answer:An excellent question! The GOP would be allowed to select another candidate to replace him, and the actual election would be delayed. The above scenario would depend, of course, on WHEN he died. But, as long as it happened before the actual election, I’m assuming that what I said, would occur. A very scary REAL scenario happened to William Henry Harrison, the 9th President, who was in office from March 4, 1841 – April 4, 1841, before dying. That could happen to John McCain, in that he might die in office shortly after his swearing-in, and we would be saddled with his running mate, until January 20, 2013. September 2, 2008, 11:19 AM EDT