Mech's "Alternate Presidential Elections" TL.

[Mechaman]

Since I put a ton of election maps as well as a few other tidbits in I figured instead of hogging up the "Alternate Presidential Elections" TL I'd put all of the elections to date that I've created in their own lil thread.

1840:

Daniel Webster (MA)/John Tyler (VA) (Whig) 175 evs 51.34% pv
Richard M. Johnson (KY)/James K. Polk (TN) (Democratic) 119 evs 46.68% pv
James G. Birney (NY)/Thomas Earle (PA) (Liberty) 1.98%

1844:

Martin Van Buren (NY)/John Fairfield (ME) (Democratic) 207 evs 53.86% pv
Daniel Webster (MA)/John Tyler (VA) (Whig) 68 evs 46.14% pv

Martin Van Buren's Free Soil stances helps him steal alot of the anti-slavery vote away from the Whig party, who were looked upon as unfavorable after the extremist term of Webster.

1848:

Martin Van Buren (NY)/John Fairfield (ME) (Democratic) 274 evs 59.46% pv
Winfield Scott (NJ)/Millard Fillmore (NY) (Whig) 16 evs 40.54% pv

In the biggest electoral victory since James Monroe in 1820, Van Buren sweeps every state except Kentucky and Rhode Island.

1852:

Stephen Douglas (IL)/Jefferson Davis (MS) 157 evs 47.25% pv
Sam Houston (TX)/Millard Fillmore (NY) (Whig) 139 evs 46.55% pv
John Parker Hale (NH)/George Washington Julian (IN) (Free Soil) 6.2% pv

The Whigs' last hurrah. The selection of Texas Senator Sam Houston helps them capture quite a few independent voters and abolitionists disillusioned by the Democratic choice of the pro slavery Douglas/Davis ticket.

1856:

John C. Fremont (CA)/Abraham Lincoln (IL) (Republican) 176 evs 36.08% pv
Stephen Douglas (IL)/Jefferson Davis (MS) (Democratic) 60 evs 33.68% pv
Millard Fillmore (NY)/Andrew Donelson (TN) (Know Nothing) 60 evs 30.24% pv

Whig Party dissolves due to infighting. Anti-slavery dissidents from the Whig Party and the Democratic Party band together and form the Republican Party who has it as one of it's goals "the complete and total abolition of slavery" along with a pro business platform.
The Know Nothing Party is full of former Whigs who are advocates of a protectionist economic policy, but have no particular stance on Immigration. John C. Fremont wins the votes of the North and thus the election while Fillmore and Douglas split the South.

1860:

John C. Fremont (CA)/Abraham Lincoln (IL) (Republican) 168 evs 52.85% pv
Andrew Johnson (TN)/Horatio Seymour (NY) (Democratic) 74 evs 47.15% pv

After the Civil War begins in late 1859, the American people once again put their trust behind John Fremont to keep the Union safe.

1864:

Abraham Lincoln (IL)/Ulysses S. Grant (OH) (Republican) 118 evs 50.35% pv
Thomas H. Seymour (CT)/George B. McClelland (NJ) (Democratic) 115 evs 49.65% pv
A very surprisingly strong showing from the Democratic ticket of Congressman Thomas H. Seymour and Union General George B. McClelland due to the unpopularity of Abraham Lincoln (who suspended habeus corpus after the unexpected death of President John Fremont who died from a stomach virus).

1868:

Ulysses S. Grant (OH)/Schuyler Colfax (IN) (Republican) 150 evs 50.78% pv
Horatio Seymour (NY)/Thomas Ewing Jr. (OH) (Democratic) 144 evs 49.22% pv

Another very close election, due to the unpopularity of Reconstruction among the general populace.

1872:

Benjamin G. Brown (MO)/Andrew G. Curtin (PA) (Liberal Republican) 220 evs 53.12% pv
Schuyler Colfax (IN)/John F. Lewis (VA) (Republican) 146 evs 46.58%

The unpopular Radical Republicans are finally kicked out of the White House as the Liberal Republicans take over the White House. Months after the election the different wings of the Republican Party would disband and it would become one once more.

1876:

Benjamin G. Brown (MO)/Andrew G. Curtin (PA) (Republican) 215 evs 51.86% pv
Samuel J. Tilden (NY)/Thomas A. Hendricks (IN) (Democratic) 154 evs 46.98% pv
James B. Weaver (IA)/Benjamin G. Chambers (TX) (Greenback) 1.16% pv

Popularity and lack of differences between the liberal Republican Benjamin G. Brown and the Bourbon Democrat Samuel J. Tilden results in a comfortable victory for Brown/Curtin.

[Mechaman]

1880:

Andrew G. Curtin (PA)/Blanche K. Bruce (MS) (Republican) 187 evs 47.79%pv
Winfield S. Hancock (PA)/Thomas A. Hendricks (IN) (Democratic) 182 evs 47.69%pv
James B. Weaver (IA)/Benjamin G. Chambers (TX) (Greenback) 4.52%pv

Curtin's choice of the US Senator Bruce is very controversial and arguably made the race alot closer than most people anticipated. Little did people know that in a few months, Bruce would be their very first African American president.

1884:

Grover Cleveland (NY)/Thomas A. Hendricks (IN) (Democratic) 346 evs 56.78% pv
James G. Blaine (ME)/George F. Edmunds (VT) (Republican) 55 evs 39.7% pv
John St. Johns (KS)/William Daniel (MD) (Prohibition) 1.98% pv
Benjamin Butler (MA)/Absalom West (MS) (Greenback) 1.54% pv

Thanks to a recession and public disapproval of President Bruce the Bourbon Democrat Grover Cleveland wins a landslide election to the presidency.

1888:

Grover Cleveland (NY)/Adlai Stevenson I (IL) (Democratic) 361 evs 60.34% pv
William B. Allison (IN)/Russel A. Alger (MI) (Republican) 40 evs 36.75% pv
Clinton B. Fisk (NJ)/John A. Brooks (MO) (Prohibition) 1.7% pv
Alson J. Streeter (IL)/Charles E. Cunningham (AR) (Union Labor) 1.21% pv

After 4 years of presiding over a booming economy, Grover Cleveland is elected in the biggest electoral landslide since Martin Van Buren in 1848.

1892:

Adlai E. Stevenson I (IL)/Arthur Gorman (MD) (Democratic) 328 evs 43.5% pv
James G. Blaine (ME)/William McKinley (OH) (Republican) 78 evs 37.8% pv
James B. Weaver (IA)/James G. Field (VA) (Populist) 38 evs 18.7% pv

Stevenson wins a comfortable victory thanks to a strong Populist Party ticket that steals alot of Republican votes and the Cleveland legacy.

1896:

William J. Bryan (NE)/Arthur Sewall (ME) (Democratic) 229 evs 36.95% pv
William McKinley (OH)/Garret Hobart (NJ) (Republican) 117 evs 36.75% pv
John G. Carlisle (KY)/William L. Wilson (VA) (National Democrat) 101 evs 23.2% pv
Joshua Levering (MD)/Hale Johnson (IL) (Prohibition) 0.8% pv
Charles Horatio Matchett (NY)/Matthew Maguire (NJ) (Socialist Labor) 2.3%

One of the closest elections ever in terms of popular vote, different story electoral vote wise. Bryan capitalizes on the growing populist movement and helps win the third Democratic presidency in a row. However, lots of people go to the National Democratic Party after Bryan abandones the traditional Democratic laissez faire stance.

1900:

William McKinley (OH)/Thomas B. Reed (ME) (Republican) 325 evs 53.43% pv
William J. Bryan (NE)/Thomas E. Watson (GA) (Democratic) 122 evs 43.57% pv
Eugene Victor Debbs (IN)/Job Harriman (CA) (Social-Democratic) 1.5% pv
Wharton Barker (PA)/Ignatius L. Donnelly (MN) (Populist) 0.9% pv
John G. Woolley (IL)/Henry B. Metcalf (OH) (Prohibition) 0.7% pv

The failure of the Bryan administration brings the White House back into Republican control for the first time since 1884.

