True Justice: Gantt beats Helms in 1990!

[Communists For McCain]

November 6th, 1990: In one of the biggest upsets in US Senatorial election history, former Charlotte Mayor and architect, Democratic Senate nominee Harvey Gantt defeats incumbent Republican Senator Jesse Helms with 50.65% of the popular vote. Political commentators and newsmen around the nation have called this the "Upset of the Century". As a result Harvey Gantt will become the first ever African American US Senator from North Carolina and the first one from the Old South to be elected via popular vote.


Gantt addressing jubilant supporters at his victory party on November 4th, 1990

Although he lost, Jesse Helms would refuse to give a concession speech to what he called "an abomination of the democratic process".


Incumbent Senator Jesse Helms (R) of North Carolina, who would lose by one percentage point to Harvey Gantt.

More to come.

[Proud Lieberal from Northeast]

GOOD RIDDANCE!

[Sewer]

GOOD RIDDANCE!

[N.i.K.]

GOOD RIDDANCE!

[Communists For McCain]

In the days following the election of Harvey Gantt as the new US Senator from North Carolina, many prominent liberals would praise his victory, in particular US Senator Edward M. Kennedy of Massachusetts (who was part of a late attack ad by Helms against Gantt on Affirmative Action), who would call Gantt's victory over Jesse Helms

the definition of "True Justice"

United States Senator Ted Kennedy of Massachusetts, one of the biggest supporters and praisers of Harvey Gantt

Jesse Helms would decry this loss as "a big rallying cry for cultural marxism and the continued war against the rights of the White Man".

Even some notable Republicans would voice enthusiasm for the victory of Harvey Gantt over Jesse Helms, notably Jim Jeffords of Vermont, John Chafee of Rhode Island, and William Cohen of Maine among the most vocal. In fact, as California Senator Alan Cranston put it

not a whimper, not a stir was to be heard from the northern Republicans

US Senator Alan Cranston of California

in regards to the defeat of Jesse Helms. The always whimsical Representative Morris Udall would quip

......so here we have it, the means to which the US Congress will finally find bipartisanship: By getting rid of Jesse Helms. Compared to us the people of North Carolina can now claim to be intellectual Einsteins for their contribution to the United States of America.

The ever whimsical Representative Mo Udall of Arizona.

There were a few on the Republican side who voiced sadness that Helms was gone, most notably Oklahoma Representative James Inhofe, who said this:

The Senate has lost it's biggest fighter for the preservation of christian culture in America and now we are headed to the end of days where American freedoms shall face it's biggest threat at the hand of the gays.

US Representative James Inhofe of Oklahoma

Or how about his former colleague Senator Strom Thurmond?:

It is very sad to see a fellow long time freedom fighter leave this great hall, as he had the best singing voice for Ole Dixie. And he made a very killer..........(falls asleep)

Old as hell US Senator Strom THurmond of South Carolina

and finally, a surprise appearance by Klansman and Louisiana House of Representatives member David Duke!

The greatest fighter for the preservation of our almighty Anglo-Saxon culture has been booted out by the forces of cultural marxism and integration. God be with us through these dark times.

Louisiana House of Representative Member David Duke

More to come!

[Communists For McCain]

Oh I can tell you guys will love this one!

I figure I create this one to balance out the almighty "this totally sucks" atmosphere of my Great Depression timeline.

[hcallega]

Oh I can tell you guys will love this one!

I figure I create this one to balance out the almighty "this totally sucks" atmosphere of my Great Depression timeline.

This is just a great TL!!!!! Makes me giggle.

[Communists For McCain]

But perhaps the most ecstatic of those celebrating were the Democratic base. Fearing that 1990 would be a heavy incumbent year with no changes whatsoever, the Democrats won the only two races where an incumbent party was defeated: popular professor and liberal community organizer Paul Wellstone of Minnesota defeated incumbent Independent Republican Senator Rudy Boschwitz and now the "landmark victory" of liberal African American Harvey Gantt over the far right very arguably racist Jesse Helms. It seemed as if though the popularity of President Bush and the Reagan Legacy were not near enough to stop the oncoming Gantt victory in North Carolina.


An enthusiastic Harvey Gantt supporter.
(I had to put this in here somewhere)

[Proud Lieberal from Northeast]

WHAT THE FUCK IS THIS???

