Alternate US History (1788 onwards)

[West_Midlander]

The US House of Representatives (elected 1904)
Democrats: 181 (-80)
Republicans: 179 (+54)
Socialist: 26 (+26)
Democrats lose 80 seats in the 1904 realignment with the new Socialists taking 26 seats. The Democrats are still on top but short of a majority and just two seats ahead of the Republicans. When it comes down to the House Speakership, vote after vote passes with little realignment, no majority and the Socialists refuse to budge. The leader of the Socialists nominates Democratic Former President William Randolph Hearst for Speaker of the United States House of Representatives. The Democrats and Socialists vote him into the position.
[DEMOCRATS HOLD SPEAKERSHIP]
The US Senate (elected 1904)
Democrats: 44 (-8)
Republicans: 44 (+8)
Socialist: 1 (+1)
Independent: 1 (-1)
[DEMOCRATS LOSE MAJORITY, TIE]
The realignment of 1904 discarded Hearst's large Senate majority inaugurated in 1903. 44 Democrats and Republicans will take office in January 1905, alongside one returning Independent (former Populist) and one freshman Socialist. The Independent caucused with the Democrats from 1903-1905 but refused an offer to continue that alliance. The Socialist Senator was expected to align with the Democrats, as they are the Party of Hearst, but those sentiments proved fruitless.
*Note: I noticed I've been using the term "elected YEAR" for the US senate results, but I'm aware that the Senators are not directly elected at this point in time.
Note: Most sitting Socialists in 1905 are newly elected and not former Hearst Democrats. Although many Democratic Congressmen swore allegiance to the Socialists when Hearst endorsed, most fell back to the Democratic line when Debs fell short of expectations on election day. Hearst himself remained a Democrat after leaving the presidential office. Though he had made no promise on whether he would remain a Democrat or turn Socialist after leaving the White House.

[West_Midlander]

March 1905
The United States takes control of the Panama Canal Zone.

[West_Midlander]

The US House of Representatives (elected 1906)
Republicans: 189 (+10)
Democrats: 159 (-22)
Socialist: 43 (+17)
Hearst is elected to the House in 1906, in his own right. He is re-elected as House Speaker by a Democratic-Socialist coalition.
Democrats lose even more seats as the party base is still demoralized after Hearst losing the primary, the 1904 loss and Roosevelt's popularity. Hearst's popularity is an anomaly, while the Democratic party is generally on the decline, he remains registered Democratic to shore up his party's votes.
[DEMOCRATS HOLD SPEAKERSHIP]
The US Senate (elected 1906)
Republicans: 46 (+2)
Democrats: 32 (-12)
Socialist: 12 (+11)
[REPUBLICANS TAKE MAJORITY]
There are crossovers from the Democrats to the Socialists in both houses of Congress. The Democrats suffer huge losses in the Senate and the Socialists garner a dozen seats. The Republicans pick up two seats and win an outright majority.

[West_Midlander]

I realize I never made a post for President Hearst's cabinet.

[West_Midlander]

US map with Panama Canal Zone added.

The United States of America in 1905

States
Territories
Federal District

[West_Midlander]

President Theodore Roosevelt's Cabinet

Vice President Charles Warren Fairbanks

Secretary of State
Roosevelt sought out skilled partisans whom he viewed as a threat for the 1908 election. Given the premise that most wouldn't bite the hand that feeds them, he sought to extinguish '08 campaigns before they began by appointing major Republicans to his administration. In order to shore up party support for 1908 by satiating the conservative wing of the party, President Roosevelt nominated conservative Republican Elihu Root. Root was a lawyer, he ran successfully for the House of Representatives in 1900 (was never war Secretary under McKinley/Roosevelt as IOTL). Root was confirmed 49-41.

Congressman Elihu Root (R-NY)
Attorney General
Knox was confirmed as Attorney General by a vote of 65-25.

Senator Philander Chase Knox (R-PA)
Secretary of the Treasury
Cortelyou is confirmed 46-45 with Fairbanks breaking the tie.

Mr. George Cortelyou (R-NY)
Secretary of War
William Howard Taft was one of Roosevelt's main prospective opponents for 1908. Taft was nominated for War Secretary and confirmed 72-14.

Governor-General of the Philippines William Howard Taft (R-OH)
Secretary of the Navy
Bonaparte is confirmed 47-10.

Mr. Charles Joseph Bonaparte (R-MD)
Secretary of the Interior
Roosevelt privately offers La Follette the position in an attempt to snub a primary attempt from him in 1908. He refuses the position. Former Speaker of the House (retired) Josephy Gurney Cannon is approved 87-0.

Former Speaker of the House Josephy Gurney Cannon (R-IL)
Secretary of Agriculture
Wilson was confirmed 52-4.

