2012: America's Future Decided - The Romney Administration

[feeblepizza]

Is it possible for neither Obama nor Bayh to get a majority of delegates?  How about a tie?  As to the republican race...gah.  I don't like either choice.  Still, awesome timeline I can't wait to see who will face off against who.

No, it isn't possible for a tie or a "hung" Democratic race. All the caucuses/primaries have been decided, and Lieberman gave all of his delegates to Bayh. Wait until the next post, when the Democrats have all of their county caucuses together (the nominee will be decided then ).

And if you're wondering why I just put all the Democratic county caucuses together on one day - I didn't add them in originally, and so I came out with an anticlimactic June 5 .

[feeblepizza]

June 12, 2012: The Republican primary in New York:

New York

Romney 69.9%
Gingrich 29.8%

Republican Delegate Count - Romney (993), Gingrich (870), Pawlenty (48), Bolton (17), Pataki (11), Pence (6), Barbour (0), Santorum (0), Rossi (0), Johnson (0)

Mitt Romney is now a precious 198 delegates away from clinching the Republican nomination - if he can win Florida and a majority of delegates on the June 26 county-caucus day, he will be the next nominee. Newt Gingrich, however, may still pull something off.

Also, President Obama is renominated by his party after sweeping county caucuses. Evan Bayh concedes and agrees to give his full support.

June 14, 2012: 88-year old former President George H.W. Bush dies in a skydiving accident with his son, Marvin Bush.

George Herbert Walker Bush (June 12, 1924-June 14, 2012)

June 16-17, 2012: President Bush's funeral is held. "George Herbert Walker Bush was a true America hero: for his valiant military service during World War II, for his varied political activities, and, of course, for his role in being the head of a wonderful and accomplished American family."

His son, former President George W. Bush, was unable to give his prepared remarks because he began to cry profusely whenever he attempted to speak. His speech was skipped. He was seen kneeling in prayer at the tombstone a few hours after the burial.

June 19, 2012: The Florida primary (the final one!!!!):

Florida

Romney 50.1%
Gingrich 49.8%

Republican Delegate Count - Romney (1050), Gingrich (870), Pawlenty (48), Bolton (17), Pataki (11), Pence (6), Barbour (0), Santorum (0), Rossi (0), Johnson (0)

Mitt Romney has now breached 1,000 delegates with the help of Florida's winner-take-all system. The county caucuses on June 26 will decide the fate of the GOP.
 
June 26, 2012: The county caucuses were close, but Mitt Romney was nominated after taking 1,192 delegates. Gingrich concedes and endorses Romney in hopes of party unity in the coming months.

The general election:

President Barack Obama (D)

vs.

Mitt Romney (R)

Please comment

[feeblepizza]

The month of June is, overall, dull. The unemployment rate edged out at 10.8% at the end of the very end of the month. The Romney campaign released a set of ads about "Unemployment's March to 11."

Commerce Secretary Gary Locke and Labor Secretary Hilda Solis stated in separate interviews that President Obama was "stubborn" in his belief that the economy was recovering. When asked whether or not they believed that the economy was recovering, both declined to answer (although Locke gave a hint that he believed it was not).

August 1, 2012: Vice-President Biden suffers a mild stroke. He recovers in a matter of a few hours at the Bethesda, Maryland General Hospital. The next day, the vice-presidents' office announces that Biden does not wish to remain on the ticket in 2012.

August 2, 2012: On President Obama's list of potential 2012 running-mates are Senator Mark Warner (D-Va.), Governor Kay Hagan (D-NC), Senator Kirsten Gilibrand (D-NY), and U.S. Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel (R-Neb.), who replaced Robert Gates in early 2011.

August 5, 2012: Polls are out and show Romney leading by a massive amount:

Romney 353
Obama 185

Oregon
Romney 45%
Obama 44%

Nevada
Romney 47%
Obama 44%

Minnesota
Romney 45%
Obama 44%

Iowa
Romney 46%
Obama 43%

Wisconsin
Romney 49%
Obama 46%

Michigan
Romney 45%
Obama 44%

Pennsylvania
Romney 43%
Obama 41%

New Hampshire
Romney 47%
Obama 45%

August 20, 2012: Speculation rises about who Mitt Romney will pick as his running mate. Candidates include Senator John Thune (R-SD), Governor Rick Snyder (R-Mich.), Governor Nikki Haley (R-SC), and Governor Chris Christie (R-NJ). Romney announces that he will announce his running mate on the 22nd.

