What a tackle by Rosey Grier: An Alternate History

[hcallega]

Great TL.

Just wondering, how come McGovern won KY/MT?

Kentucky: Still a Democratic state due to the Democrats still being strong with White Working class and coal miners. The closest state in 1980, essentially 50-50

Montana: In OTL typically a close western state. McGovern's local pull helped bring it in. 52-48%

[hcallega]

Well I accidentally deleted the entire in-depth summary of Reagan's first term. So here is a very brief summary

1981

Domestic: Fed Chair Greenspan raises interest rates, tax cuts, recession, inflation low
Foreign: 101st Airborne sent to rescue hostages (Several killed), support for anti-communists, especially Muhjahadeen.

1982

Domestic: Unemployment hits 10%, Garn-St.Germain bill passes, but Glass-Steagal repeal is blocked.
Foreign: Rapid increase in number of troops in Western Europe.

1983

Domestic: Recession comes to an end
Foreign: Reagan and Gorbachev talk missile reduction

1984

Domestic: Economic Boom begins, deficit is massively high
Foreign: Afghanistan becomes a quagmire, congress cuts off funding for Latin American anti-communist aide (Boland Ammednment)

A major issue in Reagan's first term was his incessant conflicts with the Democratic Congressional leadership. Majority Leader Ted Kennedy and Speaker Tip O'Neill were unrelenting in their opposition to Reagan, and effectively blocked most of the President's attempts at passing conservative legislation. In his book "Reagan and Me", Jim Baker would state that "If it wasn't for Senator Kennedy and Speaker O'Neill than I am quite certain that the positive view held of President Reagan by most Americans would be significantly different. Perhaps he would be seen as more of a hard-line conservative, more like Goldwater. Or maybe he would be seen as more sucessfull. Either way, they inadvertently played a very large part in cementing the President's legacy as a popular moderate-conservative."

1982 Midterm Elections

[/b]
Entering Elections: 53 D, 46 R, 1 I
Democratic Gains
-Missouri: Harriet Woods
-New Jersey: Frank Lautenberg
-New Mexico: Jeff Bingaman
-Rhode Island: Julius Michaelson
-Vermont: James Guest
Republican Gains
-Virginia: Paul Tribble
Following Elections: 57 D, 43 R

House Elections
Entering Elections: 250 D, 185 R

[hcallega]

1984 Democratic Nomination

The fight for the 1984 Democratic Nomination was a relatively small field, considering the high approval ratings and popularity of President Reagan among both Republicans and Democrats. The early frontrunner for the nomination was Ohio Senator John Glenn. Glenn was a close ally of President Kennedy and spanned the gap between the Kennedy branch of the party and organized labor. Glenn focused his campaign on traditional liberal values, while also criticizing Reagan for fiscal irresponsibility. He also focused greatly on his heroic record while in the Air Force.

But Glenn was not alone in the race. Senator Fritz Hollings of South Carolina jumped in, preaching fiscal conservatism and placing himself square in the middle. To the left of both of these men was Reverend Jesse Jackson. Jackson was a follower of President Kennedy, but was far more of a critic of urban poverty than Glenn or Hollings. He focused his campaign on race relations and taking on poverty in an aggressive manner. He also supported single-payer health insurance. Another southern centrist, former Florida Governor Reubin Askew, joined the race as the most conservative candidate. Finally, two libertarians joined the race: former Governor Jerry Brown of California and former Senator Mike Gravel of Alaska. Both men were opponents of the Kennedy branch of the party and evoked the old Eugene McCarthy side.

Early polls showed a strong lead for Glenn with Jackson in second place and Hollings in third. The two libertarians and Askew were still in single digits, and polled very poorly in Iowa. The first caucus state proved to be a good one for Glenn, who won by a wide margin. Glenn would also prevail in New Hampshire and Vermont, persuading Hollings and Askew to drop out. Glenn would win Wyoming as well, before Jackson would score a win in Alabama. For the rest of the race, it would be Glenn winning throughout the nation with Jackson scoring the ocassional victory in the black belt. Neither Gravel nor Brown would carry any states, but both men would stay in the race to attack Glenn. Jackson would not drop out either, but was not critical of Glenn. Rather he attempted to push the party further to the left and show that "blacks will not simply nod yes and punch the ballot box without first being heard."

At the convention in September, Glenn would select Jackson as his VEEP in an attempt to appeal to African-American voters who might have otherwise been turned off by Glenn's candidacy.

1984 General Election

The race between Glenn and Reagan was never even close. Reagan always held a commanding lead in the polls, and for the most part Glenn never took the steps needed to beat him. He chose to focus his campaign efforts on appealing to the white working class and on "ensuring that this party isn't killed by this election." Glenn also utilized Jackson as a means to cement the Democratic hold on all minorities, not just blacks. Jackson and San Antonio Mayor Henry Cisneros campaigned throughout Hispanic communities in Texas and the southwest. Jackson cemented himself as a major figure in the party, while Cisneros presented himself as a rising star.

Reagan took an active role in campaigning aswell. Running on the slogan "It's a New Morning in America", Reagan emphasized that things were going well in this country. He attacked Glenn and Jackson for dwelling on the negatives. This tactic was quite effective as many Americans saw things as going very well for themselves economically, and they were not so receptive to Glenn's attacks on Reagan's trade and economic policies. However when the polls closed, Glenn's message was heard by blue-collar whites and Jackson's by minorities. This ensured that the Democratic Party was not met with a thud but rather with a muffled fall.

Reagan/Thompson (R) 349 EVs, 55% of the PV
Glenn/Jackson (D) 189 EVs, 45% of the PV

1984 Congressional Races

Entering Elections: 57 D, 43 R
Democratic Gains
-Illinois: Paul Simon
-Iowa: Tom Harkin
-North Carolina: Jim Hunt
-Tennessee: Al Gore
Following Elections: 61 D, 39 R

Entering Elections: 250 D, 185 R
Following Elections: 258 D, 177 R

[hcallega]

The Second Term of President Ronald Reagan

   Entering his second full term in office, President Reagan was greeted with an unfortunate sight. The Democrats had slowly achieved a filibuster proof majority through targeting arch-conservatives such as Jesse Helms and Barry Goldwater. The Lion of the Senate, Ted Kennedy, was now in a position to effective legislation and prevent the President from doing as he saw fit. However Kennedy recognized that while he had 61 Democrats on paper, many of them would balk at taking on the President’s veto. Others were just as conservative as the Republicans they had replaced. In the House, Speaker O’Neill had developed what he called a “firewall” against any Republican attempts at conservative legislation. President Reagan would have to abandon any hope of creating long lasting conservative legislation.

