Era of the New Majority

[badgate]

Inb4 Clinton loses Colorado because we all know Coloradans hate her.

Maybe Pence will win CO by riding Senator Gardner's coattails.

[KingSweden]

This timeline is so implausible it hurts. It almost makes me lose faith in humanity.

 Foxx wins with the widest margin, in a surprise to many, of any of the three top-ballot statewide Democrats, taking 51-45 with a third-party candidate atrophying some votes from Tillis to become the first black Democrat elected statewide in the South in history, and to Jesse Helms' old Senate seat no less. D+1, and the Senate is now tied 50-50 with the VP-elect serving as tiebreaker. NC now has two Democratic Senators for the first time in close to 50 years.

He's actually the second. http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Douglas_Wilder You would know that if you did research. Next time you write a political masturbation TL at least get some of your facts right.

And here we go again with the old "Jesse Helms was a racist" argument. I met someone who knew him and this is far from the truth. Just because someone opposes affirmative action (because you know it's racism in itself) and doesn't think MLK day should become a holiday (because you know when you make a federal holiday its not the most fiscally responsible thing, it doesn't matter who it's for) and is a white man from the south doesn't make him racist. And the "so-called" elevator incident, that was taken completely out of context. Helms being a racist is just a strawman used by the left to paint the GOP as the racists although they were the ones that fought for civil rights and to end slavery. At the same time they completely ignore Robert Byrd, KKK member and senator until five years ago.

This is the second time you've attacked my TL publicly, and I'd appreciate if you ceased doing so. I meant "elected to Senate", though good catch on Doug Wilder, thank you.

As for the rest, if you don't care for this story (because that's all it is - a STORY), then you do not have to read it. I'm not offended if people don't like what I right, but it does grate on me when they go out of their way to attack my work of fiction. If I miss facts (like Wilder, which was a pretty bad typo there, or New Mexico not requiring same-party gubernatorial appointments, etc.) then please correct me. I do have a habit of going a little fast, I don't have a ton of time to write updates and I appreciate the pointers.

Otherwise, stop throwing around words like "masturbation" when you describe my work.

[Sumner 1868]

This timeline is so implausible it hurts. It almost makes me lose faith in humanity.

 Foxx wins with the widest margin, in a surprise to many, of any of the three top-ballot statewide Democrats, taking 51-45 with a third-party candidate atrophying some votes from Tillis to become the first black Democrat elected statewide in the South in history, and to Jesse Helms' old Senate seat no less. D+1, and the Senate is now tied 50-50 with the VP-elect serving as tiebreaker. NC now has two Democratic Senators for the first time in close to 50 years.

He's actually the second. http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Douglas_Wilder You would know that if you did research. Next time you write a political masturbation TL at least get some of your facts right.

And here we go again with the old "Jesse Helms was a racist" argument. I met someone who knew him and this is far from the truth. Just because someone opposes affirmative action (because you know it's racism in itself) and doesn't think MLK day should become a holiday (because you know when you make a federal holiday its not the most fiscally responsible thing, it doesn't matter who it's for) and is a white man from the south doesn't make him racist. And the "so-called" elevator incident, that was taken completely out of context. Helms being a racist is just a strawman used by the left to paint the GOP as the racists although they were the ones that fought for civil rights and to end slavery. At the same time they completely ignore Robert Byrd, KKK member and senator until five years ago.

I've once heard no less than Rush Limbaugh call Helms a racist.

[free my dawg]

This timeline is so implausible it hurts. It almost makes me lose faith in humanity.

I guess it is. Next thing you know, Selena Gomez is going to beat Ted Cruz and win a Senate seat.

[Flake]

Lol who attacks a timeline

[President Punxsutawney Phil]

This is great.  I want more!

[badgate]

Presidential

President Hillary Clinton - 231
Indiana Governor Mike Pence - 105

Senate

Democrats are (+2) in Senate results, with two seats headed to a runoff.

Here are the most recent maps, to help us get back on track and because they were buried by the haters.

[hurricanehink]

I think this is a fascinating timeline, with great details and intrigue. Please keep going!

[Simfan34]

Too many sports.

[Emperor Charles V]

This is the second time you've attacked my TL publicly, and I'd appreciate if you ceased doing so. I meant "elected to Senate", though good catch on Doug Wilder, thank you.

I'm sorry I came off rough. I actually think this is one of the best written TLs I ever seen and I really mean it. I like that you have a lot of sports in here. Politics wise however, I do think it is a Democratic-wank (to use AH.com terminology). Come on, don't you think it's stretching it to have the Democrats win all those seats in 2016? Plus your explanations of why the Democrats won all those seats after 2016 (what offended me the most) made you look like a partisan hack, in my opinion.