1904:

William H. Taft (OH)/Charles W. Fairbanks (IN) (Republican) 356 evs 57.43% pv
William Randolph Hearst (NY)/Henry Davis (WV) (Democratic) 120 evs 35.87%
Eugene V. Debbs (IN)/Benjamin Hanford (NY) (Socialist) 4.5% pv
Silas Comfort Swallow (PA)/George W. Carroll (TX) (Prohibition) 1.4% pv
Thomas E. Watson (GA)/Thomas E. Tibbles (NE) (Populist) 0.8 pv

The line holds study for the Republicans in 1904 as they gain three more states to their electoral count.

1908:

William H. Taft (OH)/James S. Sherman (NY) (Republican) 356 evs 52.32% pv
John A. Johnson (MN)/John W. Kern (IN) (Democratic) 127 evs 41.88% pv
Eugene V. Debs (IN)/Benjamin Hanford (NY) (Socialist) 3.2% pv
Eugene W. Chafin (IL)/Aaron S. Watkins (OH) (Prohibition) 1.5% pv
Thomas L. Hisgen (MA)/John Temple Graves (GA) (Independence) 1.1% pv

Thanks to third party overkill and the success of the Taft administration, the GOP sees it's third straight electoral victory.

1912:

Theodore Roosevelt (NY)/Hiram Johnson (CA) (Progressive) 270 evs 32.32% pv
Woodrow Wilson (NJ)/Oscar W. Underwood (AL) (Democratic) 212 evs 31.18% pv
Charles W. Fairbanks (IN)/Nicolas M. Butler (NY) (Republican) 49 evs 27.2% pv
Eugene V. Debbs (IN)/Emil Seidel (WI) (Socialist) 7.2% pv
Eugene W. Chafin (IL)/Aaron S. Watkins (OH) (Prohibition) 2.1% pv

Teddy Roosevelt, on the new Progressive Party ticket, manages to beat the two party system with both a plurality of the popular as well as the electoral vote. His win would usher in the Era of the Three Party System

[Mechaman]

1916:

Theodore Roosevelt (NY)/Hiram Johnson (CA) (Progressive) 271 evs 32.56% pv
Charles Evans Hughes (NY)/Henry Ford (MI) (Republican) 146 evs 32.12% pv
Thomas R. Marshall (IN)/Oscar W. Underwood (AL) (Democratic) 114 evs 32.32% pv
Allan Louis Benson (NY)/George R. Kirkpatrick (NJ) (Socialist) 2.1% pv
James Franklin Hanly (IN)/Ira Landrith (TN) (Prohibition) 0.9% pv

Although he won a comfortable electoral re-election, Roosevelt and his two closest opponents all scored with a .44% margin, one of the closest popular vote margins since the emergence of the Three Party system.

1920:

Warren G. Harding (OH)/Calvin Coolidge (MA) (Republican) 413 evs 41.44% pv
James M. Cox (OH)/Al Smith (NY) (Democratic) 70 evs 29.1% pv
Hiram Johnson (CA)/Burton K. Wheeler (MT) (Progressive) 48 evs 24.56% pv
Eugene V. Debbs (IN)/Seymour Stedman (IL) (Socialist) 2.7% pv
Parely Parker Christensen (IL)/Maximillian Sebastian Hayes (OH) (Farmer-Labor) 1.3% pv
Aaron S. Watkins (IN)/David L. Covin (NY) (Prohibition) 0.6% pv
James E. Ferguson (TX)/William J. Hough (NY) (American) 0.2% pv
William W. Cox (MO)/August Gilhaus (NY) (Socialist Labor) 0.1% pv

Warren G. Harding gets elected on a mandate after the economic downturn that takes place during the last two years under Progressive dominance. Democrats have entered the "regional party" status at the moment.

1924:

Calvin Coolidge (MA)/Frank O. Lowden (IA) (Republican) 445 evs 56.21% pv
Oscar W. Underwood (AL)/Charles W. Bryan (NE) (Democratic) 64 evs 26.45% pv
Robert M. LaFollette Sr. (WI)/Franklin Delano Roosevelt (NY) (Progressive) 22 evs 17.14% pv
Other: .2% pv

Calvin Coolidge is elected to his first full term (he assumed the presidency after Warren Harding died from an illness in 1923) with one of the largest electoral wins (since the implementation of the Three Party System), owed mostly to the economic prosperity that came under Republican leadership.

1928:

Herbert Hoover (KS)/Charles Curtis (KS) (Republican) 408 evs 53.21% pv
Franklin Delano Roosevelt (NY)/Nellie T. Ross (WY) (Progressive) 62 evs 25.59% pv
Al Smith (NY)/Alben W. Barkley (KY) (Democratic) 61 evs 19.7% pv
Norman Thomas (NY)/James H. Maurer (PA) (Socialist)1.0% pv
William Z. Foster (IL)/Benjamin Gitlow (NY) (Communist) 0.3% pv

Herbert Hoover wins a comfortable victory on the curtails of Calvin Coolidge. The fortunes of the Democratic and Progressives flip flop on this election, as the charismatic Franklin Roosevelt (and VP choice Nellie Ross, first female running for VP from Wyoming) helps them pick up victories in traditionally Republican states like Wyoming and Maryland.

1932:

Franklin Delano Roosevelt (NY)/Robert M. LaFollette Jr. (WI) (Progressive) 403 evs 53.24% pv
John Nance Garner (TX)/Albert Ritchie (MD) (Democratic) 73 evs 24.89% pv
Herbert Hoover (IA)/Charlie Curtis (KS) (Republican) 55 evs 18.97%
Norman Thomas (NY)/James H. Maurer (PA) (Socialist) 2.4% pv
William Z. Foster (IL)/James W. Ford (AL) (Communist) 0.4% pv
William P. Upshaw (GA)/Frank S. Regan (IL) (Prohibition) 0.1% pv
William Hope Harvey (AR)/Frank Hemenway (WA) (Liberty)

The Great Depression occurs and helps give the Progressive Franklin Delano Roosevelt the party's first Mandate Landslide election. If the Progressives can't get the nation behind it's social policies, it looks like it can get it behind it's economic policies. Teddy Roosevelt's true revenge on the two party system had just begun.

1936:

Franklin Delano Roosevelt (NY)/Robert M. LaFollette Jr. (WI) (Progressive) 507 evs 59.97% pv
Newton D. Baker (OH)/Miriam Ferguson (TX) (Democratic) 17 evs 23.82% pv
Alf Landon (KS)/Stephen A. Day (OH) (Republican) 7evs 13.91% pv
William Lemke (ND)/Thomas C. O'Brien (MA) (Union) 1.8%
Norman Thomas (NY)/George A. Nelson (WI) (Socialist) 0.4%
Earl Browder (KS)/James W. Ford (NY) (Communist) 0.1% pv

Conveying a message of hope and optimism, FDR is able to score a huge electoral landslide over his opponents not seen since Grover Cleveland.

1940:

Robert M. LaFollette Jr. (WI)/Henry Wallace (IA) (Progressive) 365 evs 41.21% pv
Wendell Wilkie (NY)/Arthur Vandenberg (MI) (Republican) 94 evs 30.34% pv
Millard Tydings (MD)/Louis A. Johnson (VA) (Democratic) 72 evs 28.15% pv
Norman Thomas (NY)/Maynard C. Krueger (IL) (Socialist) 0.3% pv

LaFollette's electoral and popular vote percentages, while impressive, showed the trend toward the GOP that America was drifting back toward. The South was returning to it's Democratic roots. Soon, the Progressive Supermajority would weaken and disappear. However, the Progressive force would always remain.

