A Brief History of the 2060 Presidential Election

[Aero]

Author's Note: Some of you will recognize this from the timeline Progress, Decline, and Hope from the Alternate History Discussion Board, and for those who don't, I will try to cover as much issues as possible from the timeline that will be showcased in this mini-timeline.  A little summary of the political landscape in 2060:

- Democrats and Republicans are still the dominant parties, though the Democrats have moved to the center socially (and slowly further right) and to the left economically; the GOP is slowly becoming the socially liberal, economically neoliberal party. 
- The emerging social issue of the generation is the role of genetically modified people (called "scions") in society, as of 2060 they face widespread discrimination in employment, participating in the political process, etc.
- The United States is embroiled in a multinational intervention in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, attempting to stop the genocide of Muslim and Bah'ai civilians by the religious extremist rebel group Soldiers of Christian Zaire (SCZ), who control much of the country's territory besides the narrow strip connecting the coast.  The invasion was a success, with over 380,000 American, European, Brazilian, Indian, East African, Nigerian, and South African forces invading from the north, east, and west.  But the occupation has brutal, with daily guerilla warfare and terror attacks against PEACECOM convoys and installations.  Anti-war fervor is strong in the United States and Federal Europe, among others.

Presidents of the United States since 2009:
44. Barack H. Obama (D-IL) January 20th, 2009-January 20th, 2013 [1]
45. Willard Mitt Romney (R-MA) January 20th, 2013-January 20th, 2017 [2]
46. Kirsten E. Gillibrand (D-NY) January 20th, 2017-January 20th, 2025 [3]
47. Julian Castro (D-TX) January 20th, 2025-January 20th, 2029 [4]
48. Marco A. Rubio (R-FL) January 20th, 2029-January 20th, 2037
49. Alexander R. Boone (D-VA) January 20th, 2037-January 20th, 2045
50. Ryan P. Kirkpatrick (D-IL) January 20th, 2045-January 20th, 2053 [5]
51. Parke L. Jeung (R-OR) January 20th, 2053-December 28th, 2056 [6]
52. Whitney A. Sinclair (R-CA) December 28th, 2056-Present [7]

[1] First African-American President
[2] First Mormon President
[3] First Female President
[4] First Hispanic President
[5] First Indian American President; First Openly Athiest President
[6] First Asian American President; Youngest Elected President (Age 38); Died in Office
[7] Elevated to Presidency

Vice Presidents:
47. Joseph R. "Joe" Biden, Jr. (D-DE) January 20th, 2009-January 20th, 2013
48. Piyush A. "Bobby" Jindal (R-LA) January 20th, 2013-January 20th, 2017 [1]
49. Keith M. Ellison (D-MN) January 20th, 2017-September 19th, 2019 [2]
50. Cory A. Booker (D-NJ) October 20th, 2019-January 20th, 2025
51. Timothy J. "Tim" Ryan (D-OH) January 20th, 2025-January 20th, 2029
52. Adam Kinzinger (R-IL) January 20th, 2029-January 20th, 2037
53. Ryan P. Kirkpatrick (D-IL) January 20th, 2037-January 20th, 2045
54. Antonin P. Solis (D-CA) January 20th, 2045-January 20th, 2053 [3]
55. Whitney A. Sinclair (R-CA) January 20th, 2053-December 28th, 2056 [4]
56. Isaac B. "Ike" Davis (R-OH) January 20th, 2057-Present

[1] 1st Indian American Vice President
[2] 1st African American Vice President; First Muslim Vice President; Assassinated
[3] First Hispanic Vice President
[4] First Female Vice President; Elevated to Presidency