   The President’s first major opportunity came after the explosion of the Space Shuttle Challenger. The Challenger had exploded shortly after takeoff, and the President would deliver a marvelous speech in memory of the crew. Many within the administration saw patriotism as Reagan’s most effective weapon which could be used to effectively keep the President popular despite little actual action.
   
   The President would pursue another major non-partisan initiative in his term as well. In 1977, President Rockefeller had declared a “war on drugs”, and had begun to crack down on the illicit substances. Reagan took the Drug War to another level, promoting an almost militant approach to taking on the Latin American Drug Cartels while cracking down on drug users and gangs in the inner city. His seemingly reckless approach angered many in the black community, and former President Kennedy denounced Reagan’s actions as “insensitive, impractical, and ignorant.” Nonetheless, many in Middle America agreed with the President’s actions against drugs and drug crime.
   
   On foreign policy, Reagan went about a three teared approach to ending the Cold War. His first goal was to buildup the number of troops and military capacity in Western Europe. He feared that if the Soviets conceded too much, a military coup would follow and an invasion of Western Europe would take place. The second aspect was to continue aggressive negotiations with the Soviet Union’s premier, Mikail Gorbachev. Gorbachev was a reformer and was comfortable negotiating away Soviet missile defense. He wanted the Cold War to end as well, just as long as the Soviet Union was preserved. The final approach was through the covert aid of anti-communist forces in the third world. These three approaches would successfully lower tensions and put the end of the Cold War immediately within sight.

   The biggest controversy in Reagan’s second term was the Iran-Contra affair. Related to the covert aid of supporting anti-communist troops, Reagan was investigated for authorizing aide to the Contras with money from arm sales to Iran intended on convincing the Iranians to negotiate the freedom of hostages in Lebanon. The Muskie Committees investigation came up with no evidence that the President was involved, but Colonel Oliver North was found guilty of contempt of court. This controversy would stain the President’s legacy and help the Democrats in 1988.

1986 Midterm Elections
Entering Elections: 60 D, 40 R (+1 R with the special election after Scoop Jackson’s death)
Democratic Gains
-Florida: Bob Graham
-Maryland: Barbara Mikulski
-Nevada: Harry Reid
Republican Gains
-Arizona: John McCain
-California: Ed Zschau
-Colorado: Ken Cramer
-Missouri: Kit Bond
Following Elections: 59 D, 41 R

House Elections
Entering Elections: 258 D, 177 R
Following Elections: 242 D, 205 R

[hcallega]

Well after a pretty much carbon copy version of a Reagan Presidency as it happened IOTL, Im ready for a drastic shift...Jesse in 88!!!

Yeah I don't think the 1980s would be drastically different with Reagan at the helm. Still economic growth, still end of the Cold War, still conservative.

[hcallega]

update coming soon....

[hcallega]

Update: So I have decided to spice up the past a little by changing the Iran-Contra Scandal. Rather than having Reagan skate free, things are a little bit different. North’s secretary was unable to shred the documents which implicated Reagan’s National Security Adviser, Jeanne Kirkpatrick. Kirkpatrick was called before the Muskie Committee, which found her culpable. The Committee also called forward President Reagan himself. His testimony was nothing shocking, but with the early stages of Alzheimer’s setting in, he had trouble recalling much of what happened. Therefore, House Judiciary Committee Chairman Peter Rodino filed articles of impeachment against the President. The House would pass the impeachment, and the Senate trial would follow. The trial itself was fairly uneventful, as North, Kirkpatrick, and Reagan all testified. Following the trial, Senator Julian Bond of Georgia followed by filing charges of impeachment. In the following vote, a majority voted to convict, but a 2/3 majority was no where near being achieved. Nonetheless, this would leave a very bad taste in the mouth of the Country.

1988 Democratic Nomination

The 1988 race was one of several high profile candidates. From the labor wing was Representative Dick Gephardt, Senator Joe Biden, and Senator Tom Harkin. From the moderate wing were Governor Bill Clinton, Senator Bill Bradley, and Governor Bruce Babbitt. From the Kennedy wing, only Senator Julian Bond ran. However Bond was the early frontrunner and had large name recognition for being the most ardent supporter of impeachment in the Senate. His major rival was Gephardt, who had the strong support of organized labor. Clinton was also a factor, as his moderate views and popularity amongst blacks was viewed as a potential factor in defeating Gephardt.

The first primary competition was in the Iowa Caucuses. Here Bond essentially did not run, allowing for Gephardt to showdown with Harkin. In the end, Gephardt would edge the home-state Senator and claim victory. However in New Hampshire Gephardt would himself be defeated by Bond, who was able to use his independent streak and strong support of farmers as a major issue. Following that point, the race would go back and forth between Gephardt and Bond, with Clinton capturing several southern states. The battle would be fought all the way until the California Primaries, a victory that would seal the deal for Bond and give him the nomination. In recognition of Gephardt’s strong results, he would select him as his Vice-Presidential Nominee. At the convention, Bond would deliver his famous “Rainbow Coalition” Speech in which he called on the Democratic Party to form a Rainbow Coalition for Victory: “20 years ago we had a black and blue coalition. But today we have a far greater rainbow coalition of not just black and blue but also red, yellow, orange, and brown.”

[hcallega]

1988 Republican Primaries

Following the disaster of the Iran-Contra Affair, the Republican Party's hopes for 20 consecutive years in power seemed dim. Things got even worse when Vice-President Jim Thompson announced that he would not be a candidate for the 1988 Nomination: "It's time for me to return to Illinois, a place where I can focus on my family, my health, and doing real work for real people." Thompson's exit from the race was a big one, as he was a well-respected moderate within the party. It also meant that a wide field of candidates would jump into the race.

The early front runner for the nomination was Senate Minority Leader Bob Dole of Kansas. Dole had proven to be an effective leader for the embattled party. He had a center-right voting record, and since taking over as Minority Leader in 1985 had managed to bridge the divide between the party's moderates and conservatives. Recently he had won over the support of many on the right for his staunch defense of President Reagan during the Iran-Contra trial, going as far as to call the investigation and impeachment proceedings a "witch hunt".

The other major candidate for the nomination was Representative Jack Kemp of New York. Kemp was more ideologically in tune with Reagan and conservatives than Dole was. He was a strong supporter of the President's supply-side economics, and was a staunch social conservative. However he was also a strong believer in fighting poverty, and had been called "The greatest poverty warrior of this generation" by former President Kennedy. Other candidates included former Delaware Governor Pierre du Pont, former Nevada Senator Paul Laxalt, and televangelist Pat Robertson. Robertson ran to the right of both Kemp and Dole, while du Pont ran to their left and Laxalt ran from a simmilar ideological base. However none of those three candidates were seen as electable.