[Mechaman]

1944:

Joseph P. Kennedy Sr.(MA)/Alben W. Barkley (KY) (Democratic) 34.09% pv 216 evs
Thomas E. Dewey (NY)/Harold Stassen (MN) (Republican) 34.1% pv 212 evs
Henry Wallace (IA)/Glen H. Taylor (ID) (Progressive) 31.21% pv 103 evs
Norman Thomas (NY)/Darlington Hoopes (PA) (Socialist) 0.4% pv
Claude Watson (CA)/Andrew N. Johnson (KY) (Prohibition) 0.2% pv

The noninterventionist Progressive foreign policy outrages many Americans hearing about the atrocities of the German army, as well as an economic recession in 1944. Joseph P. Kennedy and Thomas E. Dewey capitalize on Robert M. LaFollette's dovish foreign policy and staunch government intervention in the economy. No electoral majority, election goes to the House (which is under Democratic dominance (34%)) and Senate (which is under Republican dominance (34%)). Progressives, seeing that any chance of getting either Wallace or Taylor is nil, either vote for Taylor or Wallace or sell their vote to the "lesser of evils". The end result is:

Senate:
The US Senate vote would be a lot easier than the House vote, due to the fact that alot of Progressives found the GOP vice president Harold Stassen to be a "progressive sympathesizing" Republican. The end result would be 60 Stassen, 31 Barkley, 7 Wallace.
Harold W. Stassen is elected as Vice President.

House:

Joseph P. Kennedy Sr. (MA) 26 states
Thomas E. Dewey (NY) 15 states
Henry Wallace (IA) 7 states

Joseph P. Kennedy by a slim majority of the House vote is elected US President. This would be the first administration since 1797 that would have a president and a vice president from separate parties. President Joseph P. Kennedy and Vice President Harold Stassen would get along famously, proving that bipartisanship is possible in the Executive Branch.

1948:

Thomas E. Dewey (NY)/Earl Warren (CA) (Republican) 283 evs 33.8% pv
Joseph P. Kennedy (MA)/Estes Kefauver (TN) (Democratic) 112 evs 28.2% pv
Glen H. Taylor (ID)/James Roosevelt (CA) (Progressive) 86 evs 29.8% pv
Strom Thurmond (SC)/Herman Talmadge (GA) (Dixiecrat) 50 evs 7.8% pv
Norman Thomas (NY)/Tucker P. Smith (MI) (Socialist) 0.3% pv
Claude Watson (CA)/Dale Learn (PA) (Prohibition) 0.1% pv

After a term of Joseph P. Kennedy's staunch interventionism as well as fracturing within the Democratic Party due to the adoption of Civil Rights into the party platform helps Thomas E. Dewey win a decent electoral victory.

1952:

Thomas E. Dewey (NY)/Earl Warren (CA) (Republican) 403 evs 42.52% pv
Richard Russell Jr. (GA)/John Sparkman (AL) (Democratic) 65 evs 26.62% pv
Adlai E. Stevenson II (IL)/Robert S. Kerr (OK) (Progressive) 63 evs 30.86% pv
There are some regional third parties running, but the third party vote is so insignificant it barely registers. Due to general satisfaction with the Dewey administration, the GOP wins a landslide.

1956:

Lyndon B. Johnson (TX)/Ronald Reagan (CA) (Democratic) 280 evs 36.23% pv
Adlai E Stevenson II (IL)/Nelson Rockefeller (NY) (Progressive) 156 evs 33.43% pv
Henry Cabot Lodge Jr. (MA)/Richard M. Nixon (CA) (Republican) 95 evs 30.34% pv
Third party vote is almost nil. Democrats win campaigning on the economy (unemployment growing, plus selling the Democratic position as the rational position compared to the laissez faire philosophy of the Republican Party and the staunch government interventionalist Progressive Party) and the need for a big military budget (GOP and Progressive Parties are both historically anti big military budget). The presence of New York Progressive Senator Nelson Rockefeller helps the Progressive Party win New York and Illinois for the first time since 1940.

1960:

Nelson Rockefeller (NY)/Hiram Fong (HI) (Progressive) 299 evs 33.89% pv
Lyndon B. Johnson (TX)/Ronald Reagan (CA) (Democratic) 148 evs 33.45% pv
William Scranton (PA)/Margaret Chase Smith (ME) (Republican) 91 evs 32.66% pv
Although the Progressive ticket of Nelson Rockefeller and Hiram Fong won a decisive electoral victory over the Democratic and Republican tickets, the popular vote was very close between all three tickets. The popularity of the Civil Rights Movement, as well as the previous administrations failure to end the job slump started during the Dewey administration, helped the Progressives win their first presidential election in 20 years.

1964:

Richard M. Nixon (CA)/John Chafee (RI) (Republican) 456 evs 49.72% pv
Barry Goldwater (AZ)/John G. Tower (TX) (Democratic) 42 evs 26.21% pv
Michael Mansfield (MT)/William Proxmire (WI) (Progressive) 40 evs 24.07% pv
Rockefeller become involved in an affair with a woman named Happy and it destroys his marriage, as well as any chance of him winning re-election. Revelations about vice president Hiram Fong's past as a transexual hooker come to light also, dooming any chance he has of succeeding Rockefeller. Instead the quite leftist ticket of Senator Mike Mansfield of Montana and fellow Senator William Proxmire of Wisconsin win the nod. The conservative faction wins over the moderate faction in the Democratic party. The end result: Two extremist tickets against the quite moderate Republican ticket of former Senator Richard M. Nixon of California and Governor John Chafee of Rhode Island.

[Mechaman]

1968:

Eugene McCarthy (MN)/George McGovern (SD) (Progressive) 229 evs 35.79% pv
Ronald Reagan (CA)/Robert F. Kennedy (MA) (Democratic) 227 evs 36% pv
Richard M. Nixon (NY)/John Chafee (RI) (Republican) 82 evs 28.21% pv
None of the candidates get an electoral majority. It is revealed that Nixon ordered political opponents to be wiretapped and this annhilates the GOP's chances at election. The election goes to the House and Senate 24 years after the last time this situation occured. It would all depend on the makeup of Congress after the election:

Senate:
The Senate ends up with a Republican minority (about 31 seats), a Democratic medium (33 seats), and a Progressive majority (36 seats). Since most of the nation is already pissed at Nixon, enough Republicans go over to the McGovern camp to get a majority rule. George McGovern, via the Senate (53-42-5), is now Vice President elect of the United States.

House:
The House ends up having a Republican minority, a Progressive medium, and a Democratic majority. Like the Senate, it all depends on who the GOP representatives decide who is the lesser evil between Ronald Reagan and Eugene McCarthy. The end result is shocking:

Ronald Reagan 27 states
Eugene McCarthy 14 states
Richard Nixon 9 states
With a very slim majority, Ronald Reagan is elected by the House as the next President of the United States of America. This would mean that the executive branch would have the Democrat Ronald Reagan, who is the face of the new conservative movement, as president and his vice president would be Progressive George McGovern, who is nicknamed "Mr. Progressive". The next four years would be VERY interesting. People are surprised at how resistant some of the GOP was to voting for either Reagan or McCarthy, voting Nixon (alot of the congressmen who voted so later said they personally didn't like Nixon, but couldn't stomach voting for either Reagan or McCarthy) instead of voting for either of the lesser of two evils.

[Mechaman]

The Electoral Reform Act of 1970:

"It is with great honor that I announce the implementation of the Electoral Reform Act of 1970. Nothing shall change about the physical election itself, rather the House and Senate will no longer determine the winner in the case of a failure for a winner to gain an electoral majority, instead run-off voting shall occur two weeks following the time that the last state's votes were tallied. If a candidate doesn't have any electoral votes they can not be in the run-off. As long as the candidate with the lowest electoral tally is within the popular vote percentage of all other parties that don't claim any electoral votes to the nearest candidate with electoral votes they shall be in the run-off election. In the event that this method fails a second time, the top two candidates in terms of the popular vote (regardless of electoral vote tally) will go into another runoff that should take place no later than the final week of January."

Senator Eugene McCarthy of Minnesota, April 4th, 1970

More to come.

[Mechaman]

News Flash May 15, 1972:

"It is with great sadness that CBS News reports that President Ronald Reagan has been assasinated by Arthur Bremer in Laurel, Maryland during a rally. Vice President George McGovern is being sworn in as we speak aboard Air Force One."

May 18th, 1972, President George McGovern on CBS News:

"I have come to the decision not to run for election. I shall use the next 8 months in office to fix the problems this nation is facing. I throw my full endorsement behind my good friend Senator Eugene McCarthy of Minnesota for president."