Defeated Presidential Tickets:
2012: Pres. Barack Obama (D-IL) / VP Joe Biden (D-DE)
2016: Pres. Mitt Romney (R-MA) / Sen. John Thune (R-SD), Sen. Rand Paul (I-KY) / Gov. Sam Brownback (I-KS)
2020: Former Sen. Scott Brown (R-MA) / Sen. Paul Ryan (R-WI)
2024: Former VP Bobby Jindal (R-LA) / Sen. Cory Gardner (R-CO)
2028: Pres. Julian Castro (D-TX) / VP Tim Ryan (D-OH)
2032: Sen. Chris Murphy (D-CT) / Sen. Alexander Boone (D-VA), Former Sen. Harold Ford, Jr (I-TN) / Sen. Henry Cuellar (I-TX)
2036: VP Adam Kinzinger (R-IL) / Sen. Reade Granger (R-MO)
2040: Sen. Kirk Wythe (R-MI) / Gov. James Rovenerou (R-OK)
2044: Sen. Kirk Wythe (R-MI) / Gen. John McIntyre (R-VA)
2048: Gov. Andrew Lee (R-CA) / Sen. Liz Clark (R-TX)
2052: VP Antonin Solis (D-CA) / Sen. Chris Sparkman (D-NY)
2056: Gov. Ann Blumenthal (D-NC) / Gov. Francis Wade (D-IN)

I hope to get the first installment of this timeline up tonight, so hopefully everyone is looking forward to it.

[Jerseyrules]

You've crossed over!  Great to see you here!  *runs to get Cavalier in 68 shirt, hat, and foam finger*

[RedPrometheus]

Great start! Looking forward to the next update

[Aero]

June 1st, 2059
TIME.com

Outlook 2060: Who Will Run, and Who Will Win?

With just under a year and a half until Election Day on November 5th, 2060, pundits are already predicting an uphill re-election battle for President Whitney Sinclair.  Saddled with increasing anti-war fervor in response to the struggling UN intervention in the Congo, an economy showing strains from two years of war after the decade's unprecedented boom, Sinclair will need to work twice as hard to win with an underwater 45 percent approval rating.  Ever since taking office after the untimely death of President Parke Jeung just under two months since his re-election in 2056, Sinclair has mainly focused on a hawkish, neoconservative foreign policy, while maintaining Jeung's moderate domestic policies.  No candidate has so far hinted a primary challenge, so it is certain to say that the President will win the Republican nomination in Denver.

For the Democratic nomination, no one has yet declared their candidacy, though there is widespread speculation on a variety of potential candidates.  The odds-on favorite for the Progressive wing is none other than Senator Jeffory Clinton-Mezvinsky of New York, who has made a name for himself over the past decade with his intellect on a wide range of issues including foreign policy, and has been particularly critical of what he calls President Sinclair's "archaic 20th Century militaristic worldview".  Another scion of a political dynasty that has been mentioned is the former Attorney General and Senator from Illinois, Malia Obama.  Much like her father, the late President and Chief Justice Barack Obama, Malia graduated from Harvard University and practiced law in her hometown of Chicago before serving in the Kirkpatrick administration's Justice Department.  While political dynasties may rule the minds of most progressives and moderates, other potential candidates have been mentioned: Jake Sky, the former lunar astronaut, Senator from Michigan, and first Secretary of Space; Francis Wade, two-term governor of Indiana and the 2056 vice presidential nominee; Chris Sparkman, senior Senator from New York and 2052 vice presidential nominee.

While current polls show a generic Democratic candidate either tied or slightly leading President Sinclair in a general election match-up, polls for the Democratic nomination show a highly divided primary electorate:

Senator Malia Obama (IL) - 19%
Senator Jeffory Clinton-Mezvinsky (NY) - 18%
Jake Sky (MI) - 15%
Governor Francis Wade (IN) - 15%
Senator Chris Sparkman (NY) - 11%
Other/Undecided - 22%

The traditionally dominant progressive wing of the Democratic Party, a bastion of both economic and social liberalism, has slowly been losing ground to the moderates, who embody social moderation and more populist economic policies.  This has explained the slow shift of the traditionally GOP South to the Democrats in the past decade, especially after the nomination of then-Governor Ann Blumenthal of North Carolina in 2056.  After Blumenthal's electoral loss to then-President Jeung, the surging popularity of the moderate wing swept Democrats into power across the South in the 2058 midterms, while trading the West Coast and parts of the Northeast to the increasingly liberal GOP.  For 2060, this will be the biggest test of the moderates so far, whether they can claim control of the party from the progressives will signal the Democrats' chances against President Sinclair.