The primaries were lacking much of the excitement of the Democratic one. Dole was victorious in Iowa by a large margin, severely hurting Kemp's financially starved campaign. Prior to the New Hampshire primaries Kemp was even further hurt when he responded to the question of what was the biggest problem for the GOP heading into the general election: "Well clearly it's President Reagan. He has really put us in a hole, and I know that many Republicans wish that he wasn't around." Kemp later claimed that the comment was off the record, but the damage was done. Conservatives abandoned their former leader and swarmed to Dole and Robertson. In the end, Robertson would only carry Alaska and Virginia, fighting all the way to the convention as a thorn in the socially moderate Dole's side. Dole would select former Senator Paul Laxalt as his VEEP.

1988 General Election

Two major factors decided the 1988 General Election: The economy and Iran-Contra. In terms of the economy, the boom of the 1980s was beginning to show signs of slowing. And of course Iran-Contra was a major asset to the Democrats as well. Both factors were major boosts to Bond, who many saw as more liberal than they were. However Bond also had a record of being a maverick, breaking with his party on issues where he thought they "were selling main street out for Wall Street." In fact, polls showed that Dole and Bond were dead even following the conventions. However Bond's image as the man who had taken on Reagan and a strong economic progressive played well with concerned voters. Dole's campaign also struggled to define his candidacy, and he never ran to far from Reagan. In the debate's things were even worse, as Dole failed to articulate any major differences from Reagan. In the second debate he lashed out, interrupting Bond several times and appearing as a bully. Therefore it was not too much of a shock that Bond would win a narrow yet still strong victory in the general election.

Bond/Gephardt (D) 298 EVs, 52% of the PV
Dole/Laxalt (R) 240 EVs, 46% of the PV
Paul/Fulani (L) 2% of the PV

[hcallega]

Awesome Go President Bond...I guess his status as a Boomlet(48) at the time of the election would allow him to win over a substantial number of Baby Boomer Voters. I was actually suprised he carried Arkansas and Louisana over his home state. I imagine his Presidency being much simmilar to Bush's IOTL atleast Foriegn Policy wise, with a divided congress...He may have to become much more of a moderate than he was in real life. Being a Staunch Gay Rights Advocate as he was, Bond will probably get much more funding on Aids Research and maybe Sexual Orientation rolled into the revised 1990 Civil Rights act.  Keep it comming HC

My theory was that Georgia was becoming far less of a Democratic State in 1988 than in OTL today. Also, Arkansas and Louisiana were both D-Lean at the time as it was, and Bond's race probably helped in Louisiana and Arkansas. WVA actually swung to Dole in large part because Bond was black.

[hcallega]

When did President Rockefeller die in this TL? I'm just curious. Or is he still alive?

1981, three months after leaving the White House. Massive cardiac arrest brought on attempting to exercise for the first time since entering the Oval Office.

[hcallega]

1988 Senate Elections
Entering Elections: 59 D, 41 R
Democratic Gains
-Nebraska: Bob Kerrey
-Virginia: Chuck Robb
Republican Gains
-Florida: Connie Mack III
-Mississippi: Trent Lott
-Montana: Conrad Burns
-Vermont: Jim Jeffords
Following Elections: 57 D, 43 R

Entering Elections: 242 D, 205 R
Following Elections: 239 D, 208 R

[hcallega]

The First Term of President Julian Bond

January of 1989 was a historic time to be an American. President Julian Bond represented a major victory for the Black Population of the United States. Bond's innagural address focused on appealing for unity among all parties and ideologies, while also focusing on issues unique to the African-American population: "And to my black brothers and sisters I say to you this: We are out of the shadows. We are no longer the forgotten people of America. Finally we can truly say that we are an equal part of the American quilt."

Domestic Policies: President Bond focused his first term on domestic issues. First and foremost, he wanted to create "a truly equal America." To do so, he focused greatly on several initiatives: Health care reform, urban reform, and civil rights legislation. On each issue Bond tacked hard to the left. On Health Care reform the new President endorsed a single-payer plan proposed by Representatives John Dingell of Michigan and Charlie Rangell. However the proposal ran into strong opposition from both Republicans and many moderate and conservative Democrats. This was seen as a major defeat for the new President, and his approval ratings fell in his major fight for the bill. The defeat helped energize the Republican base and delivered them a solid 1990 Midterm Election. Following that defeat, Bond chose to shift his focus to smaller issues. He shifted the government's focus back to the cities to "undo the damage of the 1980s. We saw the arrival of crack-cocaine in our cities, and we saw the departure of the federal government from the scene." Bond increased funding for urban renewal projects and along with Representative Jack Kemp fought for greater funds for Workfare. Bond's other major domestic policy achievement was in Civil Rights, where he passed two major pieces of legislation. The first was the Civil Rights Act of 1990, which reinforced the power of the federal government on issues of discrimination and shifted the burden of proof from the accuser the defendant on discrimination suits. The Equal Rights Act of 1991 was also passed. This bill labeled crimes against an individual due to sexual orientation as hate crimes, as well as doubling the amount of funding for AIDS research.

Economic Policy: President Bond reversed the direction of the Supply-Side policies of President Reagan. Firstly, he passed a budget which raised taxes on the wealthy and capital gains while maintaining them as they were for the middle class. Bond also pursued attempts to regulate many of the markets deregulated by Reagan and congress, but failed. Bond also failed to negotiate a fair-trade for the America's bill due to opposition from Mexico which saw no benefit in the plan.
 
Foreign Policy: President Bond oversaw the end of the Cold War in a very smooth fashion. Rather than shift to the left on this issue, Bond continued the precedent set by Reagan. He also oversaw Russia's shift from Communism to Democracy. When Iraq invaded Kuwait in 1990, Bond opposed a US-led counter strike, but did contribute the most troops to the international coalition. He agreed with the coalition's decision to not pursue the Iraqi army into Iraq.