[Mechaman]

Progressive Party National Convention July 3rd, 1972

It comes down between Senator Eugene McCarthy of Minnesota and Senator Fred Harris of Oklahoma. The two had duked it out in the primaries (with McCarthy winning by about 1,000 votes) and now were going round to round with only a few dozen votes in between them. Eventually McCarthy would win the nod after New York Representative Shirley Chisholm released her delegates to him in the 7th round. Despite losing the presidential nod, Harris would easily win the VP nod after an endorsement from McCarthy.

Progressive Party Presidential ticket: Senator Eugene McCarthy of Minnesota/Senator Fred Harris of Oklahoma

Democratic National Convention July 11th, 1972

It is a drawn out battle between the conservative and moderate wings of the Democratic party. After the 1st round Senator Edward M. Kennedy of Massachusetts releases his delegates to his brother New York Governor Robert F. Kennedy, Texas Governor John G. Tower releases his delegates to Alabama Governor George Wallace, and Texas Senator Lloyd Bentsen releases his delegates to Los Angeles Mayor Sam Yorty. After the five more round Yorty decides to release his delegates to RFK, thus allowing RFK to win the presidential nod. The VP nod wouldn't be as contested as Lloyd Bentsen would be nominated in the first round.

Democratic Party Presidential ticket: Governor Robert F. Kennedy of New York/Senator Lloyd Bentsen of Texas

Republican Party National Convention July 18th, 1972

The GOP National Convention's presidential nomination process goes by alot more smoothly than the Democratic or Progressive conventions. The Primary favorite Governor Martin Luther King Jr. of Georgia wins the nod in the 1st round of voting with a supermajority of the vote. The VP balloting was a bit more intense, as the liberal and libertarian wings of the party duked it out over the nod. By the third round of voting it would come down between Representative Pete McCloskey of California and Senator Robert Taft Jr. of Ohio. After 4 more rounds of voting, Robert Taft Jr. of Ohio is nominated the GOP's Vice Presidential nominee.

Republican Party Presidential ticket: Governor Martin Luther King Jr. of Georgia/Senator Robert Taft Jr. of Ohio

At the Nolan residence in Colorado Springs, Colorado David Nolan and his friends would let out a collective "yes!" after watching the Vice Presidential returns of the Republican National Convention. The only party David Nolan would be attending would be the After Party.

Also, the American Independence Party, an extreme conservative party with anti-semite douchebags running in it, would nominate Representative John G. Schmitz of California as their presidential nominee. Thomas J. Anderson of Tennessee would be their VP nominee.

[Mechaman]

Breaking News!

Rumor has it RFK likes the company of other women besides his wife!
OMG!!! His approval rating has bombed!

Breaking News!

McCarthy wants to legalize Abortion, Amnesty, and Acid!
OMFG!!! His approval rating has atomic bombed!

Breaking News!

MLK is f**king for Jesus!!!
OMMFG!!! His approval rating has super saiyan level 5 Atomic Bombed!

Breaking News!

CBS has been taken over by Mad! Magazine!

Breaking News!

Over 9000 journalists have committed suicide after getting fired by Mad! for being Too Serious.

Sorry, I had to do this.

[Mechaman]

Quick question, because of the three-way split in Congress, how are positions like Speaker and PPT elected. Theses positions require a 50% or more majority, so have the rules been changed to a plurality or do two parties form a sort of "temporary collation"?

Each party holds primaries among themselves to determine who will run in elections for each position. The three candidates run in elections in the House and Senate followed by a runoff between the top two candidates. If there is somehow a tie between the two remaining candidates, the Vice President has the tie breaking vote (in the Senate), as does the President (in the House, ITTL this is established as a 'check' on the House's power).
There have been occurences where the Speaker of the House or the PPT have been members from one of the parties not in majority.

[Mechaman]

This election would be a very weird one in some of the states:

Election 1972:

Senator Eugene McCarthy (MN)/Senator Fred Harris (OK) (Progressive) 178 evs 32.48% pv
Governor Robert F. Kennedy (NY)/Senator Lloyd Bentsen (TX) (Democratic) 188 evs evs 33.07% pv
Governor Martin Luther King Jr. (GA)/Senator Robert Taft Jr. (OH) (Republican) 172 evs 32.65% pv
John Schmitz (CA)/Thomas J. Anderson (TN) (American Independent) 1.2% pv

All three parties were burning all engines come Election 1972. There was only a range of 16 electoral votes total. This would be considered by many to be the closest election with more than two major parties ever.
The election would be the first to be determined using the new electoral run-off method adopted by Congress:

"Abortion, Amnesty, and Acid" would become a very publicized rumor in the two weeks after the original election.
Before the run-off Martin Luther King would give his infamous "I have a Dream" speech, a motivator for GOP ideals.
The affairs of RFK's older brother John also become very public.
Run-off election:

Governor Martin Luther King Jr. (GA)/Robert Taft Jr. (OH) (Republican) 316 evs 36.27% pv
Governor Robert F. Kennedy (NY)/Senator Lloyd Bentsen (TX) (Democratic) 159 evs 33.87% pv
Senator Eugene McCarthy (MN)/Senator Fred Harris (OK) (Progressive) 63 evs 29.86% pv

Thanks to MLK's legendary "Dream" speech, as well as the rumors of his opponents becoming commonplace he wins a landslide in the run-off election. He would become the second African-American President after Blanche Kelso Bruce, but has the distinction of being both the 1st elected African-American President as well as the 1st President to be elected in a run-off election. MLK would be known for his outspoken libertarian beliefs (along with his vice president). His dream, however, wouldn't be realized for another 20 years...

[Mechaman]

September 5th, 1975: An attempt on President Martin Luther King Jr.'s life was made earlier today in Sacramento, California by Lynette "Squeaky" Fromme, a member of the Manson cult responsible for the Tate-LaBianca killing of 1969. Luckily a secret service agent by the name of Larry Buendorf foiled the assasin from firing her gun. President King has received a number of threats on his life ranging from far left extremist groups, cult groups, far right extremist groups, as well as KKK and Neo-Nazi groups. Currently the President, due to massive losses to his party during the midterm elections due to a worsening economy (the economy got better under Rockefeller and Nixon during the 60's and went bad two months after MLK took office. Many historians would blame the mass spending done during the Nixon and Reagan terms to fund the Cambodian War). President King's ascension to the presidency following a run-off election has also not endeared him to the American public. Many political analysts say that the GOP only came back into office this soon due to the public's irritation at the failure of the Reagan/McGovern Administration. Only time will tell if President King's administration will be successful.

September 22nd, 1975: Just 17 days after the attempt on his life by Lynette Fromme in Sacramento, California, President Martin Luther King Jr. had yet another attempt on his life. This time the assasination attempt took place at a hotel in downtown San Francisco, California. Sara Jane Moore, a member of the People in Need organization a nonprofit organization that feeds the poor, tried an assasination attempt on the life of President King. After this attempt President King's approval rating has rebounded to 66%, his highest approval rating yet. Will King use this momentum to stray away from what many have called a mediocre presidency, or will the market ultimately decide his fate?

[Mechaman]

Progressive Party National Convention July 5th-8th 1976

It is yet another highly contested contest for the presidency for the Progressives. During the primaries it was a tight contest between the 1972 Vice Presidential nominee Fred Harris of Oklahoma, Senate Majority Leader Frank Church, and Governor Patrick J. Lucey of Wisconsin. By convention time none of the candidates have the required amount of delegates to attain the nomination. After the 1st round of voting in a shocking move, Fred Harris releases all of his delegates to Frank Church allowing Church to get the nomination. Once again Fred Harris is easily receives the nod for the Vice President position.

Progressive Party Ticket: Senate Majority Leader Frank Church of Idaho/Former Senator Fred Harris of Oklahoma

Despite failing to win the presidency with the widely popular Senator Eugene McCarthy twice, the Progressives remain oddly hopeful that the Western ticket of Frank Church/Fred Harris can strike a chord with those across the nation who have become disillusioned by the years of Democratic and Republican dominance to allow a Progressive to once again bring prosperity to America.