[Historico]

Awesome, I guess were going to have to stick around to see what happens with Gantt's careear because I do feel like your setting him up for the Presidency. Clinton may decide to go with his pick, to balance out the ticket better against the forever dull Al Gore. Can't wait to see what's happnes next...Keep it comming

[Communists For McCain]

Awesome, I guess were going to have to stick around to see what happens with Gantt's careear because I do feel like your setting him up for the Presidency. Clinton may decide to go with his pick, to balance out the ticket better against the forever dull Al Gore. Can't wait to see what's happnes next...Keep it comming

I think you'll be surprised at what I come up with for Gantt

[Proud Lieberal from Northeast]

I think you'll be surprised at what I come up with for Gantt

DON'T KILL HIM!!!!

[Alexander Hamilton]

FYI my parents met at Helms' 1990 victory party. SO without that I wouldn't exist. Thanks Mechadouche.

[Proud Lieberal from Northeast]

FYI my parents met at Helms' 1990 victory party. SO without that I wouldn't exist. Thanks Mechadouche.

A DOUCHE PICTURED BELOW IS RESPONSIBLE FOR RECENT SPAMMING SPREE IN ATLAS:

[Proud Lieberal from Northeast]

Ok, since we aready know Jesse is defeated and Hamilton is never born, what's next?

[Communists For McCain]

Ok, since we aready know Jesse is defeated and Hamilton is never born, what's next?

Party!

[Proud Lieberal from Northeast]

Ok, since we aready know Jesse is defeated and Hamilton is never born, what's next?

Party!

Both reasons are good

[Communists For McCain]

January 3rd, 1991: What is usually an exciting day is pretty uneventful as only two new Senators, both Democrats, are sworn into the 102nd US Congress: Paul Wellstone and Harvey Gantt.

Harvey Gantt approaches Vice President Dan Quayle, who was administrating the swearing in process, with his wife Lucinda Brawley Gantt carrying his family's bible dating back to the Reconstruction era (in other words pretty big).

Vice President Dan Quayle: Harvey Gantt, please repeat the Oath of Office after me:

I, Harvey Gantt, do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; and that I will well and faithfully discharge the duties of the office on which I am about to enter. So help me God.

Lucinda, witnessing this historic moment, couldn't help but cry as her husband, the first popularly elected African American Senator from the Deep South, was sworn in a president. For a state as abrasive as North Carolina in it's elected officials, it was quite a breath of fresh air.

And so began the federal career of US Senator Harvey Gantt of North Carolina.


US Senate elect Harvey Gantt (D) of North Carolina

[Communists For McCain]

The People's Senator:

Despite proudly adopting the "liberal" label, Senator Gantt became more known as the "People's Senator" in his first year as Senator due to the fact that occasionally he would travel back to North Carolina, take a statewide trip asking the people what they wanted the most from their US Senator. Many people would compare this style to fellow Democratic Senator Bill Bradley, who used to walk around the shores of some of New Jersey's coastal areas to get a feel for his electorate.
Using this method Gantt tried to find a common ground between the conservative beliefs of a majority of his state and his own liberal beliefs. For this reason he became known as "Mr. Pragmatism".
This first taste of his pragmatic style came when the vote came for authorizing US military intervention in the Gulf War. He would vote with the majority, bringing the vote to 53-46 for US involvement in the Kuwait crisis. Gantt voiced that "with UN approval for intervention, there must be a rational for force" and that "Hussein's regime has been charged with violations of human rights abuse, this must be stopped." His pro-interventionist views on humanitarian crises would make him popular among the then infant neoconservative movement and give him a popularity boost in his homestate.
In his first year Harvey Gantt would take his part in Senate history by creating the Gantt-Kennedy Affirmative Action Bill of 1991, that he and Massachusetts Senator Edward Kennedy coauthored that would have 11 consponsors: Senators Jim Jeffords (R-VT), John Chafee (R-RI), Ernest Hollings (D-SC), Bill Bradley (D-NJ), Paul Wellstone (DFL-MN), Robert Byrd (D-WV), Herb Kohl (D-WI), John Kerry (D-MA), Mark Hatfield (R-OR), William Cohen (R-ME), Tom Harkin (D-IA). Gantt would admit that he wanted to get as many Republicans to cosponsor the bill in order as a way to promote bipartisanship. The bill was as follows:

Affirmative Action, while being in the past being based on ethnic minorities, shall be determined by financial status fo those who apply. The war of inequality should stop focusing on addressing race divisions and instead focus on what causes those divisions in the first place: poverty.