1990 Senate Elections

Entering Elections: 57 D, 43 R
Democratic Gains: None
Republican Gains:
-New Jersey: Christie Todd Whitman
Following Elections: 56 D, 44 R

Entering Elections: 242 D, 205 R
Following Elections: 220 D, 225 R

[hcallega]

Democratic Senate Leader
Mike Mansfield (MT) 1961-1977
Ted Kennedy (MA) 1977-1989
Alan Cranston (CA) 1989-1991
Al Gore (TN) 1991-Present

Democratic Assistant Leader
Ted Kennedy (MA) 1969-1977
Alan Cranston (CA) 1977-1989
George Mitchell (ME) 1989-1991

Democratic Conference Chair
Mike Mansfield (MT) 1961-1977
Ted Kennedy (MA) 1977-1989
Alan Cranston (CA) 1989-1991
Al Gore (TN) 1991-Present

Democratic Conference Secretary
Robert Byrd (WV) 1967-1977
Daniel Inouye (HI) 1977-1989
David Pryor (AR) 1989-Present

Democratic Policy Committee Chairman
Mike Mansfield (MT) 1961-1977
Ted Kennedy (MA) 1977-1989
Alan Cranston (CA) 1989-1991
Al Gore (TN) 1991-Present

Republican Senate Leader
Everett Dirksen (IL) 1959-September 1969
Hugh Scott (PA) September 1969-1977
Robert Griffin (MI) 1977-1979
Ted Stevens (AK) 1979-1985
Bob Dole (KS) 1985-1989
Alan Simpson (WY) 1989-Present

Republican Assistant Senate Leader
Hugh Scott (PA) 1969
Robert Griffin (MI) 1969-1977
Ted Stevens (AK) 1977-1979
Howard Baker (TN) 1979-1985
Alan Simpson (WY) 1985-1989
Trent Lott (MS) 1989-Present

Republican Conference Chairman
Margaret Chase Smith (ME) 1967-1972
Norris Cotton (NH) 1973-1974
Carl Curtis (NE) 1975-1978
Bob Packwood (OR) 1978-1980
James McClure (ID) 1981-1984
John Chafee (RI) 1985-1990
Thad Cochran (MS) 1991-Present

Republican Conference Vice-Chair
Milton Young (ND) 1956-1971
Norris Cotton (NH) 1971-1972
Wallace Bennett (UT) 1973-1974
Robert Stafford (VT) 1976
Clifford Hansen (WY) 1977-1978
Jake Garn (UT) 1979-1985
Thad Cochran (MS) 1985-1991
Bob Katsen (WI) 1991-Present

Republican Policy Committee Chair
Gordon Allot (CO) 1969-1972
John Tower (TX) 1972-1977
Howard Baker (TN) 1977-1979
Bob Dole (KS) 1979-Present

House Leadership
Speakers of the House
John McCormack (D-MA) 1963-1971
Carl Albert (D-OK) 1971-1977
Tip O'Neill (D-MA) 1977-1987
Geraldine Ferraro (D-NY) 1987-1991
Bob Michel (IL) 1991-Present

Democratic Leader
Carl Albert (OK) 1961-1971
Hale Boggs (LA) 1971-1973
Tip O'Neill (MA) 1973-1977
John McFall (CA) 1977-1979
Phil Burton (CA) 1979-1983
Tom Foley (WA) 1983-1991

Democratic Whip
Hale Boggs (LA) 1961-1971
Tip O'Neill (MA) 1971-1973
John McFall (CA) 1973-1977
John Brademas (IN) 1977-1981
Tom Foley (WA) 1981-1983
Gillis Long (LA) 1983-1985
Toney Coelho (CA) 1985-1989
David Obey (WI) 1989-Present

Democratic Caucus Chairman
Dan Rostenkowski (IL) 1967-1971
Olin Teague (TX) 1971-1975
Phil Burton (CA) 1975-1977
Tom Foley (WA) 1977-1981
Gillis Long (LA) 1981-1983
Dick Gephardt (MO) 1983-1989
William Gray (PA) 1989
Steny Hoyer (MD) 1989-Present

Democratic Caucus Secretary
Leonor Sullivan (MO) 1959-1975
Patsy Minsk (HI) 1975-1977
Shirley Chisholm (NY) 1977-1981
Geraldine Ferraro (NY) 1981-1987
Barbara Kennelly (CT) 1987-Present

Republican Leader
Gerald Ford (MI) 1965-1981
Robert Michel (IL) 1981-1991
Dick Armey (TX) 1991-Present

Republican Whip
Leslie Arends (IL) 1943-1975
Bob Michel (IL) 1975-1981
Trent Lott (MI) 1981-1989
Dick Cheney (WY) 1989-Present

Republican Conference Chairman
John Anderson (IL) 1969-1979
Samuel Devine (OH) 1979-1981
Jack Kemp (NY) 1981-1987
Dick Cheney (WY) 1987-1989
Jerry Lewis (CA) 1989-Present

Republican Vice-Chairman
Jack Edwards (AL) 1979-1985
Lynn Morley Martin (IL) 1985-1989
Bill McCollum (FL) 1989-Present

Republican Conference Secretary
Jack Edwards (AL) 1975-1979
Clair Burgenger (CA) 1979-1985
Robert Lagomarsino (CA) 1985-1989
Vin Weber (MN) 1989-Present

[hcallega]

1992 GOP Nomination

   With the stinging defeat of 1988 still fresh on their minds, the Republican Party was eager to nominate a strong candidate in 1992. The early favorite for the nomination was Senator Bob Dole of Kansas, the 1988 nominee. However Dole decided to bow out of the race before it even started, instead choosing to focus on his work in the Senate. Following Dole’s absence, the field became instantly wide open. Former Tennessee Governor Lamar Alexander jumped into the race first, preaching a pragmatic conservatism with populist undertones. Following Alexander were a slew of candidates with limited name-recognition but a long list of accomplishments: Senator Dick Lugar of Indiana, Governor John Engler of Michigan, Senator Nancy Kassenbaum of Kansas, and Senator Christie Todd Whitman of New Jersey. However none of these candidates jumped out as serious contenders. Instead, it would be the announcements of two major figures of the 1980s that would change the 1992 race.
   
   Representative Jack Kemp of New York was a legitimate conservative, but was often attacked by the far-right as being too much of a poverty warrior and opponent of small-government. However Kemp was quite popular with moderates and many Democrats on Capital Hill. Kemp was joined at the frontrunner’s table by former Secretary of State Jim Baker. Baker was a close aide to former President Ronald Reagan and was a favorite with conservative insiders. Polls showed that he narrowly trailed Kemp nationwide. However polls in Iowa showed him at a considerable disadvantage to Kemp and Kassenbaum. When the polls closed, Baker would narrowly take second place with Kemp winning and Kassenbaum in third. In New Hampshire Kemp would once again finish on top, beating Whitman. Kemp would cruise to the nomination, loosing only the occasional primary to a regional favorite. At the convention, Kemp would select former Senator Gordon Humphrey of New Hampshire as his VEEP.

1992 General Election

   The 1992 race for the White House was anything if not chaotic. President Bond survived a primary challenge from conservative Democratic Senator Phil Gramm of Texas, and many in his party were none to fond of his liberal policies. However the GOP was also fragmented. Angered at the so-called “conservative-lite” ticket, Republican Consultant and media personality Pat Buchanan ran as an independent with Alan Keyes. This ticket was not particularly strong in the polls, but hounded Kemp at every step of the campaign. This helped Bond to distance himself from “the chaos on the right” and solidify himself. Running less on the issues and more on personality, Bond was able to appear more “presidential” than Kemp. He chose an aggressive “Truman-esque” strategy for his campaign. Following the convention polls showed Bond down by as much as 9%. But with an effective campaign and Kemp’s weak campaigning, heading into the debates the polls were within the margin of error. Here Bond would shine, attacking Kemp for an “inconsistent message, voting record, and just about everything else!” Kemp would fail to articulate a clear plan for the country, and did not emphasis minor recession enough. Bond was quick to puff himself up over the end of the Cold War, and came out of the debates the big winner. In fact, heading into Election Day some polls showed him with the lead. His eventual victory was shocking and compared to Truman’s in 1948.