I didn't mean to attack this timeline or you. The last thing I wanted was to offend you. It just struck me as implausible to have the Democrats do that well and since your avatar's red,  it struck me that personal bias has a lot to do with that outcome (and let's be honest here, you know it does). Now, I would be doing the same if you were a Republican and had a massive Ted Cruz landslide in 2016 and a Tea Party wave. It has nothing to do with my personal political biases. Personally, I would love to see the GOP take an ass-whipping in 2016, so they are forced to reform and become more libertarian.

Otherwise, stop throwing around words like "masturbation" when you describe my work.

I'm sorry, forgive me. That was pretty low of me.

Go back to writing weird timelines on AH.com.

What specific TLs are you referring to?

Oh f**ck off.

Just exercising my right to free speech buddy.

I've once heard no less than Rush Limbaugh call Helms a racist.

Which is just another reason to believe he wasn't.

This timeline is so implausible it hurts. It almost makes me lose faith in humanity.

I guess it is. Next thing you know, Selena Gomez is going to beat Ted Cruz and win a Senate seat.

We already had a race car driver defeat one of the most popular congressmen in the country so I guess anything is possible here.

Lol who attacks a timeline

I guess I do. But I wasn't attacking the timeline per se, but the author's presumed political bias.

[The Other Castro]

The difference between someone writing a TL where Ted Cruz wins in a landslide and one where Ted Cruz is beaten in a landslide isn't Republican v.s. Democratic hackery. One isn't based in reality, and the other is fairly likely. Also, this might be hard to believe, but Congressional Democrats actually do win elections sometimes.

[KingSweden]

FWIW, I would read the crap out of a Ted Cruz victory TL if it was well written. More out of morbid curiosity than anything, but there it is.

Let's move on here. Charles was gracious enough to apologize and I accept his apology.

[Emperor Charles V]

The difference between someone writing a TL where Ted Cruz wins in a landslide and one where Ted Cruz is beaten in a landslide isn't Republican v.s. Democratic hackery. One isn't based in reality, and the other is fairly likely.

Not exactly. Judging by your username and avatar I can see that you are a Democratic-leaning independent. I am pretty-much a Republican-leaning independent (I am really only registered GOP to vote in primaries). Now I was a liberal back in 2007/2008 so I had my heart set on Obama winning in a landslide, and I was glad when he did. However, a lot of people more conservative than me (including my parents who are if anything right-leaning moderates) told me to "stop dreaming" and that Obama was too left-wing, polarizing  and inexperienced to win. This is basically the same situation we have today. Many people leaning left think it's impossible for Ted Cruz to get anywhere near winning because well, he's too right-wing, polarizing and inexperienced. Now don't get me wrong, I am by no means a fan of Cruz. I disagree with him on foreign policy, social issues and his overt inserting of Christianity into politics. However, I am not sold on the fact that a Cruz victory in 2016, even a landslide Cruz victory, is impossible; all I have to do is look back on 2008 and Obama.

Also, this might be hard to believe, but Congressional Democrats actually do win elections sometimes.

Not with extreme gerrymandering sabotaging them though.

Let's move on here. Charles was gracious enough to apologize and I accept his apology.

Thank you. I'm all for moving on. I didn't mean for you to take it personally. I think you are a great writer and all, I was just off-put by some of your political projections, that's all.

[KingSweden]

United States elections, 2020

Oklahoma

Presidential: Pence wins 62-35, below Cruz's MOV but improving on his raw vote totals in one of America's most Republican states.

OK Senate: James Inhofe retires after a quarter-century in the Senate, citing his declining health and the death of his son in 2014 and his desire to have a retirement in native Oklahoma. The retirement sets off a massive jockeying in Oklahoma for a rare open seat, and former Rep. Jim Bridenstine and former Lt. Gov. Todd Lamb rise to the top of the primary over a stable of state legislators and businessmen. In the runoff, Lamb surprises many by defeating the more conservative Bridenstine, utilizing Jim Lankford's OKC-area machine to power himself to a narrow runoff win. Bridenstine's political career is seen as being mostly over. Lamb wins the general over conservative black Democratic Tulsa Mayor Jabar Shubate 59-36, underperforming Pence's margin.

OK 5: Steve Russell announces he is retiring after three terms, citing a desire to return to writing and motivational speaking on veterans' affairs issues. He is replaced after a back-and-forth primary by David Holt, a former Mick Cornett chief of staff and state senator. Holt has no problem winning the general election in the conservative OKC metro area.

OK Congress: The rest of the delegation is returned.

OK Legislature: The Senate stays at 41-7 GOP, while the GOP wins one House seat to go to 69-32.

