Jack Kemp was almost impeached, had many members of his cabinet resign (including his Vice President, Alexander Haig), and created an international scandal when he authorized a full-scale military invasion of the Republic of the Pacific, one of the United States' two new breakaway republics. Many international leaders decried the invasion, and it boosted the Socialists and Progressives in the polls. It was the first time in years that the Progressives put forth their own candidate, as they usually just endorsed Socialist candidates. Kemp was immensley unpopular entering the election, and many had projections of Harkin beating him by a large margain.