Bond/Gephardt (D)   308 EVs 48% of the PV
Kemp/Humphrey (R) 230 EVs 46% of the PV
Buchanan/Keyes (I) 6% of the PV

1992 Senate Elections
Entering Elections: 56 D, 44 R
Democratic Gains
-California: Diane Feinstein
Republican Gains
-California: Bruce Herchershorn
-Georgia: Paul Coverdell
-North Carolina: Lauch Faircloth
Following Elections: 54 D, 46 R

House Elections
Entering Elections: 225 R, 220 D
Following Elections: 232 R, 213 D

[hcallega]

The Second Term of President Julian Bond

Coming off of an extremely narrow reelection, President Bond was forced to deal with an entirely new slew of issues. The economy was in a mild recession, and any hope of a decent midterm election season would be squashed if it didn't rebound. To make matters worse, Republican leadership in the House made it clear that no compromises would be made on key legislation: "President Bond showed complete disregard for us in his first term. We would appreciate some more civility, but expect little." (Speaker Michel).

Domestic Policy: President Bond didn't have the political capital to embark on an aggressive domestic agenda the same way that he had in his first term. Rather, his second term was focused on pursuing "small steps to accomplish big things." His only major partisan accomplishment was the 1994 Crime Bill which restricted the ability to purchase assault weapons and increased officer pay. However several more bipartisan measures were passed by congress. Immigration reform was tackled in a bipartisan factor by Senators Mo Udall of Arizona and Peter Domenici of New Mexico. The Immigration Reform Act of 1993 contained provisions for a pathway to citizenship, a guest-worker program, and strengthened border control. However the House passed a far more conservative bill without a pathway or guest worker program that focused on strengthening border security and making it more difficult for illegals to be exploited within the US. In conference, the final bill included no guest worker program, but did include several aspects of the pathway. It was signed into law by President Bond who remarked "This bill isn't anywhere near perfect, but it's a start." Finally, congress tackled the health care issue, but not through government expansion. Rather the Gramm Bill of 1993 created Medical Savings Accounts and a slew of tax cuts. Receiving bipartisian support, President Bond signed it into law.

Foreign Policy: President Bond increased humanitarian funding and support for the UN. He would also deploy troops to Somalia to help protect medical supplies being distributed. This ended up being a dangerous mission, as several US soldiers were killed over the several weeks that they were deployed. Bond also offered economic assistance and increased trade to the former Soviet republics.

Economic Policy: Bond passed a stimulus package in 1993 as one of the first measures of his presidency. The measure included large increases in public works funds and was considered by many a "Jobs Bill". He would also pass a deficit reduction bill in 1994 that did not include tax cuts but was passed with the support of enough moderate Republicans for it to be passed.

Overall, Bond's term was considered decent, but not spectacular. He was seen as very divisive, but also very positive and upbeat. While he oversaw an expansion of government and services, he also made an effort to cut the deficit and real back the Cold War era military.

 

1994 Midterm Elections

Entering Election: 54 D, 46 R
Republican Gains
-Arizona: Jon Kyl
-California: Michael Huffington
-Maine: Olympia Snowe
-New Jersey: Chuck Haytaian
-Ohio: Mike DeWine
-Oklahoma: James Inhofe
-Pennsylvania: Rick Santorum
-Virginia: Oliver North
Following Election: 54 R, 46 D

House Elections
Entering Elections: 232 R, 213 D
Following Elections: 262 R, 183 D

[hcallega]

1996 Presidential Election

Following the controversial Presidency of Julian Bond, many in America hoped for a "return to normalcy". First there had been Iran-Contra, then a recession, and then the controversial and independent minded President Bond. Therefore, when the campaign for the White House began in 1996, both sides attempted to portray themselves as middle of the road centrists.

Democratic Nomination: The rode to the Democratic Party's nomination in 1996 was somewhat less clouded than expected. Many in the party initially had worried that a whole slew of candidates would jump at the chance to follow in Bond's footsteps, but the reality was that very few were willing to take the jump. Potential frontrunners Mario Cuomo and Ann Richards both declined to run, Setting up a unique situation. However Majority Leader Gore was quick to pull the trigger and jump into the race. He resigned from his position late in 1995 to begin a full on campaign. Joining him was former Senator Bill Bradley, Senators Bob Kerrey, Tom Harkin, and Jay Rockefeller. Surprisingly, no black candidates ran in a race to succeed the first black president. The prominent Virginia Governor Doug Wilder was seen as a potentially strong candidate, but had burnt many of his bridges after running as an independent in the 1994 Virginia Senate race. His presence was seen as a major factor in incumbent Democrat Chuck Robb. He chose not to run instead.
The primary season was not particularly exciting compared to what some would have thought. Harkin essentially ran unopposed in the Iowa caucuses, but it was Gore who was victorious over Bradley in a close New Hampshire result. From that point on it was clear that Gore would be the nominee, and he essentially swept the rest of the primaries. At the nomination he announced that now there would be “A New Democratic Party that future generations can look to and be truly proud of”. Gore would select former Pennsylvania Senator Harris Wofford (an Honorary Kennedy and ally of labor) as his Vice-Presidential nominee.
Republican Nomination: The battle for the Republican nomination was quite fierce. The first candidate to declare his candidacy was conservative activist Pat Buchanan. He was soon followed by Christian Conservative Alan Keyes. This symbolized a return to the mold by two paleo-conservatives to the GOP. However neither candidates were seen as electable. They were followed by Senators Richard Lugar of Indiana and Orrin Hatch of Utah. Both were principled conservatives who were popular with moderates and independents. Finally, Senators Christie Todd Whitman of New Jersey and Oliver North of Virginia joined the race. This eccentric field was as very diverse and there was no obvious frontrunner. Lugar would prevail in Iowa but would be defeated in New Hampshire by Hatch. The race would go back and forth from there on out, with Hatch finally prevailing. He would select Whitman as his VEEP. This center-right ticket would lead to much anger from the paleo-conservative wing of the party, and Governor Pete Wilson of California and Ross Perot of Texas would form an independent ticket to challenge them.
General Election: With yet another three horse field, polls showed that Gore had a narrow lead. He successfully distanced himself from Bond by supporting NAFTA, opposing abortion, and supporting school prayer. He drew the support of many traditionally liberal groups as well as moderate organizations. Hatch on the other hand had trouble wooing conservatives who saw his inquisitive role in the Senate as a negative. They also saw Wilson as a potentially stronger force for Republicans. However most would end up breaking for Hatch, but late in the race. The debates also helped Hatch to close the gap, as he showed a solid knowledge of the issues whereas Gore at times appeared to be at a loss. However when the polls closed it would once again be a Democrat who was sitting in the Oval Office, as Wilson’s presence would prevent Hatch from winning in several states.