Electoral Vote Count:

Clinton/Heinrich: 231
Pence/Rubio: 112

[KingSweden]

By the way, since I've had two comments on it so far (one positive, one negative), what's the feedback on the sports coverage? I'm a junkie and I think it's fun, but do you all prefer the smaller entries or the more detailed ones?

[Maxwell]

I'm not a sports person, so obviously the sports people have more insight on it, but I feel it takes a bit too much room. It's an interesting side thing though.

I'd also like to add that, though the Dem bench in OKC is weak, it is easily the least conservative area of Oklahoma. I could see that district flip in a Dem wave in about 10 years.

[Brewer]

I'm not a sports person, so obviously the sports people have more insight on it, but I feel it takes a bit too much room. It's an interesting side thing though.

Basically this. It's alright.

[Türkisblau]

I'd say make it take up less room but I do think it's fun to know X country won things like the Olympics, World Cup, etc... with the same going for the Superbowl.

[KingSweden]

I'll cut down on some of the NCAA and NFL football coverage, in that case. The World Cup is fun to do a little more detail on, but maybe I'll leave out the group stages (which will make it easier on me anyways).

[Maxwell]

I'm amazed you've been able to stand going in this much depth. Any time I've tried to do something like this I just get tired. Good job.

[KingSweden]

United States elections, 2020

Texas

Presidential: Pence's Texas numbers decline substantially, only winning 57-40 over Clinton in the backbone of the GOP electoral coalition. It is still a 17-point win, but Pence is beneath Cruz's MOV and well beneath his raw vote total.

TX Senate: Jon Cornyn, frustrated by the leap-frogging over him by Thune and Barrasso, announces his retirement from Congress after 18 years in the Senate. The immediate favorite to succeed him is Attorney General Ken Paxton, who becomes the candidate of the grassroots, pitted against Mike McCaul, who is still looking for his path into the Senate. It is McCaul and Paxton who advance into the runoff, where Paxton narrowly defeats McCaul, who is barely kept from a nomination two years after taking Ted Cruz down to the wire.

Democrats start to think they can capitalize on the very conservative Paxton with one-term Rep. Justin Rodriguez, who succeeded Joaquin Castro both as State Rep. and as US Rep. in the San Antonio area. Paxton still wins easily, 58-40, over the subpar campaign of Rodriguez as Texas Democrats strike out yet again.

TX 12: Kay Granger announces her retirement after 24 years in Congress. She is replaced by State Rep. Phil King, who pledges to only serve three terms (these kinds of pledges are becoming popular amongst Republicans again).

TX 15: Ruben Hinojosa, 80, retires after 24 years in Congress. He is replaced by State Rep. Terry Canales of Edinburg.

TX 20: Joaquin Castro returns to his old district after Rodriguez vacates the seat, easily clearing the primary field and winning reelection (sort of) over a Republican investment manager 52-47, much closer than the district's putative Democratic lean should allow for.

TX 30: With serious health problems compiling for 84-year old Eddie Bernice Johnson, she retires after 28 years in Congress and in this staunchly Democratic district is replaced by State Rep. Eric Johnson.

TX 31: John Carter retires after 18 years in Congress. He is replaced by Peggy Bartlett (fic), a 49-year old entrepreneur from Temple who has never before run for elected office. Running a mainstream conservative campaign, she easily beats back two activist candidates to advance to defeat a Round Rock tort attorney in the general to become only one of two women now in the Texas delegation, along with Sheila Jackson.

All other incumbents reelected with ease in this state's fairly static Congressional delegation.

TX Legislature: Democrats retake the seat lost in 2016 to shift the majority to 20-11 in the Texas Senate, while retaking five seats in the House to go to 95-55. Based on their struggles in this state in recent decades, this practically counts as a landslide by Texas Democratic standards.

Electoral Vote Count:

Clinton/Heinrich: 231
Pence/Rubio: 150

[KingSweden]

I'm amazed you've been able to stand going in this much depth. Any time I've tried to do something like this I just get tired. Good job.

Thank you, that means a lot coming from one of the people I respect most on this forum. I actually find the sports entries more stressful than the election ones, since the research is much more difficult (for a variety of reasons).

[BigVic]

One of my favourite timelines. A successful Clinton Presidency. Hope this happens IRL

[badgate]

Just curious, what Texas state senate seat did you have Republicans gaining in 2016 and losing in 2020?

[Enderman]

FWIW, I would read the crap out of a Ted Cruz victory TL if it was well written. More out of morbid curiosity than anything, but there it is.

Well, lately I've been reading this one. It's pretty cool, though Cruz hasn't exactly WON it yet; he's getting close. It's quite a long-winded read, but it's worth it IMO

BTW great TL so far!