August 22, 2012: The day is finally here, and Mitt Romney's running mate is:

At a rally in Newark, New Jersey, Mitt Romney announces that Governor Chris Christie of New Jersey will be his running mate in the 2012 general election. "Chris is a voice for reform and for fiscal sanity in this world of rampant, out of control spending, debts, and deficits."


Thanks for reading! Next up: THE CONVENTIONS

[feeblepizza]

August 23, 2012: Talk radio host Herman Cain announces that he will be running for President in the general election, as an independent.

"I cannot stand by and watch my party nominate two pro-choice, pro-gun control liberals. Therefore, I will be challenging both Governor Romney and President Obama for the White House this year. My running-mate will be announced on the 27th." --- Herman Cain, Atlanta, Georgia

August 25, 2012: More polls are out:

Romney 360
Obama 178

Nevada
Romney 41%
Obama 40%
Cain 13%

Colorado
Romney 36%
Obama 35%
Cain 19%

Minnesota
Romney 40%
Obama 39%
Cain 10%

Iowa
Romney 40%
Obama 35%
Cain 11%

Wisconsin
Romney 43%
Obama 41%
Cain 11%

Michigan
Romney 40%
Obama 37%
Cain 14%

Pennsylvania
Romney 40%
Obama 36%
Cain 12%

New Jersey
Romney 41%
Obama 40%
Cain 10%

New Hampshire
Romney 45%
Obama 38%
Cain 19%

Herman Cain is polling in double digits in all states, and performing best in Colorado and New Hampshire. Oregon is now considered solidly Obama. So far, however, Cain has done nothing to Romney's massive hypothetical Electoral Vote margin.

August 27, 2012: Herman Cain announces that his running-mate will be:

When Mike Huckabee is asked why he accepted his place on the Cain ticket: "I don't like Mitt," was his only response.

August 27-September 1, 2012: The Republican National Convention is held at St. Pete's Forum in Tampa, Florida. The keynote speaker is Senator Marco Rubio (R-Fl). Other speakers included Newt Gingrich, George Pataki, Tim Pawlenty, and George W. Bush.

August 28, 2012: President Obama's running-mate is:

U.S. Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel, a Republican and former U.S. Senator from Nebraska, will be President Obama's running-mate in the 2012 presidential election. The Obama/Hagel ticket, commonly expected in 2008, is now a reality.

September 3-7, 2012: The Democratic National Convention is held in Charlotte, North Carolina. The keynote address was delivered by Governor Andrew Cuomo of New York. Other speakers included Evan Bayh, Mark Warner, Al Gore, and Hillary Clinton.

[feeblepizza]

I have a couple of questions.

1. Where is Cain's support coming from? After Cain's entrance into the race, polls show Romney's electoral lead increasing, yet Cain is polling in the double digits.

2. What are pundits saying about Obama's pick of Hagel? This is the first bipartisan presidential ticket since Lincoln/Johnson in 1864- it's obviously something that would be talked about.

Yeah, I'm not quite getting how the electorate can possibly be so conservative. In Minnesota, a state that hasn't voted Republican in I don't know how long, you have Romney and Cain combining for 55% of the vote. In NJ, Cain and Romney combine for 62% of the vote!? In New Jersey?? I get where you're trying to do with this, but as a conservative, I think you're making the electorate waaaay too conservative. Even with a near 11% unemployment rate. 62% in NJ?

Thanks for bringing that to my attention. I just pull numbers out of nowhere and hope they work, and these numbers apparently aren't working. I'll change them.

And to answer Vazdul's questions -

1. Cain's support is coming from Tea Partiers who are dissatisfied with Romney and Christie (two people who are relatively moderate)

2. Pundits aren't surprised at Obama/Hagel, due to the fact that Hagel endorsed Obama in 2008 and is relatively liberal (his opposition to the War on Terror, his social liberalism, and his liberal immigration policy).