Gore/Wofford (D)   302 EVs   48% of the PV
Hatch/Whitman (R)   232 EVs   44% of the PV
Wilson/Perot (I)   8% of the PV

[hcallega]

Hmm, Can't say I saw Gore and the Dem's winning the White House for another term...Why didn't Vice President Gephardt run? This ALT Gore Presidency should be incredibly differnt then one we might have seen in January '01 as he largely remained the Moderate-to Conservative record of his Senate Years. I think former Republican Vice Presidential Nominee Christine Todd Whitman is a lock for 2000...Keep it comming

Gephardt did not run due to the relative unpopularity of Bond and his administration. Gore's victory is one of the bigger upsets in this TL, and many Republicans blame Hatch for running a bad campaign. Either way, without Wilson Gore dosen't win.

[hcallega]

The First Term of President Al Gore

This wasn't supposed to have happened. Al Gore, the Senate's respected Majority Leader, was now standing in front of the building where he and his father had proudly served. Both men were there today as well. The Republicans in the audience looked especially angry. 1996 was supposed to be there year. Every "generic" poll showed a united GOP front winning, and winning big. But of course that was not the case. Pete Wilson had ruined that. He wasn't in Washington that day, avoiding the pomp and circumstance that he had so often derided on the trail. However Orrin Hatch was. This was supposed to be his day. He was nominated in large part as a gift. He had served a long and esteemed senate career, and the party was rewarding him with the White House. But that hadn't happened.

But the liberal Democrats in the audience were also a bit off. The look on outgoing President Bond's face explained it all: This was the man who consistently slowed down all my legislation. He wanted to compromise with the right and take the heart out of every thing an inch to the left. Damn it...Why is he here! In fact the only seemingly upbeat liberal was former President Kennedy, seated with the new President's father. While not too ideologically similar, both men shared an old-fashioned respect for one another. In fact, Kennedy had come extremely close to selecting Gore as his Vice-Presidential nominee in 1968. His staff had been divided between choosing Gore or George Smathers. But it had been the always independent minded Bobby who had gone with Yarborough. Nonetheless, for the Democratic Party they were seeing their first non-liberal innagurated President since the New Deal, at the very least. Columnist Paul Krugman would write "The Party's in for a shock. For the first time since Woodrow Wilson there's a man in the White House with a D next to his name who's not indebted to labor, minorities, or farmers. He's indebted to the middle class, the suburbanites who liked his green politics, his middle of the road economic policies, and his law and order approach to inner-city crime. It's gonna be quite a ride."

Domestic Policy: In President Gore's address to congress in 1997, he would state that he had three primary goals for first term: "One: balance the budget so that our grandchildren will be able to keep on living the American Dream. Two: enact pro-middle class policies on all fronts, so that the heart of America keeps on beating strong. And three: clean up Washington so that the American people no longer look at this great building, this great city, as a place of concentrated waste." Gore's plans were by no means liberal, and were very much aimed at creating a bi-partisan consensus. He easily passed his pro-Middle Class policies, including tax cuts for individuals and small businesses. He also got through several lobbying and ethics reforms without any serious opposition. However achieving a balanced budget was a little bit more difficult. Democrats opposed cutting entitlement programs and Republicans opposed cutting defense spending. However, with Representative Joe Kennedy III (D-MA) and Senator John McCain (R-AZ), Gore was able to craft an effective plan that balanced the budget by 2000 successfully. Other important domestic issues for President Gore were the passing of a comprehensive crime bill that expanded the use of the death penalty and the Kyoto Treaty, which President Gore fought hard for but still was not ratified by the Senate.

Foreign Policy: Following the end of the Cold War, there was far less action on the foreign policy front. However the genocide in former Yugoslavia became President Gore's number one focus. Fighting hard against congressional Republican opposition, President Gore sent US troops to the region to end the genocide and overthrow Serbian President Slobodan Milosevic. After just under a year of fighting, US troops were sucessfull. General Wesley Clark gave much of the credit to President Gore for "taking a risk that saved thousands of lives. I honestly believe that without us there would be no end to the genocide." Serbs in the United States would be critical of Gore for not taking a hard line against Croatia, a nation that also committed genocide and counter-genocide. Gore would also step up anti-terror funding in his first term.

Economic Policy: Gore would push for a strongly neo-liberal economic policy as President. In 1997 he signed NAFTA into creation after passing narrowly through congress. This trade agreement angered unions, and was seen as hurting the Democrats in the 1998 midterm elections. Gore would also push for large scale deregulation successfully. In fact, columnist Paul Krugman would call Gore "the most sucessfull deregulator of business in US history. Reagan gets a lot of credit from business, but didn't get much accomplished against the heavily Democratic congress. Gore didn't have that problem, and he will reap the rewards in 2000." Gore would also oppose the Employee Free Choice Act from coming up to a vote in any year of congress. In his memoirs he would recall "I supported the essence of the bill. But I didn't want to see our party divide over it. I'm no martyr, but I figured that I might as well be the only Democrat to take the bullet, and not have my old friends in the Senate pay the price in their reelection bids."

[hcallega]

1996 Congressional Elections

Senate Elections
Entering Elections: 54 R, 46 D
Republican Gains
-Georgia: Guy Millner
-Louisiana: Woody Jenkins
-Massachusetts: William Weld
-Nebraska: Chuck Hagel
Democratic Gains
-South Dakota: Tim Johnson
Following Elections: 57 R, 43 D

House Elections
Entering Elections: 262 R, 183 D
Following Elections: 265 R, 180 D

1998 Congressional Elections

Senate Elections
Entering Elections: 57 R, 43 D
Democratic Gains
-California: Vic Fazio
-Indiana: Evan Bayh
-North Carolina: John Edwards
Republican Gains
-Illinois: Peter Fitzgerald
-Nevada: John Ensign
-Ohio: George Voinovich
Following Elections: 57 R, 43 D

House Elections
Entering Elections: 265 R, 180 D
Following Elections: 255 R, 190 D

[hcallega]

Hmm...It's seems like old Al's having a pretty successfull Presidency but I think he is running against the 12 year rule and Democratic Fatigue(The American Peole have never really stuck with the Dems once times got good but IDK) and I think if he runs against another Moderate...One with their own History making Ramification cough "Christie Whitman" cough he could narrowly loose it especially if the Liberal Wing runs a strong candidate cough "Ralph Nader" cough(Imagine how much it would suck to have a Bush V. Gore Scenario but with Gore as the loosing Incumbent President...Ouch lol)...Keep it comming HC

It's funny because Gore has painted himself (as Michael Moore has said in this TL) as "anything but a Democrat". The only really liberal thing he did was advocate for Kyoto, and that failed. Expect an exciting race!