Congressman Jim Wilson (R-IA)
Postmaster General
Spooner is confirmed for another term, 76-0.

Postmaster General John Coit Spooner (R-WI)
Secretary of Commerce & Labor
The German-born Ambassador, Oscar Straus, will serve as the 2nd American Secretary of Commerce and Labor and will be the first Jewish cabinet Secretary. He was confirmed 59-27.

Amb. Oscar Straus (R-NY)

[West_Midlander]

Postmaster General John Coit Spooner is at this time, known as the "Old Man of Washington." He served as a Senator before taking up his current position and was one of the "Big Four" in the Senate. He has served under Bland, Bryan, Sewell, Hearst and now Roosevelt (five consecutive presidents) as Postmaster General. He has been in this office since 1893 (16 years by the end of Roosevelt's term).

[West_Midlander]

Other Positions
Ambassador to the United Kingdom
Hughes is speculated to potentially run in 1908. He is willing to serve as Roosevelt's ambassador to the United Kingdom. He was approved 84-1.

Governor Charles Evans Hughes (R-NY)

[West_Midlander]

Senator Joseph Foraker, a pro-business Republican who may run in 1908, at lunch with the President.
TR: "So will you consider my proposal? To serve as my ambassador to France?"
JF: "Mr. President. With all do respect. I do not have wool over my eyes and I do not wish to close the door to 1908. You have my support in the Senate. Good day, Mr. Roosevelt."
[Private conversation, not leaked or anything, just so you can see TR's efforts to snub out primary attempts]

[West_Midlander]

Flashback: 1901

President William Randolph Hearst's Cabinet

Vice President George Dewey

Secretary of State
Secretary of State Pattison announced he would not seek renomination citing failing health. The pro-labor President announced he would nominate major labor leader John McBride for the position. McBride was confirmed 47-43.
Mr. John McBride (I-OH)
Attorney General
Sitting Attorney General Horace Boies was confirmed again 90-0.

Attorney General Horace Boies (D-IA)
Secretary of the Treasury
The young American Federation of Labor leader, William Green, a son of Welsh immigrants, was nominated by President Hearst and confirmed 46-45.

Mr. William Green (I-OH)
Secretary of the Army
The Incumbent Secretary of the Army Charles H. Martin, a former Populist, switched to the Democrats in 1900 as his party fell into severe decline. He was renominated and confirmed 62-25.
(No image available)
Secretary of the Army Charles H. Martin (D-NC)
Secretary of the Navy
Herbert stays on for another four years. He is confirmed 86-4.

Secretary of the Navy Hilary A. Herbert (D-AL)
Secretary of the Interior
Francis is confirmed 60-25.

Secretary of the Interior David R. Francis (D-MO)
Secretary of Agriculture
Morton is kept on and confirmed 79-2.

Secretary of Agriculture Julius Sterling Morton (D-NE)
Postmaster General
Spooner is confirmed for another term, 80-10.

Postmaster General John Coit Spooner (R-WI)

[West_Midlander]

Flashback
On April 27, 1902 Sec. Julius Sterling Morton dies. President Hearst quickly nominates Mr. Meyer London, a lawyer and member of the Social Democratic Party of America (preceded Socialist Party) from New York City (originally from Congress Poland, Russian Empire).

On June 4, 1902 after much debate, Mr. London was confirmed 48-40.

[West_Midlander]

Flashback
Mr. Samuel Gompers, President of the AFL, served as an advisor to the President (Hearst) from 1901-1903 and served as the nation's first Secretary of Commerce & Labor from 1903 to 1905. He was confirmed 62-21.

The Commerce & Labor Department was created in 1903.

[Orwell]

is this rippydipitydy?

[West_Midlander]

is this rippydipitydy?

?
is rippydipitydy a user on here or another site? If so, then I am not s/he.

[Orwell]

kek

[President of the great nation of 🏳️‍⚧️]

is this rippydipitydy?

?
is rippydipitydy a user on here or another site? If so, then I am not s/he.

I assume it's in reference to the theoretical death of this TL.

[West_Midlander]

Oh. It's not dead.

[West_Midlander]

October 1907
I am not running for President in 1908. I intend to serve in the President's second cabinet, should he wish the same. - Secretary Taft gave a brief statement to the press, dispelling rumors that he might challenge the popular Roosevelt.

November 5
Roosevelt held a major rally announcing his candidacy for the Republican nomination in Washington, D.C. Secretary Philander Knox, a friend of industrialist Republicans, endorsed the President at the rally. In a second unifying move, Ambassador Charles Evans Hughes, a conservative Republican, endorsed the President as well.
November 19
The unapologetic Joseph Gurney Cannon announced his candidacy for the Republicans. Cannon argued, despite his age (71), that his work as Secretary and Speaker of the House and his long career in politics would prove useful in bringing us to new heights of prosperity and out of "Roosevelt's mess." Cannon tendered his resignation as Secretary of the Interior on November 20th.

