1980 Presidential Spectacular

[FEMA Camp Administrator]

Three days.

Following Congressman Ryan's expedition to Jonestown in 1978, the legislator would gain national fame as the nation's leading anti-cultist. Perceived as a hawk against "the communist menace in Guyana", Ronald Reagan endorses Ryan for the presidency. In order to appeal to Republicans, Ryan chooses Jim Jeffords, a liberal Republican he's worked with in the past. Never one to go down without a fight, Mr. Jim Jones himself is Ryan's only opposition. The Carter administration, unhappy with Ryan's and the Republicans' criticisms of him--Ryan has opposed the party establishment on Guyana and bucked the U.S. state department in doing so--convinces Jones to choose V.P. Mondale, who praised Jones' church in 1976, for Vice President.

Jones is running on a socialist platform, though one that admits that a strong domestic military presence is needed to keep people in line. Ryan, on the other hand, while not as left-wing as Jones, seems to be running on a "less totalitarian" line, though his platform has some hawkish bits in it thanks to his stance against Guyana's harboring of Jones, as well as his support from Republicans. Jones instead proposes peace with China, the U.S.S.R., and North Korea. On economic and social issues, Ryan claims that "totalitarian solutions are not needed to solve America's social problems", instead advocating for liberal legislation. Harvey Milk and various other San Francisco Assemblymen are breaking from their local legislator in support of Jim Jones, and he has the backing of the White House.

[Deus Naturae]

Ryan

[PJ]

Both seem bad on foreign policy. Lean Ryan

[FEMA Camp Administrator]

Both seem bad on foreign policy. Lean Ryan

I'd advise you read Ryan's wiki page. The "hawkishness" is largely something he's attache to thanks to his supporters in this election. The idea of it stems specifically from events related to Jonestown.

[free my dawg]

Ryan (not a sociopath)

[Goldwater]

Ryan (not a sociopath)

[ElectionsGuy]

Ryan

[H. Ross Peron]

Ryan (not into mass ritualistic suicide)

[morgieb]

The one that didn't kill over 900 people.

[Oakvale]

Jones (hipster Christian).

[Donerail]

This is an election on an internet website. Presumably Cathcon will do a writeup of the results.

Jones to see what'll happen.

[TNF]

Both seem bad on foreign policy. Lean Ryan

What the christ

[Flake]

Ryan/Jefferson is the only good option.

[FEMA Camp Administrator]

Democratic Primaries
Following Ryan's return from Jonestown and subsequent easy re-election to his House district, he had his eye on the presidency. Having witnessed the horrors in Guyana and having seen Carter fail consummately throughout his term, Ryan decided to challenge Carter in June, 1979, winning the endorsements of Ted Kennedy and Eugene McCarthy. However, Carter would announce later that year that he wouldn't be running for re-election. In order to oppose what some saw as an imminent Ryan presidency, Jim Jones himself announced his candidacy for the Democratic nomination. With the media soon focusing in on the heated battle between these two rivals, most other candidates were rendered irrelevant. Carter, unhappy with Ryan's record of opposing him, soon put the full power of the White House behind Jones, allowing him to win the nomination. As a cession to Carter, Walter Mondale was chosen once again as Vice President. Jones as well received critical support from Governor Jerry Brown and several political allies from San Francisco.

Former Director of the Indianapolos, IN Human Rights Commission James Jones of People's Temple Agricultural Project
Congressman Leo Joseph Ryan, Jr. of California
Governor Charles Clifton "Cliff" Finch of Mississippi

Republican Primaries
Leo Ryan was only an announced candidate for the Democratic nomination following Carter's decision not to run. However, when contrasted with his Democratic primary opponent, Jim Jones, as well as given his record of bucking President Jimmy Carter, several conservatives and anti-communists flocked to his cause, filing papers for him to appear on the ballot in several early Republican primary states. Ronald Reagan, suffering from alzheimer's, would endorse the Democratic candidate, sealing the deal for Ryan to proceed to beat Pressler and Connally for the nomination. In order to placate his newfound support, Ryan chose Jim Jeffords, a liberal Republican whom he'd worked with in the past, for Vice President.

Congressman Leo Joseph Ryan, Jr. of California
Former Secretary of the Treasury John B. Connally of Texas
Senator Larry Pressler of South Dakota


Congressman Leo Joseph Ryan, Jr. (Democrat-California)
Endorsements:
Former President Gerald R. Ford (Republican-Michigan)
Former Governor Ronald Wilson Reagan (Republican-California)
Former Senator Eugene McCarthy (Independent-Minnesota)
Senator Edward M. "Ted" Kennedy (Democrat-Massachusetts)
Senator S.I. Hayakawa (Republican-California)
Former Senator Harold E. Hughes (Democrat-Iowa)
Senator Gary Hart (Democrat-Colorado)
Senator Paul Tsongas (Democrat-Massachusetts)
Senator Frank F. Church, III (Democrat-Idaho)
Former Director of Central Intelligence George H.W. Bush (Republican-Texas)
Demographic Support:
Roman Catholics
Law-and-order types
Anti-Communists and hawks
Suburbanites
Education advocates
Right-wing Evangelical Christians

Former Director of the Indianapolos, IN Human Rights Commission James Jones (Socialist-People's Temple Agricultural Project)
Endorsements:
President James Earl "Jimmy" Carter (Democrat-Georgia)
First Lady Rosalynn Carter (Democrat-Georgia)
Former Secretary of State Cyrus Vance (Democrat-New York)
Governor Edmund G. "Jerry" Brown, Jr. (Democrat-California)
Former Director of Central Intelligence William Colby (Republican-Maryland)
Former First Lady of CA Nancy Reagan (Republican-California)
Speaker of the CA State Assembly Willie Lewis Brown, Jr. (Democrat-California)
Mr. Richard Girnt Butler (National Socialist-Idaho)
Mr. John Trochman (Militant-Montana)
Commodore L. Ron Hubbard (Scientologist-Sea Org)
Messiah Sun Myung Moon (Unification-D.C.)
Demographic Support:
African-Americans
Impoverished whites
Left-wing Evangelical Christians
White Militant groups
"Hippies"
Socialists
Communists
Homeschooling advocates
Cultists
Members of the Jesus Christ Church of Latter Day Saints


Pre-Election Day, No Tossups Map

Congressman Leo Joseph Ryan, Jr. (Democrat-California)/Congressman James M. "Jim" Jeffords (Republican-Vermont) 284 electoral votes
Former Director of the Indianapolos, IN Human Rights Commission James Jones (Socialist-People's Temple Agricultural Project)/Vice President Walter Mondale (Democrat-Minnesota) 254 electoral votes

[Atlas Has Shrugged]

Why would Nancy Reagan endorse Jim Jones??

[FEMA Camp Administrator]

Why would Nancy Reagan endorse Jim Jones??

Joan Quigley told her to.

[Oldiesfreak1854]

Ugh.  I guess Ryan.

[H.E. VOLODYMYR ZELENKSYY]

Wasn't Ryan killed by the Jonestown people IRL?

Anyway, Jones for the lulz and I hope you insert him into the new Atlamerica thing.

[FEMA Camp Administrator]

Wasn't Ryan killed by the Jonestown people IRL?

Anyway, Jones for the lulz and I hope you insert him into the new Atlamerica thing.

That should just be assumed.

EDIT: And yes, yes he was. This is an alternate reality, you see.

[MATTROSE94]

The one that didn't kill over 900 people.

[Sopranos Republican]

Ryan (not a sociopath)

[FEMA Camp Administrator]

Voting ends tonight, yo.