Democratic Party National Convention July 12th-15th 1976

During the primaries the contest heated up between Governor Robert William Barker of Washington and Senator Birch Bayh of Indiana. The decision wouldn't be final until the convention when United States Attorney General John F. Kennedy of Massachusetts and his younger brothers former New York Governor Robert F. Kennedy and Massachusetts Senator Edward M. Kennedy turned over all of their 400 delegates (it was an off year for the Kennedys) to Senator Bayh, securing him a comfortable nomination. The VP nod was also a heated contest, coming down to Ted Kennedy and Georgia Representative Jimmy Carter. In the 5th round of voting Jimmy Carter would win the VP nod over Ted Kennedy, due mostly to voter fatigue over nominating a Kennedy to the Presidential ticket.

Democratic Party Presidential Ticket: Senator Birch Bayh of Indiana/Governor Jimmy Carter of Georgia

The moderate Democratic ticket of Bayh/Carter is popular among many Americans, even the conservative core of the Democratic Party. Their campaign will center around how the libertarian values of the King administration are encouraging the downfall of American society by "widely deregulating morality" and by not doing enough to help those who are suffering. They also campaign against the Progressives pushing for more governmental programs. The humble and honest nature of the vice presidential candidate Jimmy Carter also helps the Democratic ticket score well with their traditional evangelical base.

Republican Party National Convention July 19th-22nd, 1976

In a shock to political observers everywhere, President Martin Luther King Jr. announces he will not seek re-election to his office but instead dedicate the tiem he has left to focus on fixing the many problems facing the country during his administration. Early in the primaries Vice President Robert Taft Jr. drops out, announcing that due to tragic events in his own family (his daughter died giving birth to his grandson) he can not seek the presidency but must instead return to his first job as the provider and caretaker of his family. He gets a standing ovation from the audience. The primary would come down to a struggle between California Senator Jerry Brown, a prominent member of the libertarian wing of the GOP, and Governor George HW Bush of Connecticut, a prominent member of the moderate faction in the GOP. Like the Progressive and Democratic conventions, it went to the Conventio floor to be decided. After receiving the delegates of House Minority Leader Gerald Ford of Michigan, George HW Bush of Connecticut receives the presidential nod for the Republican Party. The VP nomination would go for several rounds due to no one having a clue who to nominate. Eventually the convention settles on moderate GOP Senator Howard Baker of Tennessee. At the convention George HW Bush requests that Jerry Brown deliver the closing speech:

His closing remarks:
Ladies and Gentlemen, we have the most trying of times ahead of us. As party that embraces the greatest qualities of a free society I believe it is up to us to stand for individual liberty and action where others would seek to devalue or limit it. We shall not falter, we shall not fail. God bless you all.

Jerry Brown would receive a very loud ovation from the libertarian faction at the convention. It was here afterward that many people began to wonder if they had elected the wrong man. Time would only tell.......

Republican Party Presidential Ticket: Governor George HW Bush of Connecticut/Senator Howard Baker of Tennessee

Who would win in yet another intense presidential race?

[Mechaman]

Events:

In an interview with Vice Presidential Nominee Jimmy Carter, CBS newsman Dan Rather asks the infamous question "now Jimmy, you tell us all that you can not tell a lie, well I got one and this one is a big doozy: have you ever had relations with a woman besides your wife?" to which Jimmy Carter replied: "Yes, and as much as it pained me to do I told my wife. It happened a long time ago but I am not afraid to hid the truth from the American people. I'd rather be an honest failure than a deceitful winner." Many expected this confession from Carter to lead to a huge drop in the approval polls from the American public, but it actually lead to a ten point increase in the overall approval poll, oddly enough the highest increase was from the Evangelical group. Many analysts said that what would usually be a momentum destroyer ended up being one of the biggest campaign boosts in history since the American public felt "that with Carter as a Vice President he would hold Bayh accountable to his actions and tell the truth of any wrongdoing on either of their parts no matter the ramifications." In hindsight many Democrats started wondering why Carter didn't run for president. But would this be enough for the Bayh/Carter ticket to win the election?

Also, Frank Church and Fred Harris release campaign ads that fire back at criticisms that they're "bleedinghearts". There is one of Frank Church recalling of a time where he housed a black woman who was the victim of abuse from her drunken husband and helped pay for her medical bills and represent her in court during the divorce proceedings against her husband. She won custody of her four kids and now lives a peaceful life as a schoolteacher with her new husband, a CPA in Boise. He ends it with the line "Bleedingheart.....and proud of it." LaDonna Harris appears in an ad to speak of how her husband and Frank Church both fought for the return of sacred Native American grounds in Oklahoma, the Dakotas, Wyoming, Montana, and Idaho. Why? In her words "because of their bleedinghearts." The week following the first of these ads the approval rating of the Church/Harris ticket went up considerably.

Rumors that Bush was having an affair with his longtime secretary Jennifer Fitzgerald stated spreading. On late night talkshows many jokes were made at the expense of Bush's wife Barbara (ex: She didn't have enough Bush for Bush) as well as the Republican Party since many of it's politicians were rumored to be having affairs (especially President King). The rumors about the integrity of many GOP members caused an approval drop for the Bush/Baker ticket. Would the ticket's pragmatism win over any nasty rumors about it sprouted by it's opponents?

Find out on Election Night 1976!

[Mechaman]

Election Night 1976:

Senate Majority Leader Frank Harris (ID)/Former Senator Fred Harris (OK) (Progressive) 187 evs 34.18% pv
Governor George HW Bush (CT)/Senator Howard Baker (TN) (Republican) 112 evs 30.31% pv
Senator Birch Bayh (IN)/Governor Jimmy Carter (GA) (Democratic) 239 evs 34.25% pv
Lester Maddox (GA)/William D. Dyke (WI) (American Independent) 0.24% pv
Others 1.02% pv

No electoral majority. It seems like the Electoral Reforms of 1970 came along at the right time, as it seems that run-off elections are now the norm in American presidential elections. However, this time would be most decisive since the Republican ticket failed to get within the margin to qualify for the run-off. Therefore a run-off election would occur November 19th, 1976, on a Friday, two weeks after the final votes for California were counted. This would be the first election to feature only two big parties since 1908:
The Democrats and Progressives would campaign hard for Republican votes with the extra month given to them for the run-off election. Many Republican voters stayed home on the run-off day, though there were quite a few who decided to vote for the "lesser of evils". The election was a squeaker:

Senate Majority Leader Frank Church (ID)/Former Senator Fred Harris (OK) (Progressive) 271 evs 50.02% pv
Senator Evan Bayh (IN)/Governor Jimmy Carter (GA) (Democratic) 267 evs 49.98% pv
Considered by many to be the closest election of all time.

For the first time in 16 years, a Progressive ticket had won a presidential election. This would lead to a joke: What is the most endangered species in America? The landslide election!

Next President/Vice President: Frank Church (P-ID)/Fred Harris (P-OK)

The House and Senate elections were a surprise as the GOP managed to get out of minority status in the House and the Democrats were within a seat of unseating the Progressive majority in the Senate.

[Mechaman]

Those of you Progressive fans are going to love the next four years......

Events:

January 21st, 1977: President Frank Church is sworn into office. In his Inauguration Address he goes on and on about the greatness of America and how even the poorest in material wealth and in spirit can find happiness and success in America. On his agenda for the next four years are: Increasing quality healthcare for all Americans (single payer healthcare was passed in 1944 during the closing years of the era of Progressive dominance), cleaning up the environment, encouraging independent alternative energy development, and advancing civil liberties.

March 22nd, 1977: While promoting President Church's environmental agenda, including a cap and trade scheme, Vice President Fred Harris gets shot exiting the Loyola University New Orleans in New Orleans, Louisiana by a White Separatist named David Duke. Secret Service take the down Duke. The bullet hit Harris in the arm, for the next three months Vice President Harris would be styling and profiling with a rainbow colored arm cast that many on the right claim is a subtle promotion of gay rights.

