1968: Carolina In My Mind
Peebs (D-NC) / Spenstar (D-NY) - 521/36189180/55.57%
Nelson Rockefeller (R-NY) / Potus (R-WV) - 17/26808016/41.16%
Santander (AI-NY) / Southern Gothic (AI-LA) - 2127316/3.27%
In January 1968, expected to announce a bid for the U.S. Senate, young upstart and Governor Peebs announced that she would be running for President. A Southern liberal and underdog, she won through a contested convention. Congressman Santander, who was born in America ITTL, declaring Peebs a communist and Rockefeller a moderate liberal, runs on a True Conservative™ platform. Governor Peebs had begun the election with a lead, and was elected the 37th, youngest, and first female President a landslide, winning at 9:18 PM with South Carolina.
1972: The Lesser of Two Evils
President Peebs (D-NC) / VP Spenstar (D-NY) - 530/43652892/59.33%
Santander (R-NY) / Classic (R-MA) - 8/29925106/40.66%
Former Congressman Santander, fresh off his run on the AIP ticket, declared President Peebs a communist, joined the Republican Party in protest, and somehow won their nomination in 1972. He drew eyes at the debate by calling for Russian annexation of America and refusing to disavow the endorsement of the KKK. However, he didn't draw any votes from it, spelling his doom in the general. Illinois brought Peebs over the edge at 9 PM. Oklahoma was within 5,000 votes.
Reporter: Madam President, what did you really want Santa to bring you for Christmas?
Peebs: Well, Oklahoma would have been nice.
1976: Lyin' Ted, Doomed to Fail
Senator Bob Dole (R-KS) / Congressman Gerald Ford (R-MI) - 444/42268380/53.15%
Senator Ted Kennedy (D-MA) / Senator LLR (D-NY) - 94/37259992/46.85%
President Peebs's approval ratings were in the pits. In 1973, a private dick found that she had hers removed in 1955, and in 1974, she was caught taking part in a torrid lesbian affair.* Frontrunner for the Democratic nomination, VP Spenstar's severe bout of pneumonia in 1975 and subsequent announcement to not run for president the following year effectively killed the Democratic Party's chances in the 1976 election. Although by Election Night, Dole's nine-point lead had dwindled to a five-point lead, at 11:17 PM, Ohio and the election were called for Dole.
*I needed a Watergate.
1980: The Return
Spenstar (D-NY) / NeverAgain (D-VA) - 330/35535520/42.77%
President Bob Dole (R-KS) / VP Gerald Ford (R-MI) - 208/33117768/39.86%
John Anderson (I-IL) / Patrick Lucey (I-WI) - 14431515/17.37%
The Presidency of Bob Dole went about as well as that of OTL's Carter. Senator Jesse Helms launched a serious primary campaign against Dole, to, in the end, no avail. With sinking approval ratings, Dole felt as if he were doomed to fail... and despite the tightening race, he was right. Spenstar was successfully able to distance himself from ex-President Peebs's scandal while highlighting the success of her Presidency. At 12:01 AM, Missouri and the election were called for Spenstar, making him the 40th and first Jewish President.
1984: Avenge Me, Jerry... Not
Spenstar (D-NY) / NeverAgain (D-VA) - 528/54062208/59.88%
Gerald Ford (R-MI) / Marjorie Holt (R-MD) - 10/36228736/40.12%
With a highly successful Presidency for Spenstar, former VP Gerald Ford was drafted a sacrificial lamb, with Congresswoman Marjorie Holt as his running mate. A sacrificial lamb indeed - at 9 PM, Alabama and the election were called for President Spenstar, marking the fourth Democratic landslide, and fifth Democratic victory in six elections.
1988: A New Beginning
Governor Mario Cuomo (D-NY) / Governor Bill Clinton (D-AR)
Senator Paul Laxalt (R-NV) / Senator Dan Quayle (R-IN)
With inflation and unemployment both at 5.5%, a break-even economy, and a war inherited by Dole being evenly popular and unpopular, Cuomo won in a landslide, when at 9:57 PM, Cuomo was elected the 41st President by Tennessee. With Super Mario Land on the way, and being released in August, children everywhere approved of President Mario, and sent letters to VP Clinton to change his name to Luigi Cuomo.
1969-1977: Governor Peebs (1965-1969) (D-NC) / Senator Spenstar (1957-1969) (D-NY)
1977-1981: Senator Bob Dole (1969-1976) (R-KS) / Speaker Gerald Ford (1975-1977)* (R-MI)
1981-1989: Senator Spenstar (1977-1981) (D-NY) / Governor NeverAgain (1978-1981) (D-VA)
1989-19??: Governor Mario Cuomo (1983-1989) (D-NY) / Governor Bill Clinton (1983-1989) (D-AR)
*Elected speaker following GOP backlash in response to Peebs's sex scandal and sex
change scandal in 1974.
