1908 Election (The Hearse at Monticello)

[Unconditional Surrender Truman]

Since taking office four years ago, President Roosevelt has waged war on the Trusts, joined forces with the likes of John Muir to conserve the nation's natural resources, and sought to enact new regulations to protect consumers and laborers alike. Abroad, the president has sought to project American strength through the expansion of the navy and negotiated an end to the Russo-Japanese War. Renominated without serious opposition at the 1908 American National Convention, Roosevelt faces his 1904 rival, former Congressman Eugene Debs, in the general election. Debs, a prominent member of the growing labor movement, is calling for more explicit protections of collective bargaining rights and has castigated Roosevelt's navy as a sign of his "imperial ambitions". Democratic nominee Champ Clark, meanwhile, wants to tear down Roosevelt's agenda, saying that his actions to regulate the free market border on socialism.

Can Roosevelt carry the American banner into a new decade? Will Debs succeed in uniting farmers and laborers under a single banner? Can Champ Clark achieve what no Democrat has in sixteen years? Vote!

[Sumner 1868]

Debs without question.

[ElectionsGuy]

Clark

[Antonio the Sixth]

#ready4debs

[Mr. Smith]

Lean Roosevelt (environmentalist)

[Chancellor Tanterterg]

#ready4debs

[Sumner 1868]

Lean Roosevelt (environmentalist)

Debs positions aren't much different on the environment. He is, however, opposed to pointless wars, corporate power and Jim Crow.

[🐒Gods of Prosperity🔱🐲💸]

Interesting to see TR is taking the Muir approach to conservation in this timeline.  I vote for Clark in any case.

[Unconditional Surrender Truman]

Do we still have Jim Crow in this TL?

Not really. Due to the increased popularity of the Radical Republicans in comparison to OTL history, Reconstruction was much more successful in ensuring that black Southerners maintained basic civil liberties. As a result, the deep South states (with the possible exception of Georgia) have been solidly in the Populist column since 1888, and were heavily Republican before that.

[Zioneer]

Do we still have Jim Crow in this TL?

Not really. Due to the increased popularity of the Radical Republicans in comparison to OTL history, Reconstruction was much more successful in ensuring that black Southerners maintained basic civil liberties. As a result, the deep South states (with the possible exception of Georgia) have been solidly in the Populist column since 1888, and were heavily Republican before that.

Awesome, mission accomplished!

Also, Debs. Wonder if we're going to get a socialist party at this rate, if all the socialists are Populists....

[Unconditional Surrender Truman]

Do we still have Jim Crow in this TL?

Not really. Due to the increased popularity of the Radical Republicans in comparison to OTL history, Reconstruction was much more successful in ensuring that black Southerners maintained basic civil liberties. As a result, the deep South states (with the possible exception of Georgia) have been solidly in the Populist column since 1888, and were heavily Republican before that.

Awesome, mission accomplished!

Also, Debs. Wonder if we're going to get a socialist party at this rate, if all the socialists are Populists....

Actually, Debs is not associated with the Socialist movement ITTL, as the relative success of the labor movement under President Bryan led him to stick with his earlier, more moderate beliefs. Without Debs as their leader, the Socialist movement has not developed as quickly in the US as it did in OTL, but they'll probably make a showing in 1912 or 1916.

[Sumner 1868]

Do we still have Jim Crow in this TL?

Not really. Due to the increased popularity of the Radical Republicans in comparison to OTL history, Reconstruction was much more successful in ensuring that black Southerners maintained basic civil liberties. As a result, the deep South states (with the possible exception of Georgia) have been solidly in the Populist column since 1888, and were heavily Republican before that.

Awesome, mission accomplished!

Also, Debs. Wonder if we're going to get a socialist party at this rate, if all the socialists are Populists....

If there are any, they'll be all but gone by the 1950s.

[Antonio the Sixth]

Oh come on, don't screw this up again!

[Dr. Cynic]

Voted for Debs.

[Sumner 1868]

And thus the man of the people loses to an imperialist.

[Antonio the Sixth]

Oh God, not again...

[🐒Gods of Prosperity🔱🐲💸]

Where have all the Democrats gone?

[Antonio the Sixth]

Where have all the Democrats gone?

Tactically voting for Roosevelt.

[Cranberry]

Debs!

[H.E. VOLODYMYR ZELENKSYY]

Genementum!

[Sumner 1868]

Apparently my initial gloom was for naught.

[Illuminati Blood Drinker]

GO GENE GO!

[Dr. Cynic]

Whatcha gonna do when Eugene Debs and Gene-a-mania runs wild on YOUUUUUU?!

[Unconditional Surrender Truman]

1908 Presidential Election

Fmr. Congressman Eugene V. Debs (People's-Indiana)/ Fmr. Secretary of War Adlai E. Stevenson (People's-Illinois): 249 Electoral Votes; 46.7% popular votes
President Theodore Roosevelt (American-South Dakota)/ Vice President Henry Cabot Lodge (American-Massachusetts): 200 Electoral Votes; 35.7% popular votes
Congressman Champ Clark (Democratic-Kentucky)/ Congressman John W. Kern (Democratic-Indiana): 34 Electoral Votes; 16.7% popular votes

Though Roosevelt's popularity with the people at large led many to predict an overwhelming victory for the Americans in the months preceding the 1908 Election, the sudden crash of Wall Street three weeks before the election erased the incumbent's advantage. The crash would, in retrospect, be proved overstated, but it was enough to propel Eugene V. Debs and the Populists back into power after eight years in the opposition. Thus, the coalescing of the labor movement under the Populist banner was completed as the first Hoosier president in the nation's history moved into the White House.

[Illuminati Blood Drinker]

AWWWWWW YEAH

IN AMERICAAAAAAAA