May 24th, 1977: Frank Church makes a speech on homosexual rights in Sacramento, California at the behest of Republican Senator Jerry Brown:

How much longer America, HOW MUCH LONGER shall we deny the privileges of Equal Housing Rights for those who live differently than us? How much longer America, HOW MUCH LONGER shall we deny equalily before the law based on sexual orientation? How much longer America, HOW MUCH LONGER shall we use the same rationale of segregationists on those who don't subscribe to what is considered the "norm" of sexuality? How much longer America, HOW MUCH LONGER!? As your president I shall fight for the rights of all Americans, not just the rich, not just the poor, not just the majority, not just the minority, everyone. I make this promise now as long as there is a breath in my body, and I believe I speak for my Vice President too, I shall fight for the equality and rights of all American citizens before the law!
In the short run, this speech greatly damages President Church's standing among many conservatives and even some liberals, but his approval rating skyrockets among progressives and libertarians who were skeptical of his approach on civil liberties.

September 8th, 1977: 3rd quarter reports of 1977 report a positive job growth. It seems as if the economy has reversed itself for the better after nearly 6 years of economic downturn. However, inflation is still a problem.

December 11th, 1977: David Duke offers his full statement before the Louisiana Federal Court before being sentenced:

Many of you have asked the question that has been on the minds of most people in this nation: Why? Why Vice President Fred Harris? Why not the President Frank Church? Granted Church is a traitor to the White Race who has used our own government to benefit those who wish to bastardize the purity of our people. Granted, Frank Church has dedicated his life to taking from us, the White Race, our predestined lands by God, to the inferior Indian races. However, Frank Church at least didn't have the audacity or the self hatred of his own color to become one with one of another race. Fred Harris is the worst of all race traitors, not only has he fought tooth and nail to steal what rightfully belongs to his own race and given it to those inferior to us, he declared himself one with an inferior Indian whore who bore him abominations to God. There is no bigger betrayal to your race than throwing your seed into a well of polluted water. Therefore my only regret is that my bullet broke Fred Harris' arm, and not claim his treacherous evil life. Therefore I plead guilty to the cause of the preservation of my culture and race.

December 13th, 1977: The Grand Jury in the Federal case of Duke vs. the people of the United States finds David Duke guilty of attempt to assasinate a political leader. Given his motivation, intent, and sanity the court settles on life in prison for Duke. LaDonna Harris approaches the media and makes this statement:

Finally justice has been served. My husband has paid the price for being a believer of love, liberty, freedom, and the pursuit of happiness. But what I have found odd is that instead of anger and hate towards Mr. Duke I can only find feelings of sadness and pity: sadness that he can't feel love, pity because he never had anyone in his life who could show him the true fulfillment one can get from it. I wish you a long life with minimal harm on you Mr. Duke, I pray someday you will find it in your heart to stop hating those different from you and eventually find it in yourself to forgive yourself for these feelings of malice you have. That is all.

[Mechaman]

Monthly Average Approval Ratings:

Jaunary:

56% Approve
32% Disapprove
12% Undecided

February:

51% Approve
42% Disapprove
7% Undecided

March:
(Rising Approval Rating due to assasination attempt on Fred Harris)
66% Approve
24% Disapprove
10% Undecided

April:

76% Approve
13% Disapprove
11% Undecided

May:

72% Approve
16% Disapprove
12% Undecided

June:
(Drop down due to speech on gay rights)

62% Approve
34% Disapprove
4% Undecided

July:

54% Approve
38% Disapprove
8% Undecided

August:

59% Approve
31% Disapprove
10% Undecided

September:
(Economic Recovery leads to a big jump in polls)
72% Approve
16% Disapprove
12% Undecided

October:

63% Approve
26% Disapprove
11% Undecided

November:

71% Approve
12% Disapprove
17% Undecided
(first time in awhile where more people were undecided about a president than those who disapproved)

December:
(Huge rise in approval rating related to the indictment of David Duke)
82% Approve
8% Disapprove
10% Undecided

Yearly Average:
65.34% Approve
24.34% Disapprove
10.33% Undecided

So despite being a strong Progressive administration Frank Church/Fred Harris go through their first year with some of the highest approval ratings in history. On December 15th Church/Harris had a record Approval Rating of 89%. Many claim that due to the shooting plus the Administration's pragmatic approach to working with Congress both Church and Harris got consistently high Approval Ratings during 1977.

[Mechaman]

Where are such Idaho and Oklahoma statesmen like Harris and Church when they are needed now?

IDK.
In this timeline Oklahoma is a bit more libertarian and Idaho is a hell of a lot more progressive due to the Red Boogeyman never occuring (we sat on our asses until 1945 to intervene in the War in Europe, the USSR gets destroyed by Nazi Germany, Red China never rises to power, the only communist power to emerge was Vietnam and there was a civil war in Cambodia that is the equivalent to our Vietnam).

[Mechaman]

Okay, time to take a break.

Mech's list of presidents (only have info from 1840) up to 1977:
1.George Washington (VA) (None)/John Adams (Federalist) 1789-1797
2.Thomas Pinckney (SC) (Federalist)/Thomas Jefferson (VA) (Democratic Republican) 1797-1801
3.Thomas Jefferson (VA)/Aaron Burr (NY) 1801-1805/George Clinton (NY) (Democratic Republican) 1805-1809
4.James Madison (VA)/John Quincy Adams (MA) (Democratic Republican) 1809-1811*
5.John Quincy Adams (MA) 1811-1813/Daniel Tompkins (NY) (Democratic Republican) 1813-1817
6.James Monroe (VA)/William Smith (SC) (Democratic Republican) 1817-1825
7.William Crawford (GA)/Andrew Jackson (TN) (Democratic Republican) 1825-1829
8.Henry Clay (KY)/Richard Rush (PA) (National Republican) 1829-1833
9.Andrew Jackson (TN)/Martin Van Buren (NY) (Democratic) 1833-1841
10.Daniel Webster (MA)/John Tyler (VA) (Whig) 1841-1845
11.Martin Van Buren (NY)/John Fairfield (ME) (Democratic) 1845-1850*
12.John Fairfield (ME)/Franklin Pierce (NH) (Democratic) 1850-1853
13.Stephen Douglas (IL)/Jefferson Davis (MS) (Democratic) 1853-1857
14.John C. Fremont (CA)/Abraham Lincoln (IL) (Republican) 1857-1864*
15.Abraham Lincoln (IL) 1864-1865/Ulysses S. Grant (OH) (Republican) 1865*
16.Ulysses S. Grant (OH)/Schuyler Colfax (IN) (Republican) 1865-1873
17.Benjamin Gratz Brown (MO)/Andrew Curtin (PA) (Liberal Republican) 1873-1874/(Republican) 1874-1881
18.Andrew Curtin (PA)/Blanche K. Bruce (MS) (Republican) 1881*
19.Blanche K. Bruce (MS)/Marshall Jewell (CT) (Republican) 1881-1885
20.Grover Cleveland (NY)/Thomas A. Hendricks (IN) 1885/Adlai E. Stevenson I (IL) 1885-1893
21.Adlai E. Stevenson I (IL)/Arthur Gorman (MD) 1893-1897
22.William J. Bryan (NB)/Arthur Sewall (ME) 1897-1900/Thomas E. Watson (GA) (Democratic) 1900-1901
23.William McKinley (OH)/Thomas B. Reed (ME) (Republican) 1901*
24.Thomas B. Reed (ME)/Theodore Roosevelt (NY) (Republican) 1901-1902*
25.Theodore Roosevelt (NY)/Charles W. Fairbanks (IN) (Republican) 1902-1905
26.William H. Taft (OH)/Charles W. Fairbanks (IN) 1905-1909/James S. Sherman (NY) (Republican) 1909-1913
27.Theodore Roosevelt (NY)/Hiram Johnson (CA) (Progressive) 1913-1919*
28.Hiram Johnson (CA)/Burton K. Wheeler (MT) (Progressive) 1919-1921
29.Warren G. Harding (OH)/Calvin Coolidge (MA) (Republican) 1921-1923*
30.Calvin Coolidge (MA)/Frank O. Lowden (IA) (Republican) 1923-1929
31.Herbert Hoover (IA)/Charles Curtis (KS) (Republican) 1929-1933
32.Franklin D. Roosevelt (NY)/Robert M. LaFollette Jr. (WI) (Progressive) 1933-1937*
33.Robert M. LaFollette Jr. (WI)/Henry Wallace (IA) (Progressive) 1937-1945
34.Joseph P. Kennedy Sr.(MA) (Democratic)/Harold Stassen (MN) (Republican) 1945-1949*
35.Thomas E. Dewey (NY)/Earl Warren (CA) (Republican) 1949-1957
36.Lyndon B. Johnson (TX)/Ronald Reagan (CA) (Democratic) 1957-1961
37.Nelson P. Rockefeller (NY)/Hiram Fong (HI) (Progressive) 1961-1965
38.Richard Nixon (CA)/John Chafee (RI) (Republican) 1965-1969
39.Ronald Reagan (CA) (Democratic)/George McGovern (SD) (Progressive) 1969-1972*
40.George McGovern (SD) (Progressive) 1972-1973
41.Martin Luther King Jr. (GA)/Robert Taft Jr. (OH) 1973-1977
42.Frank Church (ID)/Fred Harris (OK) 1977-