[feeblepizza]

1.Cain's support is coming from Tea Partiers who are dissatisfied with Romney and Christie (two people who are relatively moderate)

That's what I thought, but the numbers didn't really seem to suggest that Cain was detracting too many votes from Romney, despite his relatively good performance.

The Tea Party is divided between Cain/Huckabee (the conservatives, for obvious reasons) and Romney/Christie (because Christie has what they want - the guts to do what needs to be done - he's just not favored as much as Cain/Huckabee).

[feeblepizza]

September 28, 2012: Despite polling at 14%, Herman Cain was not be allowed in the presidential debate. Romney and Obama, however, still had a lively argument over national security (the debate topic):

"North Korea has a fully operational nuclear program. Iran is developing weapons as a fast pace. Israel's security is being disregarded by the United States. We've deserted Iraq, and our presence in Afghanistan is nowhere near productive. Our nuclear capability if being hijacked. And on top of all that, President Obama is going around apologizing to America's enemies. Frankly, we're not safe under this Administration." --- Mitt Romney

"The United States has been spending billions of dollars on dead end wars in the Middle East. We've been pursuing a brutish, counterproductive foreign policy for awhile now. My Administration has changed that. The U.S. is no longer the boss; we're cooperating with other nations and acknowledging that we can't have everything we want." --- Barack Obama

Who Won the Debate?
Romney 56%
Obama 41%

Conservative talk radio host Michael Savage (a supporter of the Cain/Huckabee ticket) called President Obama a "threat to the nation" for saying that "the U.S. is no longer the boss." Most other pundits agreed that this comment was ill-conceived, as it made President Obama look as if he thought America had dropped from its Number One spot in world affairs.

September 29, 2012: Herman Cain posted a fifty minute speech on his foreign policy on his website as a substitute for his inability to appear in the debate. Over 1,000,000 Americans hit his website to view the speech.

October 1, 2012: Polls show that Romney is still leading, while Cain has now broken the 15% mark and will be allowed in the two upcoming debates (Mike Huckabee will be able to debate as well).

General Election Polls, September 2012
Romney 35%
Obama 33%
Cain 18%

October 2, 2012: The vice-presidential debate was held, and three candidates participated: U.S. Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel (a Republican representing the Democratic ticket), Governor Chris Christie (a Republican representing the Republican ticket), and Mike Huckabee (a Republican representing a third-party ticket).

The three Republicans were questioned on everything from economics to foreign policy to the environment. Overall, Hagel was said to have had the best composure and thus to have won the debate; most say that Christie came off as "irritated and angry." Most said that Huckabee performed well also.

Who Won the Debate?
Hagel 33%
Huckabee 32%
Christie 29%

Who Would Make the Best President?
Hagel 30%
Huckabee 30%
Christie 30%

October 6, 2012: The vice-presidential candidates' performances seem to have impacted the presidential candidates' places in the polls as well:

Post-Vice-Presidential Debate Presidential Poll, October 3-6, 2012
Romney 38%
Obama 38%
Cain 21%

President Obama has narrowly taken leads in Iowa, Wisconsin, and Minnesota. Cain is coming in second in Arkansas and is tied with Obama in Georgia. Overall, Romney is leading 334-204 in a hypothetical Electoral College count.

October 23, 2012: The second debate - featuring all three candidates - is on the subject of the economy. President Obama was hammered constantly by Romney and Cain due to the nearly 10.9% unemployment rate.

Who Won the Debate?
Romney 41%
Cain 39%
Obama 14%

President Obama's performance was likened to that of Christie's in the vice-presidential debate. Kieth Olbermann commented that it was "Christie x50."

October 27, 2012: The unemployment rate hits 11%. The Romney campaign now begins a new series of ads: "Unemployment's March to 12%."