President Whitney Sinclair listens in on her foreign policy team in the White House Situation Room, May 19th.

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President Whitney Sinclair (R) - 179 EV
Generic Democrat (D) - 177 EV
Toss-up - 182 EV

[Aero]

Prospective Candidates Gallery

Republican

President Whitney Sinclair of California

Offices Held: Vice President of the United States (2053-2056), U.S. Senator from California (2047-2053), Lt. Governor of California (2043-2047), U.S. Congresswoman from California (2035-2041)
Born: January 3rd, 2001 (Age 58)
Profession: Attorney
Alma Mater: University of California - Los Angeles, Princeton University
Political Views: Foreign policy hawk, centrist both economically and socially

Democratic

Senator Jeffory Clinton-Mezvinsky of New York

Offices Held: U.S. Senator from New York (2045-Present)
Born: April 3rd, 2012 (Age 47)
Profession: Economist
Alma Mater: University of Cambridge, Harvard University
Political Views: Liberal both economically and socially

Senator Malia Obama of Illinois

Offices Held: U.S. Senator from Illinois (2053-Present), U.S. Attorney General (2045-2052)
Born: July 4th, 1998 (Age 60)
Profession: Lawyer
Alma Mater: University of Chicago, Harvard University
Political Views: Economically liberal, socially moderate

Mr. Jake Sky of Michigan

Offices Held: U.S. Secretary of Space (2037-2053), U.S. Senator from Michigan (2033-2037)
Born: September 5th, 1993 (Age 65)
Profession: Pilot, Astronaut, Politician
Alma Mater: U.S. Air Force Academy
Political Views: Centrist both economically and socially

Governor Francis Wade of Indiana

Offices Held: Governor of Indiana (2053-Present), Indiana Secretary of State (2049-2053)
Born: March 30th, 2004 (Age 55)
Profession: Politician
Alma Mater: Purdue University
Political Views: Centrist economically, socially liberal

Senator Chris Sparkman of New York

Offices Held: U.S. Senator from New York (2037-Present), U.S. Congressman from New York (2033-2037)
Born: February 1st, 2002 (Age 57)
Profession: Attorney
Alma Mater: City University of New York, Columbia University
Political Views: Liberal both economically and socially

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OOC: Any comments, criticism, suggestions?

[MASHED POTATOES. VOTE!]

ممتاز يا زميلي

[Niemeyerite]

This looks interesting. Clinton vs. Obama again ^^ But Wade seems to be the best candidate.

Sky is a good name for an astronaut hahaha..

Oh, and why are the 2 NY senators running against each other? =S

[Jerseyrules]

This looks interesting. Clinton vs. Obama again ^^ But Wade seems to be the best candidate.

Sky is a good name for an astronaut hahaha..

Oh, and why are the 2 NY senators running against each other? =S

Something similar happened OTL in 1932, also with New Yorkers

[Aero]

This looks interesting. Clinton vs. Obama again ^^ But Wade seems to be the best candidate.

Sky is a good name for an astronaut hahaha..

Oh, and why are the 2 NY senators running against each other? =S

These are all prospective candidates, not those officially running yet.

And yes, Sky is an appropriate last name for an astronaut. XD

As for the two NY Senators, there is no confirmation both will run.

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OOC: I will have to suspend this timeline until Monday at the earliest due to other matters I need to attend to.

[Jerseyrules]

This looks interesting. Clinton vs. Obama again ^^ But Wade seems to be the best candidate.

Sky is a good name for an astronaut hahaha..

Oh, and why are the 2 NY senators running against each other? =S

These are all prospective candidates, not those officially running yet.

And yes, Sky is an appropriate last name for an astronaut. XD

As for the two NY Senators, there is no confirmation both will run.

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OOC: I will have to suspend this timeline until Monday at the earliest due to other matters I need to attend to.

All right, I hope nothing bad has come up.