*notes:
4. James Madison dies from heart disease. Vice President John Quincy Adams, a Jeffersonian Democrat, would succeed him. The family feud between John Q. Adams and his family of traditional Federalists would be infamous.
11. Martin Van Buren, the first "Great Emancipator" dies from something doctors would later discover to be lung cancer. His VP John Fairfield takes over.
14. John C. Fremont, the other "Great Emancipator" dies from a strong stomach virus. He would be succeeded by Abraham Lincoln who many called the "destroyer of the US Constitution".
15. Abraham Lincoln gets assasinated by John Wilkes Booth after winning his only election. His VP former Union General Ulysses S. Grant would succeed him.
18. Andrew Curtin accidently gets assasinated by KKK members who were trying to shoot Vice President Blanche Kelso Bruce. The result: The nation's first African American President.
23. William McKinley gets assasinated like IRL. His Vice President longtime former rival Thomas Reed takes over as president.
24. Thomas B. Reed dies from a heart attack. His Vice President and ally Theodore Roosevelt, former Representative from New York, assumes the presidency in a short yet active term. Unfortunately Roosevelt wouldn't make it past the next primary. On his way out of the White House he would shout: "You ain't seen the last of Teddy Roosevelt you sons of bitches!"
27. Theodore Roosevelt comes back to the White House with a vengeanc, taking scores of Republicans and Democrats with him into the new Progressive Party. This party would not be a simple third party that would shake things up for one or two election cycles, but a long lasting powerful Left Wing force that would dominate US politics for the better part of the first half of the century. Sadly Teddy wouldn't live to see it, as he would die of heart complications two years before the end of his second term. Vice President Hiram Johnson would finish out his term.
29. Warren G. Harding dies of a stroke. Vice President Calvin Coolidge takes over.
32. FDR's polio becomes a lot more severe earlier and he dies just two days before taking the oath of office. In his place is his Vice President and fellow Progressive legacy Robert M. LaFollette Jr.
34. Following an election where no party got an electoral majority, the election goes to the House and Senate. The House votes Joseph P. Kennedy Sr. of Massachusetts to be President and the Senate votes Harold Stassen of Minnesota to be Vice President. This would be the first bipartisan Administration since Thomas Pinckney/Thomas Jefferson in 1797. The collaboration between Kennedy and Stassen would become legendary.
39. Just like 1944, the election of 1968 results in no ticket getting an electoral majority. It once again goes to the House and Senate. The Democratic Majority House votes Ronald Reagan to be president while the Progressive Majority Senate votes George McGovern to be Vice President. This pairing, unlike the pairing of Joseph P. Kennedy Sr and Harold Stassen, would be pretty chaotic. It would last until early 1972 when Ronald Reagan gets assasinated by Arthur Bremer. George McGovern would assume the presidency until 1973.

Note: The word majority as it is used to describe the House and Senate doesn't mean the same thing as it does IOTL. It means what party has the most seats in each chamber, so it is quite possible for a party to have only 34 seats and still be in majority.

[Mechaman]

1978:

January 15th, 1978: Vice President Fred Harris makes a full recovery from his gunshot wound. His appearance without his arm cast results in a continuation of the very high approval ratings of the Church Administration.

March 18th, 1978: Republican Senator Jerry Brown of California presents the Sexual Orientation Housing Equality Act before Congress. This comes as a surprise since many expected a Progressive Senator to be the first to propose such an act. It would be actions like this from the Libertarian faction of the GOP that would help shift the power in both Houses from the Progressive/Democratic dominance to bring the GOP out of minority status.

May 24th, 1978: After two months of debate, the Sexual Orientation Housing Equality Act would pass 64-36. The Progressive Party unanimously voted aye, as did the Libertarian faction of the GOP (who held 14 of the GOP's 31 Senate seats, the largest faction in the GOP), that gave 49 definite "ayes". Eventually 12 more Republicans would vote "aye", and even three Democrats (Edward M. Kennedy of Massachusetts, Birch Bayh of Indiana, and Lloyd Bentsen of Texas). Elements on the Religious Right would decry the three Democrats who supported the act, it would come back to bite them in the ass in two years though.

June 11th, 1978: The House passes the nation's first cap and trade legislation. It barely passes with a good deal of the Progressive Party, the Populist faction of the Democratic Party, and some liberal Republicans (in the economic sense, socially most Republicans are already liberal).

August 3rd, 1978: The stock market crashes. This causes a shockwave throughout the political landscape. Many would start pointing fingers at the waves of government interference into the economy brought on by years of Progressive dominance in the Congress. The stage was set for the end of the Progressive Era (though Progressives had only a few presidents in office, for the majority of the the era from 1931-1979 they held majorities in one or both houses).

September 29th, 1978: To offset the total damage, the price of gas goes down by 5 cents. The worst however, was yet to come.

November 7, 1978: Due to the economic downturn following the stock market crash and what many perceive as the president and many Progressives assigning "blame to all but themselves" the Congress elections turn out bad for the Progressives, who go from having a majority in the Senate and a mediocrity in the House to minorities in both. The Democrats have retained control of the House, and have a tiny lead over the Republicans in the Senate. Although the Democrats have majorities in both houses many would call this the "Republican's year" due to the GOP climbing out of the minority and only one seat shy of taking the Senate as well as a respectable amount of seats from the House majority. If the Republicans play their cards right, 1980 might be their year to win it all.

Here's how Congress looks like:

Senate:
Democrats: 35 seats
Republicans: 34 seats
Progressives: 31 seats

House:
Democrats: 165 seats
Republicans: 146 seats
Progressives: 124 seats

In hindsight this wasn't a Democrat friendly year, as the Democrats only gained one seat in the Senate and 5 in the House, most of the Progressive Party losses were to libertarian Republican candidates who promised to fight for civil liberties as well as capitalizing on the supposed failure of government programs to combat the economic downturn.

December 25th, 1978: On Christmas Day David Duke, known for his infamous assassination attempt on Vice President Fred Harris, is killed by a black prison gang at Louisiana State Penitentiary.

[Mechaman]

Alright, I might be able to get to the election of 1980 on this TL. I like how this is constantly evolving from a election map only format to an event based TL. When I get done with this TL I'm thinking about creating a prequel timeline covering all the events from 1840 to 1972.

[Mechaman]

Monthly Average Approval Ratings:

January:
(Fred Harris' recovery keeps approval ratings high)
82% Approval
12% Disapproval
6% Undecided

February:
(ratings drop after the "rally around the flag" effect of the imprisonment of David Duke dissipates)
68% Approval
26% Disapproval
6% Undecided

March:
63% Approval
31% Disapproval
6% Undecided

April:
61% Approval
35% Disapproval
4% Undecided

May:
(passage of SOHEA causes approval to drop, especially among the Deep South)
57% Approval
38% Disapproval
5% Undecided

June:
(Cap and trade causes approval to drop further)
53% Approval
45% Disapproval
2% Undecided

July:
54% Approval
46% Disapproval

August:
(stock market crash)
45% Approval
52% Disapproval
3% Undecided

September:
41% Approval
55% Disapproval
4% Undecided

October:
(Drop in the price of gas causes a mild approval surge)
46% Approval
45% Disapproval
9% Undecided

November:
(Aftermath of elections)
42% Approval
47% Disapproval
11% Undecided

December:
(Death of David Duke, President agrees to work with Congress)
51% Approval
41% Disapproval
8% Undecided

Annual Average:
1978:
Approval: 55.25%
Disapproval: 39.42%
Undecided: 5.33%

Cumulative Average Approval Rating:
Frank Church/Fred Harris:

Approval: 60.3%
Disapproval: 31.88%
Undecided: 7.83%

[Mechaman]

New addition to the TL:

Speaker of the House, President Pro Tempore elections, and Congressional Leadership Elections!