"This is the latest piece of evidence we have that the Obama Administration is an utter and complete failure." --- Herman Cain

"If we had leaders who knew what they were doing, then 11% unemployment wouldn't be a problem." --- Mike Huckabee

"The economy is terrible, and our Commander-in-Chief is too arrogant to admit that his policies are not working, and never will work." --- Mitt Romney

"The President and the economy make me sick. I can't take it anymore. We need some change. And I'm being serious. We're all pissed, and we need some change now." --- Chris Christie

[feeblepizza]

Tiny Nitpick:

Huckabee is actually more Liberal than he appears to be. He is more Liberal then Romney on both tax and immigration policy.

Romney/Crist 2012! (Despite my like of the Cain/Huckabbe ticket)

I know that Huckabee is much more liberal than Romney. And also, the Republican ticket is Romney/CHRISTIE

[feeblepizza]

This makes no sense.  Cain's support would come almost exclusively from Romney.  If he is polling at 18% Obama should still be in the 40's and Romney suffering in the 30's.  There's no way you can have Cain run without basically handing the race to Obama.

And Obama picking a Republican running mate is enough to make the liberals launch their own challenger (which could validate your poll numbers a bit).  Regardless, Obama picking a republican is about as likely as Romney picking Huckabee.

Hagel is a major Obama supporter (and his Defense Secretary ITTL). Also, Romney and Christie are picking up independents who would not otherwise vote for the Tea Party candidate.

[feeblepizza]

November 5, 2012: The last debate is a town hall. There was, of course, no set subject matter, but the vast majority of questions were, of course, on the economy. Most agree that all three candidates did well this time.

Who Won the Debate?
Romney 31%
Cain 30%
Obama 27%

THE FINAL POLLS show that President Obama has caught up to Romney, but barely:

President Obama is now leading in Pennsylvania, closing Romney's lead to 224-314. If he can win swing states such as Michigan and Nevada, than he may have a shot at getting reelected.

November 6, 2012: Welcome to Election Night 2012, where three candidates are fighting for the White House: former Governor Mitt Romney, a Republican from Massachusetts; President Barack Obama, a Democratic from Illinois; and talk radio host Herman Cain, the Tea Party backed candidate from Atlanta, Georgia. The first poll closings are at 7:00. Please stay tuned....

States in red have been won by Barack Obama
States in blue have been won by Mitt Romney
States in yellow have been won by Herman Cain
States in green have closed polls but are too close to call
States in gray have open polls

7:00 PM - It seems as if Mitt's victory won't be as easy as he thought - the only state that we can call with confidence right now is Vermont, which has given 71% of the vote to President Obama this election.

Obama/Hagel (D) - 3
Romney/Christie (R) - 0
Cain/Huckabee (I) - 0

7:30 PM - We have more poll closings at the half hour mark, but still no more projections. Ohio, West Virginia, and North Carolina are close, with Herman Cain at the 10% mark and both Obama and Romney nearly tied in the low 40s. In Kentucky, Indiana, South Carolina, and Virginia, we have the same situation exactly. In Georgia, however, President Obama is at the 25% mark while Romney and Cain battle it out in the 30s.

8:00 PM - With no more poll changes, we are now getting a boatload of projections. All of them are for President Obama. An upset could be likely tonight....

Obama/Hagel (D) - 61
Romney/Christie (R) - 0
Cain/Huckabee (I) - 0

8:21 PM - President Obama has taken Pennsylvania under his belt, and is getting nearer and nearer to 100 Electors, while Romney and Cain still have yet to win a state.

Obama/Hagel (D) - 81
Romney/Christie (R) - 0
Cain/Huckabee (I) - 0

8:30 PM - Arkansas' polls have closed, but we can not make a projection as to who will win that state right now. So far, however, Cain is leading with Romney close behind, as with Georgia - President Obama is barely hitting 25% in Georgia and getting 15% in Arkansas.

8:44 PM - Mitt Romney has picked up one state tonight, and that state is Kentucky. It may be a feeble start, but it's a start nonetheless.

Obama/Hagel (D) - 81
Romney/Christie (R) - 8
Cain/Huckabee (I) - 0

Please comment

[feeblepizza]

Romney can't win without Pennsylvania. And how can the results of Georgia be accurate? 15, 39. 39 still isn't 100 because other candidates wouldn't pick that much up and I assume Cain and Romney aren't both at 39%

I changed the figures. Now Obama is hitting 25%. Assume that the score is 25-36-38 (other candidates are picking up around 1%).