The Bill would pass 58-42. Many Senators from both sides of the aisle would praise this act as concerns of Affirmative Action being abused and not reaching those who truly needed it was becoming widespread. It also helped dispell the idea that Gantt was racist in his homestate as he saw this issue as a means by which to help ease poverty in his homestate. Many conservatives, however would call it an "underhanded attempt of liberal Democrats to propagate their welfare values on America".

Another vital vote he helped pass through was the Civil Rights Act of 1991, legislation that was passed in response to a series of Supreme Court rulings that limited the rights of employees who had sued their employers for discrimination. He said that his vote for the Act wasn't "based on any personal beliefs, but what is right and just for this nation and for the people of North Carolina whether they be black, white, yellow, brown, or purple."

By using language that the conservative people of North Carolina could understand Gantt's approval rating among his consituency. Although a liberal voting record on most issues, he adopted the language of pragmatism and tried to make sure each bill he voted on would best benefit, in his mind, the people of North Carolina.

In 1992, Harvey Gantt's political career would change greatly.

[Proud Lieberal from Northeast]

That's funny that Gantt and Ernest Hollings are serving togehter in Senate. After all, back in 60s, Hollings as Governor of South Carolina resisted a calls to prevent Harvey Gantt from enroling to the local university.

[Communists For McCain]

That's funny that Gantt and Ernest Hollings are serving togehter in Senate. After all, back in 60s, Hollings as Governor of South Carolina resisted a calls to prevent Harvey Gantt from enroling to the local university.

Call it "white man's guilt".
Kind of like Robert Byrd

[Historico]

Hmm...Im pretty intrigued about what you may have in store for the 1992 Election...especially on the Democratic Side, the reason why Clinton didn't choose Governor Douglas Wilder of Virginia on the ticket was that he felt as if putting a Black Man on the ticket would weaken his support amongst the Southern White(Probably Rightfully so). On the other hand , seeing how long and drawn out the '92 Primary Race was there is no gaurantee that Bill gets the nod ITTL. Maybe Gantt's victory inspires Mario Coumo to get off his ass and finally run? Or if Tsongas or Brown gets the nomination then Gantt's chance are much better....Just a couple of ideas I had, can't wait to see what you have cooked up.

[Communists For McCain]

Hmm...Im pretty intrigued about what you may have in store for the 1992 Election...especially on the Democratic Side, the reason why Clinton didn't choose Governor Douglas Wilder of Virginia on the ticket was that he felt as if putting a Black Man on the ticket would weaken his support amongst the Southern White(Probably Rightfully so). On the other hand , seeing how long and drawn out the '92 Primary Race was there is no gaurantee that Bill gets the nod ITTL. Maybe Gantt's victory inspires Mario Coumo to get off his ass and finally run? Or if Tsongas or Brown gets the nomination then Gantt's chance are much better....Just a couple of ideas I had, can't wait to see what you have cooked up.

Dude Historico, you have no idea how helpful your ideas are right now.
Thank you.

[Proud Lieberal from Northeast]

Hmm...Im pretty intrigued about what you may have in store for the 1992 Election...especially on the Democratic Side, the reason why Clinton didn't choose Governor Douglas Wilder of Virginia on the ticket was that he felt as if putting a Black Man on the ticket would weaken his support amongst the Southern White(Probably Rightfully so). On the other hand , seeing how long and drawn out the '92 Primary Race was there is no gaurantee that Bill gets the nod ITTL. Maybe Gantt's victory inspires Mario Coumo to get off his ass and finally run? Or if Tsongas or Brown gets the nomination then Gantt's chance are much better....Just a couple of ideas I had, can't wait to see what you have cooked up.

Dude Historico, you have no idea how helpful your ideas are right now.
Thank you.

He's the greatest Timelime helper here

[hcallega]

Hmm...Im pretty intrigued about what you may have in store for the 1992 Election...especially on the Democratic Side, the reason why Clinton didn't choose Governor Douglas Wilder of Virginia on the ticket was that he felt as if putting a Black Man on the ticket would weaken his support amongst the Southern White(Probably Rightfully so). On the other hand , seeing how long and drawn out the '92 Primary Race was there is no gaurantee that Bill gets the nod ITTL. Maybe Gantt's victory inspires Mario Coumo to get off his ass and finally run? Or if Tsongas or Brown gets the nomination then Gantt's chance are much better....Just a couple of ideas I had, can't wait to see what you have cooked up.

Dude Historico, you have no idea how helpful your ideas are right now.
Thank you.

He's the greatest Timelime helper here

He's basically written 50% of my timelines and probably just as much for what's become the Democratic Treo of Alternate History (Me, Kaljwet, and Historico).