the President to sign a pledge to only hold a positive, issue-oriented campaign.<ref>"The Ritchie camp is also challenging the President to sign a [[Clean Campaign Pledge|pledge]] basically a promise to run a positive, issue-oriented campaign." from [[The U.S. Poet Laureate]]</ref>
 
 
==General Election==
 
After receiving the official nomination, [[Jeff Heston]] was chosen to be the Vice Presidential candidate by the [[Republican Party]].<ref>"Is the Republican nominee Rob Ritchie? Yes. Is his running mate Jeff Heston? Yes." from [[The Black Vera Wang]]</ref>
 
 
After [[Sam Seaborn]] received an attack ad against the President, citing him for not signing their Clean Campaign Pledge, and alluding to the [[MS Scandal]], he contacted [[Kevin Kahn]] of the Ritchie campaign and told them they had a mole. The campaign released the ad to the press, and officially stated that they had no part in releasing the political ad.<ref>"The Ritchie campaign reports that it did not have any involvement in the production of the ad and it has no idea how the Bartlet camp might have obtained it." from [[The Black Vera Wang]]</ref> They gained free media time from this release and vengeance for the President's remark.<ref>"It's on free media... everywhere, all day, all night, for free. You got played, Sam, and you forgot that all warfare is based on deception." from [[The Black Vera Wang]]</ref>
 
 
After Ritchie was invited to a production of "[[Wars of the Roses]]," also attended by President Bartlet, the campaign used the media to report on the possibility of a meeting between the two candidates. They made it seem like the President was planning to tax sugar farmers, a leading group of Ritchie's base.<ref>"A.P. called with a quote from Kevin Kahn. 'Governor Ritchie is looking forward to meeting with the President tonight so he could talk about the Federal Government's plan for the Everglades, which would tax sugar farmers into unemployment.' from [[Posse Comitatus]]</ref>
 
 
Polls on September 23, 2002, had Ritchie trailing Bartlet by one to seven points.<ref>"ABC/Washington Post, Bartlet 50, Ritchie 44. CBS/ New York Times, Bartlet 50, Ritchie 43. NBC/ Wall Street Journal, Bartlet 49, Ritchie 43. CNN/USA Today/Gallup, Bartlet 46, Ritchie 45." from [[20 Hours in America, Part I]]
 
 
When debates were being decided, the Ritchie campaign asked for two debates, and would not go higher than that. They eventually settled on one debate.<ref>"Governor Ritchie's asked for two. The President said, 'How about four?' Governor Ritchie said, 'How about two?'" from [[The Red Mass]]</ref>
 
 
The debate that occurred on October 23, 2002, was an unprecedented disaster, with President Bartlet winning on every question.<ref>"It's over." from [[Game On]]</ref>
 
 
The campaign suffered a miserable defeat, gaining only 42,992,342 votes out of 96,758,563 voters (44.4% of the vote), and 115 out of 538 electoral votes.<ref>Election results from [[Election Night]].</ref>
 
   
 
==Later Political Career==
 
==Later Political Career==

Revision as of 18:14, 3 October 2006

Ritchie redirects here, for other Ritchies, see Ritchie (disambiguation).

Robert Ritchie was the Governor of Florida from 1997 to 2005. He ran for president in the 2002 election.

Governor Ritchie was portrayed by Josh Brolin.

Early Life and Political Career

Ritchie attended the University of Florida, and would eventually attempt to prevent news organizations from reading his college transcripts.[1]

He was married to Janet Ritchie.[2]

In 1996, Ritchie defeated Carol Gelsey in the race for Governor.[3]

Campaign for President

See Ritchie Campaign for more details.

After gaining momentum in the Iowa Caucus, Ritchie made a statement supporting a Pennsylvania referendum to ban affirmative action in college admission.[4] His "plain-spokenness" helped him win the caucus.[5]

After the Iowa Caucus, Ritchie was the likely Republican candidate and used the period to release his book, "A Promise to Lead."[6]

After President made a remark possibly denigrating Ritchie's intelligence[7] Ritchie asked for a public apology.[8]

Ritchie chose Jeff Heston for his running mate, prior to being nominated.[9]

Ritchie was invited to the Catholic Charities event in New York City that showed a production of "Wars of the Roses."[10]

Prior to attending the play, Ritchie went to a New York Yankees game, stating it was "how ordinary Americans got their entertainment." After pressure from the media, Bartlet had a private meeting with Ritchie. Bartlet told Ritchie how much Ritchie insulted the church by attending the Yankees game, and his belief that they should have a great debate. Ritchie informed Bartlet of his belief that Bartlet was an "academic elitist" and a Hollywood, liberal snob. After being told of Simon Donovan's shooting death, Ritchie stated, "Boy, Crime. I don't know," which was the point where Bartlet decided he needed to annihilate Ritchie in the election.[11]

Ritchie was known for his statements of "I'm no..." He stated he was not a mind reader, doctor, or "Chinese." Speaking in front of the Philadelphia Financial Commission, Ritchie stated "I'm no scientist, but I know a thing or two about physics."[12]

Ritchie had a tendency to cite his advisors by name, most likely to state that he would like to be President, and would use the right people for the right job.[13]

On October 23, 2002, Governor Ritchie participated in a debate against incumbent President Bartlet. Ritchie was unprepared for Bartlet's debating style, and unequivocally lost, stating privately to Bartlet afterwards, "It's over." Bartlet said, "You'll be back."[14]

On November 5, 2002, Governor Robert Ritchie lost the election to President Bartlet by over 10 million votes, and 208 electoral votes.[15]

Later Political Career

Robert Ritchie retired in 2005, after the election of Republican Governor Swenson, who would go on to support Arnold Vinick in the 2006 presidential election.

Notes

  1. "Were you aware that several news organizations have been trying to obtain Governor Ritchie's transcripts from the University of Florida?" from The U.S. Poet Laureate
  2. Mentioned in 20 Hours in America, Part I
  3. Gelsey is mentioned to have run in The Funeral
  4. "Governor Ritchie came out this morning in support of the Pennsylvania Referendum banning affirmative action, with regards to college admissions." from The Two Bartlets
  5. "It's gonna be Ritchie." from The Two Bartlets
  6. "Governor Robert Ritchie of Florida the likely Republican nominee for the fall campaign, in his new book "A Promise to Lead..." from The U.S. Poet Laureate
  7. "I think we might be talking about a .22 caliber mind in a .357 magnum world." from The U.S. Poet Laureate
  8. "Governor Ritchie is calling on the President to apologize?" from The U.S. Poet Laureate
  9. "Is the Republican nominee Rob Ritchie? Yes. Is his running mate Jeff Hesten? Yes." from The Black Vera Wang
  10. "Governor Ritchie's accepted an invitation." from We Killed Yamamoto
  11. From a scene in Posse Comitatus
  12. "So, for the week, you can add 'scientist' to 'doctor,' 'mind reader,' and 'Chinese.'" from 20 Hours in America, Part I
  13. "Josh, he cites them more then we do, which is his way of saying, 'I want to be President the same way you want a cold beer.'" from 20 Hours in America, Part I
  14. From the debate in Game On.
  15. Election results seen in Election Night.
PREDECESSOR
(unknown)
Governor of Florida
1997-2005
SUCCESSOR
Swenson
PREDECESSOR
(unknown)
Republican Party Presidential Candidate
2002
SUCCESSOR
Arnold Vinick