[feeblepizza]

Romney can't win without Pennsylvania. And how can the results of Georgia be accurate? 15, 39. 39 still isn't 100 because other candidates wouldn't pick that much up and I assume Cain and Romney aren't both at 39%

I changed the figures. Now Obama is hitting 25%. Assume that the score is 25-36-38 (other candidates are picking up around 1%).

I thought this was an update of the TL...

Don't worry. I'll put one up soon enough.

[feeblepizza]

9:00 PM - Now we have several more poll closings and some projections from older states. It looks like Romney has gained some Southern states, while President Obama has broken 100 Electoral Votes, with an astonishing 70%+ victory in New York State.

Obama/Hagel (D) - 120
Romney/Christie (R) - 43
Cain/Huckabee (I) - 0

9:14 PM - Alabama, Mississippi, and Nebraska's 3rd Congressional District will all be under the Republican column tonight. Other than that, we have no projections. We can say that Herman Cain is now leading by a small margin in Arkansas, and Romney is leading by a razor thin margin in Georgia. Missouri is having a hard time deciding between the three candidates, with all three in either the high 20s or low to mid 30s.

Obama/Hagel (D) - 120
Romney/Christie (R) - 59
Cain/Huckabee (I) - 0

9:31 PM - We can say with certainty that South Dakota, Kansas, and Texas can all be called for Mitt Romney. We believe that when all votes are counted, South Dakota, Kansas, and Texas will be in the Republican Party's column tonight. This is the first time Mitt Romney has broken 100 Electors tonight.

Obama/Hagel (D) - 120
Romney/Christie (R) - 105
Cain/Huckabee (I) - 0

9:40 PM - Despite the best hopes of the Republicans, the early swing-states of Minnesota and Wisconsin are going into the Obama column tonight.

Obama/Hagel (D) - 140
Romney/Christie (R) - 105
Cain/Huckabee (I) - 0

9:59 PM - We can now project that Louisiana will be voting Republican tonight. Mitt Romney has gained 47% of the vote there; Obama comes in second with 35% of the vote; and Cain is in last with 17% of the vote.

Obama/Hagel (D) - 140
Romney/Christie (R) - 113
Cain/Huckabee (I) - 0

10:00 PM - The only projection that we can solidly make right now is Utah, which will be voting for Mitt Romney.

Obama/Hagel (D) - 140
Romney/Christie (R) - 119
Cain/Huckabee (I) - 0

10:09 PM - The State of Nebraska's two Electoral Votes can now be called for Mitt Romney. Congressional Districts One and Two remain too close to call.

Obama/Hagel (D) - 140
Romney/Christie (R) - 121
Cain/Huckabee (I) - 0

[feeblepizza]

10:34 PM - We can now confirm that Mitt Romney has won the state of Michigan, quickly closing to gap between he and President Obama. The difference is three Electoral Votes that could be found in any of the states on the line now, except for Nebraska, which has two on the line.

Obama/Hagel (D) - 140
Romney/Christie (R) - 137
Cain/Huckabee (I) - 0

10:40 PM - We can call Iowa in President Obama's favor tonight. He's still ahead, but Mitt Romney is still very much in the game after his victory in Michigan.

Obama/Hagel (D) - 146
Romney/Christie (R) - 137
Cain/Huckabee (I) - 0

10:55 PM - We believe that, when all votes are counted, Mitt Romney will carry the state of Montana.

Obama/Hagel (D) - 146
Romney/Christie (R) - 140
Cain/Huckabee (I) - 0

11:00 PM - We can call California, Washington, and Hawaii for President Obama. This pushes him out over 200 Electoral Votes, and over his originally predicted count at that. This election will indeed turn out to be a nail-biter.

Obama/Hagel (D) - 217
Romney/Christie (R) - 140
Cain/Huckabee (I) - 0

11:03 PM - We are now confident enough to say that President Obama will be carrying Nebraska's 2nd Congressional District, just as he did in 2008. Secretary Hagel certainly is helping the Obama campaign out.