P.S.: Historico, you are by far the best at predicting my next move, at least to a certain extent lol

[hcallega]

2000 Presidential Election

It had been a solid first term for President Al Gore. The economy was riding it's greatest period of growth since the 1980s, there was a rare budget surplus, and US troops had successfully removed a genocidal dictator from power. President Gore's approval ratings were strong, ranging from 55-60% depending on the source. But not all was well in the Democratic Party. When things get good, people get greedy. This was arguably the case in 2000. The left was frustrated. Outside of environmental issues, Gore had abandon the party base. He had signed welfare reform and a ban of partial-birth abortions into law. He had negotiated NAFTA and had opposed the Employee Free Choice Act. And while he had always maintained that "working families come first", he had done little in terms of policy to back that up.

In searching for an opposition candidate, the left had a great deal of trouble. Labor looked to former Vice-President Dick Gephardt, now a lobbyist for GM. However any interest that Gephardt had in running was eliminated by polls showing that he matched up poorly against Gore. Many in the grassroots left also opposed him, due to his ties to big business. Next in line was Senator Bob Kerrey. Kerrey was by no means a liberal, but his ties to reform minded movements made him a popular alternative for some. However Kerrey had no interest in running for President, and quickly rejected any rumors of a candidacy. Finally the left was forced to rally behind actor and director Warren Beatty. Beatty was a strong progressive with political ties going as far back as Eugene McCarthy. While not a politician, he still pursued an eager campaign, aggressively attacking Gore for his "faux-liberal views". However Beatty had trouble connecting with voters, and a vigorous effort by ex-Presidents Bond and Kennedy helped to propel Gore to wide victories in Iowa and New Hampshire. Following those two defeats, Beatty would withdraw.

On the Republican side, things were a little more complicated. VP nominee Christine Todd Whitman of New Jersey was the first candidate to jump into the race. Polls showed her out front, as many moderates admired her spunk and blunt style. Next to join the race was former Indiana Senator Dan Quayle. Quayle was a staunch conservative, and despite a less than stellar way with words jumped into a dead heat with Whitman. The conservative base did not want to see another centrist ticket, and many saw Whitman as too similar to Gore to win. Things got even worse for Whitman when Massachusetts Senator William Weld joined the race. Weld was slightly to the left of Whitman, and immediately cut her support in half. All of a sudden the possibility of Dan Quayle at the top of the Republican ticket became very real indeed. To counter this threat, two center-right candidates joined the race. The first was former Governor Lamar Alexander of Tennessee. Alexander was by no means a staunch conservative. He had supported many of Gore's policies and was open about it: "The President has done a lot of good. But much of what he's done has been to the right of center. I will tell you all this right now. If President Gore is reelected he will push to the left as hard as he can, and there will be nothing we can do to stop it." Alexander faired poorly in the polls however, as he lacked the charisma needed to win. The last major candidate to join the race was Senator John McCain of Arizona. McCain had aligned himself with Gore on a slew of issues, but unlike Alexander he didn't see it as a matter of Gore being center-right: "I am proud to say that I supported NAFTA, the President's Middle Class plan, and the war in Yugoslavia. It's not a matter of left or right, it's a matter of what's right. I can't tell you what President Gore will do next year, or even what he will do tomorrow. But I can tell you that I will always do what I believe is right." McCain would jump ahead in the polls, but he would fall in Iowa to Quayle. However he would narrowly defeat Weld in New Hampshire, and from then on out he would be the frontrunner. At the convention, McCain would select South Carolina Governor Carroll Campbell as his VEEP, uniting a center-right themed ticket.

The pending Gore-McCain match up was a showdown between two moderates. Polls showed a slight lead for Gore, due in large part to the economic prosperity of the time. But the left was still angry. They saw Gore as to accomadating to the right, and McCain as too conservative on issues such as labor and "values" to support. Instead, many would turn their support over to the Green Party and their nominee, Ralph Nader. Nader was a consumer protection lawyer who had taken strongly leftist stances all his life. Nader had always had at least some presence in the polls, starting with about 2-4%. But in September one thing would make Nader a major force and change the entire dynamic of the race. Throughout the spring and summer, Gore had positioned himself as a centrist. He believed that he could afford to take middle of the road stances because there was no viable alternative for the left. Beatty had been vanquished and now the progressives would have to deal with it. Most had, with NOW and the AFL-CIO quick to endorse Gore. But one group had consistently been a thorn in Gore's side. The UAW, led by President Stephen Yokich, refused to endorse Gore unless he provided "sufficient evidence that he would support pro-worker policies and fair trade agreements internationally." In September, lacking this evidence and receiving a "cold shoulder" from the Gore campaign, Yokich and the UAW endorsed Nader. Following this announcement, Robert Kennedy Jr. also endorsed the fellow consumer advocate. Yokich and Kennedy would go on to campaign with Nader for the remainder of the campaign. This would lead to a major boost for Nader at the polls. More bad news for Gore followed, when the Teamsters Union endorsed McCain.

The debates would prove to unspectacular and indecisive. Neither candidate did particularly well or particularly bad, and the general consensus was that the polls were not affected. Nader was not allowed to participate, despite his double digit standing in the polls. This actually helped him, as his outsider image was reinforced. Going into election day, it was anyones guess who would prevail.

