Has a major party nominee ever stepped aside? I'm curious what the procedure is for replacing a nominee who steps aside.

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ABC'S CHARLIE GIBSON: In each instance, when the Capital Gains rate was dropped, revenues from the tax increased; the government took in more money. And in the 1980s, when the tax was increased to 28 percent, the revenues went down. So why raise it at all, especially given the fact that 100 million people in this country own stock and would be affected?

OBAMA: Well, Charlie, what I've said is that I would look at raising the capital gains tax for purposes of fairness.

Google brings up a lot of current events with the key words I used.

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ABC'S CHARLIE GIBSON: In each instance, when the Capital Gains rate was dropped, revenues from the tax increased; the government took in more money. And in the 1980s, when the tax was increased to 28 percent, the revenues went down. So why raise it at all, especially given the fact that 100 million people in this country own stock and would be affected?

OBAMA: Well, Charlie, what I've said is that I would look at raising the capital gains tax for purposes of fairness.

Interesting question, and google doesn't tell a damned thing about procedure. I would guess it would be up to the respective party to come up with another candidate on short notice.

Depending on the party and the election year, it could be disasterous. This election, IMO, being an exception. If both primary candidates drop dead this moment, Hillary would get the Democratic nod and Huckabee or Romney the Republican nod, and Hillary would beat either one of the latter two.

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“The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing” - Edmund Burke

I think the Republican nod would go to Romney. Huckabee's become a figment of the past already, while Romney's still deeply rooted in this thing (possibly a VP nomination on Friday).

But yes, Hillary would dominate any of the Republican candidates, even McCain.

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An eye for an eye will make the whole world blind. -Mahatma Gandhi

I can't go back to yesterday - because I was a different person then. -Lewis Carroll

It would depend on when the person stepped down. If it is too close to election day, there probably would not be enough time to get the new nominee on the ballot.

It wouldn't matter. People could mark a candidate on the ballot and send electoral votes that can vote for the replacement nominee. Sorta like delegates, really.

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An eye for an eye will make the whole world blind. -Mahatma Gandhi

I can't go back to yesterday - because I was a different person then. -Lewis Carroll

It wouldn't matter. Both would be victims of their respective religious beliefs. Romney because he's a Mormon and Huckabee because he's an evangelical.

I think given that hypothetical choice, I would vote for Hillary. I don't like Romney. Has nothing to do with his religion, I just don't like him for some reason I cannot recall. As far as Huckabee is concerned, I would not vote for an evangelical anything.

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“The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing” - Edmund Burke

The delegates and superdelegates would get a list of names and vote. There would be no repeat of the primary.

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“The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing” - Edmund Burke

Not if it is too close to election day...like the weekend before. Some states may have a requirement as to when the nominee must be selected to be put on the ballot. If the nominee's vp choice is still available, then I would say vp will get the nominee's votes. Each state has its own rules.

The last time THAT stopped the Federal government was before 1860.

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“The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing” - Edmund Burke