Obama/Hagel (D) - 218
Romney/Christie (R) - 140
Cain/Huckabee (I) - 0

11:11 PM - President Obama will win Oregon tonight, despite the best works of the Romney campaign to carry that state.

Obama/Hagel (D) - 225
Romney/Christie (R) - 140
Cain/Huckabee (I) - 0

11:45 PM - Enormously good news for the Romney campaign right now, as it seems he will carry North Dakota, Idaho, Colorado, and Arizona. He is edging towards 200 Electoral Votes, painfully slow, but still getting there.

Obama/Hagel (D) - 225
Romney/Christie (R) - 168
Cain/Huckabee (I) - 0

11:58 PM - Virginia and Nevada have been called for Mitt Romney, but President Obama has taken Nebraska's 2nd Congressional District. Once again, Hagel on the ticket is a huge asset for him.

Obama/Hagel (D) - 226
Romney/Christie (R) - 187
Cain/Huckabee (I) - 0

[feeblepizza]

What's the difference between states that are colored in light green and those colored in dark green?

Dark green - 40% margins (Oregon, however, was in 50% margins)
Light green - 30% margins

[feeblepizza]

12:01 AM - We can make another projection tonight, and it looks like, when all votes are counted, Mitt Romney will have carried the State of New Jersey, of which his running-mate Chris Christie is Governor.

Obama/Hagel (D) - 226
Romney/Christie (R) - 201
Cain/Huckabee (I) - 0

12:35 AM - We can make a groundbreaking projection right now: Herman Cain is believed to have carried the State of Georgia. This is the first time a third party candidate has won a state in an election since George in 1968.

Obama/Hagel (D) - 226
Romney/Christie (R) - 201
Cain/Huckabee (I) - 16

12:41 AM - We can call North Carolina for Mitt Romney this hour.

Obama/Hagel (D) - 226
Romney/Christie (R) - 216
Cain/Huckabee (I) - 16

12:58 AM - We believe, at this moment, that Mitt Romney will carry the state of New Hampshire.

Obama/Hagel (D) - 226
Romney/Christie (R) - 220
Cain/Huckabee (I) - 16

1:00 AM - Polls in Alaska have closed, but the state is sill too close to call. Many predicted that this would happen, what with former Governor Sarah Palin's endorsement of Herman Cain. Mitt Romney is leading by six points in the results just coming in, but an upset may occur after what happened in Georgia tonight.

1:59 AM - We can call Alaska for Mitt Romney, who is now at a virtual tie with President Obama in Electoral Votes.

Obama/Hagel (D) - 226
Romney/Christie (R) - 223
Cain/Huckabee (I) - 16

2:49 AM - We believe that once all votes are in and counted, the State of Indiana will have been won by Mitt Romney this election.

Romney/Christie (R) - 234
Obama/Hagel (D) - 226
Cain/Huckabee (I) - 16

3:26 AM - The State of Florida can be called for Mitt Romney.

Romney/Christie (R) - 262
Obama/Hagel (D) - 226
Cain/Huckabee (I) - 16

4:00 AM - It is believed that Herman Cain will be carrying another state - Arkansas. This is the first time a third party has won multiple states since 1968. Also interestingly, all the states Herman Cain carried were carried for Wallace.

Romney/Christie (R) - 262
Obama/Hagel (D) - 226
Cain/Huckabee (I) - 22

6:02 AM - Mitt Romney has carried the State of Ohio, and will be the next President of the United States of America.

Romney/Christie (R) - 280
Obama/Biden (D) - 226
Cain/Huckabee (I) - 22

The Next President of the United States of America!!!!

Willard Mitt Romney (Republican, Massachusetts)

[feeblepizza]

WTF: that would never happen in real life. but for a TL, it's great . congratulations

^

Though I may see this (though out there) if Romney ran on a VERY moderate anti-conservative platform

The real question is how he held the South (for the most part) together even as he was able to get New Hampshire. Of the three states that ordinarily a Republican sould not get: Michigan, New Jersey, and New New Hampshire, New Hampshire si the biggest surprise. How did he hold the West, South, and the East while also being challenged by Cain?