McCain/Campbell (R) 46%, 292
Gore/Wofford (D) 45%, 246
Nader/LaDuke (G) 8%

[hcallega]

P.S.
Top two Nader  states
-Alaska: 20% of the PV (exceeding Gore for 2nd Place)
-Vermont: 14% of the PV (made it actually one of the closer states)

[hcallega]

2000 Congressional Elections

Entering Elections: 58 R, 42 D
Democratic Gains
-Delaware: Tom Carper
-Florida: Bill Nelson
-Michigan: Debbie Stabenow
-Minnesota: Mark Dayton
-Missouri: Mel Carnahan
-Montana: Brian Schweitzer
-Washington: Maria Cantwell
Republican Gains
-Nevada: Jim Gibbons
Following Elections: 52 R, 48 D

House Elections
Entering Elections: 255 R, 190 D
Following Elections: 244 R, 201 D

[hcallega]

House Leadership

House Leadership
Speakers of the House
John McCormack (D-MA) 1963-1971
Carl Albert (D-OK) 1971-1977
Tip O'Neill (D-MA) 1977-1987
Geraldine Ferraro (D-NY) 1987-1991
Bob Michel (IL) 1991-1995
Dick Armey (TX) 1995-Present

Democratic Leader
Carl Albert (OK) 1961-1971
Hale Boggs (LA) 1971-1973
Tip O'Neill (MA) 1973-1977
John McFall (CA) 1977-1979
Phil Burton (CA) 1979-1983
Tom Foley (WA) 1983-1997
John Lewis (GA) 1997-Present

Democratic Whip
Hale Boggs (LA) 1961-1971
Tip O'Neill (MA) 1971-1973
John McFall (CA) 1973-1977
John Brademas (IN) 1977-1981
Tom Foley (WA) 1981-1983
Gillis Long (LA) 1983-1985
Toney Coelho (CA) 1985-1989
David Obey (WI) 1989-1994
John Lewis (GA) 1994-1997
David Bonior (MI) 1997-Present

Democratic Caucus Chairman
Dan Rostenkowski (IL) 1967-1971
Olin Teague (TX) 1971-1975
Phil Burton (CA) 1975-1977
Tom Foley (WA) 1977-1981
Gillis Long (LA) 1981-1983
Dick Gephardt (MO) 1983-1989
William Gray (PA) 1989
Steny Hoyer (MD) 1989-1995
Vic Fazio (CA) 1995-1999
Martin Frost (TX) 1999-Present

Democratic Caucus Secretary/Vice-Chair
Leonor Sullivan (MO) 1959-1975
Patsy Minsk (HI) 1975-1977
Shirley Chisholm (NY) 1977-1981
Geraldine Ferraro (NY) 1981-1987
Mary Rose Oakar (OH) 1987-1995
Barbara Kennelly (CT) 1995-1999
Bob Menendez (NJ) 1999-Present

Republican Leader
Gerald Ford (MI) 1965-1981
Robert Michel (IL) 1981-1991
Dick Armey (TX) 1991-1995
Dick Cheney (WY) 1995-2001
Tom DeLay (TX) 2001-Present

Republican Whip
Leslie Arends (IL) 1943-1975
Bob Michel (IL) 1975-1981
Trent Lott (MI) 1981-1989
Dick Cheney (WY) 1989-1995
Newt Gingrich (GA) 1995-2001
John Boehner (OH) 2001-Present

Republican Conference Chairman
John Anderson (IL) 1969-1979
Samuel Devine (OH) 1979-1981
Jack Kemp (NY) 1981-1987
Dick Cheney (WY) 1987-1989
Jerry Lewis (CA) 1989-1993
John Boehner (OH) 1993-1999
J.C. Watts (OK) 1999-Present

Republican Vice-Chairman
Jack Edwards (AL) 1979-1985
Lynn Morley Martin (IL) 1985-1989
Bill McCollum (FL) 1989-1995
Susan Molinari (NY) 1995-1997
Jennifer Dunn (WA) 1997-1999
Tillie Fowler (FL) 1999-2001
Deborah Pryce (OH) 2001-Present

Republican Conference Secretary
Jack Edwards (AL) 1975-1979
Clair Burgenger (CA) 1979-1985
Robert Lagomarsino (CA) 1985-1989
Vin Weber (MN) 1989-1993
Tom DeLay (TX) 1993-1995
Barbara Vucanovich (NV) 1995-1997
Tillie Fowler (FL) 1997-1999
Deborah Pryce (OH) 1999-2001
Barbara Cubin (WY) 2001-Present

[hcallega]

Senate Leadership

Democratic Senate Leader
Mike Mansfield (MT) 1961-1977
Ted Kennedy (MA) 1977-1989
Alan Cranston (CA) 1989-1991
Al Gore (TN) 1991-1997
Chris Dodd (CT) 1997-Present

Democratic Assistant Leader
Ted Kennedy (MA) 1969-1977
Alan Cranston (CA) 1977-1989
George Mitchell (ME) 1989-1995
Wendell Ford (KY) 1995-1999
Jeff Bingaman (NM) 1999-Present

Democratic Conference Chair
Mike Mansfield (MT) 1961-1977
Ted Kennedy (MA) 1977-1989
Alan Cranston (CA) 1989-1991
Al Gore (TN) 1991-1997
Chris Dodd (CT) 1997-Present

Democratic Conference Secretary
Robert Byrd (WV) 1967-1977
Daniel Inouye (HI) 1977-1989
David Pryor (AR) 1989-1995
Barbara Mikulski (MD) 1995-Present

Democratic Policy Committee Chairman
Mike Mansfield (MT) 1961-1977
Ted Kennedy (MA) 1977-1989
Alan Cranston (CA) 1989-1991
Al Gore (TN) 1991-1997
Byron Dorgan (ND) 1997-Present

Republican Senate Leader
Everett Dirksen (IL) 1959-September 1969
Hugh Scott (PA) September 1969-1977
Robert Griffin (MI) 1977-1979
Ted Stevens (AK) 1979-1985
Bob Dole (KS) 1985-1989
Alan Simpson (WY) 1989-1997
Trent Lott (MI) 1997-Present

Republican Assistant Senate Leader
Hugh Scott (PA) 1969
Robert Griffin (MI) 1969-1977
Ted Stevens (AK) 1977-1979
Howard Baker (TN) 1979-1985
Alan Simpson (WY) 1985-1989
Trent Lott (MS) 1989-1993
Don Nickles (OK) 1993-Present

Republican Conference Chairman
Margaret Chase Smith (ME) 1967-1972
Norris Cotton (NH) 1973-1974
Carl Curtis (NE) 1975-1978
Bob Packwood (OR) 1978-1980
James McClure (ID) 1981-1984
John Chafee (RI) 1985-1990
Thad Cochran (MS) 1991-1996
Connie Mack III (FL) 1997-2001
Rick Santorum (PA) 2001-Present

Republican Conference Vice-Chair
Milton Young (ND) 1956-1971
Norris Cotton (NH) 1971-1972
Wallace Bennett (UT) 1973-1974
Robert Stafford (VT) 1976
Clifford Hansen (WY) 1977-1978
Jake Garn (UT) 1979-1985
Thad Cochran (MS) 1985-1991
Bob Katsen (WI) 1991-1993
Trent Lott (MI) 1993-1995
Connie Mack (FL) 1995-1997
Paul Coverdell (GA) 1997-2000
Kay Bailey Hutchinson (TX) 2000-Present

Republican Policy Committee Chair
Gordon Allot (CO) 1969-1972
John Tower (TX) 1972-1977
Howard Baker (TN) 1977-1979
Bob Dole (KS) 1979-Present