On January 3rd, 1979, the first day that the 96th United States Congress met the elections for the positions of Speaker of the House and President Pro Tempore of the Senate would commence. Each party would elect one of their own as a candidate for each position on this day. Also, they would vote for their respective party leaders (ie Plurality Leader, Dominant Minority Leader, Minority Leader). The end result was:

Leadership:
House of Representatives:
Plurality Leader: Democrat John Warner (Virginia)

John Warner, representative from Virginia since 1965, would become the Plurality Congressional Party Leader. Here he is photographed with his wife Elizabeth Taylor Warren, a popular British actress who he has been married to since 1955 (remember alternate reality).

Dominant Minority Leader: Republican Edward Brooke (Massachusetts)

The liberal Republican Edward Brooke from Massachusetts would be elected to the position of Dominant Minority Leader. He would be the first African American to be elected to a Congressional Party Leadership Position (and to think we had two, yes TWO, African American presidents up to this point).

Minority Leader: Progressive Morris Udall (Arizona)

The witty Morris Udall would be elected to the position of Minority Leader. This would continue the Progressive norm at the time of electing a Western Progressive to the Congressional Party Leadership Position.

Senate:
Plurality Leader: Democratic Lloyd Bentsen (Texas)

The former Vice Presidential candidate would be almost unanimously elected as Plurality Leader.

Dominant Minority Leader: Republican Jerry Brown (California)

Jerry Brown, the leader of the libertarian wing of the GOP, would be elected as Dominant Minority Leader just one vote over former Vice Presidential candidate and moderate senator Howard Baker of Tennessee. At the age of 40, he is one of the youngest congressional party leaders in history.

Minority Leader: Progressive Mike Gravel (Alaska)

The fiery senator from Alaska who was most well known for collapsing during a filibuster where he read the Hexagon (that's right it's six sides ITTL bitches) Papers in a desperate attempt to end the draft. He succeeded. He is the first Alaska Congressman to be elected to a Congressional party leadership position.

Speaker of the House:

Democratic: Phil Crane (Illinois)

Well known for his "compassionate conservatism", Phil Crane would win the nomination for the Speaker of the House position for his party.

Republican: George Voinovich (Ohio)

The moderate George Voinovich of Ohio would receive the Republican nod for the Speaker of the House position.

Progressive: Shirley Chisholm (New York)

Shirley Chisholm, a well known civil libertarian, would receive the Progressive nod for Speaker of the House. If elected she would be the first African American woman ever to hold the office.

President Pro Tempore of the Senate:

Democratic: John G. Tower (Texas)

Conservative icon John G. Tower would be the Democratic nominee for the PPT.

Republican: Jacob Javits (New York)

The long time liberal Republican senator of New York would win the Republican nomination for the PPT.

Progressive: Alan Cranston (California)

Senator Alan Cranston of California would be nominated by the Progressive Party for the PPT nomination.

January 4th, 1979:
The voting for the Speaker of the House and President Pro Tempore of the Senate positions take place.

Speaker of the House:

Shirley Chisholm eliminated

PPT:

Alan Cranston eliminated

With the losers eliminated in the 1st round of voting, the runoff would now commence:

Speaker of the House winner:


Democratic Representative Phil Crane of Illinois

PPT Winner:

Republican Senator Jacob Javits of New York
Although there is a Democratic dominance in Congress, the Republican Senator Jacob Javits of New York manages to get the PPT nod over Democratic Senator John G. Tower. Many would give credit to Javit's long time service as being the decider for the PPT election.

[Mechaman]

New title for this since I've gone from just making election maps to gradually evolving into a timeline.

[Mechaman]

Alright, as hard as this will be do to I must come up with 1979:

January 1st, 1979: The United States and the Republic of India establish full diplomatic relations.

January 21st, 1979: Two years after their previous Superbowl win, the Dallas Cowboys make the "Ultimate Comeback" and defeat the Pittsburgh Steelers 35-31. Already sportscasters are calling it the "win of the year".

January 22nd, 1979: 39 Indian government officials and 82 civilian bystanders die in bombings conducted by the People's Liberation Army of Sri Lanka. The far left revolutionary group has been targeting Indian public officials lately in response to the Indian government's hostile takeover of the island of Sri Lanka 6 years ago after civil war broke out on the island. Many compare the struggle of the people of Sri Lanka under Indian occupation to the British occupation of Northern Ireland.

January 23rd, 1979: The Indian government declares a war on "leftist revolutionary elements" within both India and Sri Lanka. In the week long raid over 10,000 so-called "dissidents" would be rounded up and thrown into retaining areas for "further investigation". Little did the Indian government know that the real revolution was just beginning.

January 30th, 1979: Freshman Republican Senator Max Baucus of Montana makes a plea before Congress to condemn the actions of the Indian government:

Woe be to the government that can take away the civil liberties of it's citizens on whim without due process of law! But woe also be to those who say nothing for the sake of alliance. As horrific as the actions of these revolutionaries were towards civilians, the Indian governments actions towards thousands of their citizens, most of them likely to be void of guilt, is even more horrific.

In response to the freshman senator from Montana, fellow Republican senator Ted Stevens of Alaska takes the podium

Son I have spent the better part of the past ten years of my senate career just trying to get a cooperative trade agreement with India, the fact that we just now established diplomatic ties is incredible. I am not going to throw away all of my hard work and sacrifice, or any other senator or congressman's hard work, away because you grew a conscience.

This split in the Republican party, now public, seemed to suddenly blunt the growing pro-Republican movement in public opinion in the country. A party divided, it seemed, could not stand. The bleeding heart libertarians, who were concerned with the violations of justice and civil liberties of governments, would not turn a blind eye to the abuses of the Indian government while the conservative wing of the party would adhere to the isolationist approach. The moderates and liberals, were caught in the crossfire. In the Democratic Party the story is a mirror of the Republican Party, there are those who argue that what the Indian government did was correct and went as far as calling the revolutionaries "terrorists", most simply don't care, yet there even a few here who want the US to condemn the acts of the Indian government. The Progressives seem to be the only ones united on the issue, most seem to be against the Indian government's actions while a few stess that the US should stay completely out of it due to the non-interventionist principle.

February 12th, 1979: LaDonna Harris, Second Lady and appointed ambassador to the UN (the first lady to be appointed to those two positions at once), approaches the UN Council and makes a heartfelt plea for an increase in humantarian aid to Cambodian refugee camps in Vietnam and Thailand:

This is a matter of human decency, there are million, MILLIONS of starving women and children residing in these camps without access to clean water or suitable shelter. Many of these families are fatherless, as the many a man stood behind to face the wrath of the Khmer Rogue, men who died fighting, to prevent a legacy of genocide claim the lives of their women and children. It is my heartfelt plea to all of you gathered today, please please for the love of everything decent and good in this world don't turn a blind eye to these unfortunate souls suffering from the aftereffects of the worst mass murderer in this half of the century. We have turned a blind eye to the actions of the evil Pol Pot once before, let us by the love of God do so no longer.


Vice President Fred Harris with his wife, Second Lady and UN Ambassador LaDonna Harris, posing with their infamous travel camper.

Also on this day, President Frank Church would address India's abuse of civil liberties:

It is regretable the actions taken by the Indian government, however in the interest of friendship we shall do what most friends would do in a similar situation: let friends deal with the consequences of their actions.

Frank Church would have no idea how prophetic his words would end up being.