La Follette has made no word, in favor or against, a run for the presidency.

[West_Midlander]

December

Federal Judge and former Delaware Senator George Gray announced his candidacy for the Democrats.

The charismatic Minnesota Governor John A. Johnson announces a run for the Democrats, despite health problems.

Vice President Fairbanks offered his endorsement of the President on December 7th.


Former President Hearst, now the Speaker of the House of Representatives, decides he is the Democrats best chance at ousting the popular Roosevelt. Entering the race relatively early in the campaign, Hearst is prepared to make a major bid for rural and urban voters alike. WRH's campaign slogan is "An America for All Of Us," he tries to avoid negative campaigning, leaving it to surrogates.

Secretary Eilhu Root endorses the President, while Secretary Cortelyou makes it clear he does not intend to run. His political leanings lie with Hearst but those sentiments are unexpressed for the sake of job security.

[West_Midlander]

Note: "The President" will refer to TR not WRH in the campaign as TR is the incumbent.

January
Conservative and pro-business Democrat Alton Parker announces a run for the President.

Political theorist and President of Princeton, Woodrow Wilson, announces his candidacy as a Democrat a few days following Parker.

[West_Midlander]

February
Mr. Eugene Debs announces his endorsement of Speaker Hearst. Secretary Cortelyou bites the bullet and endorses Hearst as well. Roosevelt considers pressuring Cortelyou to resign. He decides against it, he decides he will replace Cortelyou for the next term, tolerating him for the next 11 months. Roosevelt surrogates cite the President's tolerance for political diversity and goodwill as well as ability to work across the party line and respect opposition views since Cortelyou remained in office.

Senator Foraker announces for the Republicans as the "Never Roosevelt" candidate. He says he is more moderate and should be the alternative as opposed to Cannon and La Follette, for voters opposed to TR. Foraker is a pro-business Republican.

[West_Midlander]

Republican National Primaries
526 delegates to win
President Theodore Roosevelt of New York
83.9% of Republican voters
1050 delegates
48 states
Senator Robert "Fighting Bob" La Follette of Wisconsin
6.7%
0 delegates
0 states
Former Secretary Joseph Gurney Cannon of Illinois
6.3%
0 delegates
0 states
Senator Joseph Foraker of Ohio
3.1%
0 delegates
0 states
The incumbent President won an every-state landslide. President Roosevelt won a popular vote landslide with no other candidates reaching double digits. Foraker's negative tactics (attacking Roosevelt, as well as Cannon and La Follette) seem to have backfired massively.

Roosevelt's sweeping landslide was not any lighter in the other candidates' home states.
State Winners

State Margins

[West_Midlander]

Dem primaries write up coming soon.

[West_Midlander]

Democratic National Primaries
526 delegates to win
Speaker of the House William Randolph Hearst of New York
59.1%
698 delegates
Judge George Gray of Delaware
19.7%
122 delegates
Governor John Johnson of Minnesota
5.4%
122 delegates
Mayor* Alton Parker of New York
14.6%
108 delegates
Pres. of Princeton Woodrow Wilson of New Jersey
1.1%
0 delegates
Alton B. Parker left his Judgeship in 1904 and became mayor of NYC following the 1905 election. The non-politician, Woodrow Wilson, took a small fragment of the Democratic vote, and no votes or delegates. John A. Johnson, a popular governor, only secures 5% of Democrats. Johnson was unable to campaign much due to his health. Parker carried just under 15% of Democrats. The New York Mayor came in third place in votes and fourth place in delegates. Despite a low vote count, Johnson managed to tie Gray's 122 delegates for second. Gray fell shy of 20%, well behind Hearst's 59%. Hearst manages a large 698 delegate victory as well. His margins are even more impressive given that he's a non-incumbent, recovered from a 1904 primary loss, and won over 3/5ths of Democrats despite it being a five-way race. He has remained popular among Democrats throughout the Roosevelt years though only won the nomination after a gunman took down the nominee (in 1900). Hearst also announced early in the campaign and managed endorsements from Socialists, Democrats and Republicans alike.

[West_Midlander]

State Wins - Democrats

HEARST - 32 STATES
GRAY - 6 STATES
JOHNSON - 6 STATES
PARKER - 4 STATES
WILSON - 0 STATES
Hearst swept most of the West (all but Idaho). Hearst did well in the East as well, carrying the large state of North Carolina, Virginia, Ohio and New York among others. Gray & Johnson took 6 states each. Gray took the large states of Massachusetts and Georgia. Johnson took several medium sized states and small Idaho. Parker took large Florida and Illinois. All candidates took a few states in each geographic area (with the exception of the West).