He held the South because of the powerful and popular Southerners (the Bushes, Jim DeMint, Newt Gingrich, Nikki Haley, etc.) supporting him.

He won in Michigan because his family is very popular there and because Michigan-ans were alienated by the Granholm Administration; he won in New Jersey because of Chris Christie; and he won in New Hampshire because New Hampshire is the most likely state up North to flip to the Republican column.

He held the West because Western voters are primarily evangelical Mormons, which is a plus for Romney (due to his Mormonism).

[feeblepizza]

WTF: that would never happen in real life. but for a TL, it's great . congratulations

^

Though I may see this (though out there) if Romney ran on a VERY moderate anti-conservative platform

The real question is how he held the South (for the most part) together even as he was able to get New Hampshire. Of the three states that ordinarily a Republican sould not get: Michigan, New Jersey, and New New Hampshire, New Hampshire si the biggest surprise. How did he hold the West, South, and the East while also being challenged by Cain?

He held the South because of the powerful and popular Southerners (the Bushes, Jim DeMint, Newt Gingrich, Nikki Haley, etc.) supporting him.

He won in Michigan because his family is very popular there and because Michigan-ans were alienated by the Granholm Administration; he won in New Jersey because of Chris Christie; and he won in New Hampshire because New Hampshire is the most likely state up North to flip to the Republican column.

He held the West because Western voters are primarily evangelical Mormons, which is a plus for Romney (due to his Mormonism).

I understand Michigan and New Jersey (I live in one of those states), but how did he manage to hold together enough moderates and enough Cosnervatives?

Note: Michiganians

Romney and Christie are very moderate Republicans, so obviously they would get a large chunk of the independent vote. Conservative tea-party members like Christie. So the non-activist conservative vote went primarily to Romney, while the tea party vote was split 50/50 between Romney (because of Christie) and Cain/Huckabee (for the obvious reasons).

[feeblepizza]

Final 2012 election map:

Former Governor Mitt Romney (R-MA)/Governor Chris Christie (R-NJ) 39.8% (280)
President Barack Obama (D-IL)/Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel (R-NE) 41.1% (226)
Herman Cain (R-GA)/Former Governor Mike Huckabee (R-AR) 18% (33)

The Cain/Huckabee ticket took Missouri as well as Georgia and Arkansas. The popular vote was won by President Obama, by a margin of 1.3%, the largest gap in the history of Electoral Vote winner/popular vote loser situations.

Gubernatorial Results -

Gubernatorial Make-Up
Republicans - 36 (+3)
Democrats - 12 (-3)

Senatorial Results -

Senatorial Make-Up
Republicans - 63 (+10)
Democrats - 34 (-10)
Independents - 3 (-2)

House Make-Up
Republicans - 222 (-10)
Democrats - 204 (+10)
Independents - 9 (+9)

NOTE: From now on, you will have to ask for the names of winners in all statewide and congressional elections.


Now - should I continue on and describe the Romney Administration?

[feeblepizza]

The Romney Cabinet -
State Secretary - John Bolton (R-MD)
Treasury Secretary - Meg Whitman (R-CA)
Defense Secretary - Chuck Hagel (R-NE)
Attorney General - Rudy Giuliani (R-NY)
Interior Secretary - Haley Barbour (R-MS)
Agriculture Secretary - Saxby Chambliss (R-GA)
Commerce Secretary - Mitch Daniels (R-IN)
Labor Secretary - Tom Coburn (R-OK)
Health and Human Services Secretary - George Pataki (R-NY)
Housing and Urban Development Secretary - Michael L. Williams (R-TX)
Transportation Secretary - Ray LaHood (R-IL)
Energy Secretary - Lisa Murkowski (R-AK)
Education Secretary - Jodi Rell (R-CT)
Veterans' Affairs Secretary - Richard Burr (R-NC)
Homeland Security Secretary - Tom Ridge (R-PA)

Other important appointments include that of Charles Spys as White House Chief of Staff, and that of former Governor Tim Pawlenty to the OMB. Joe Lieberman was appointed as U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations.

November-December 2012: President-elect Romney began appointing people to his Cabinet.

November 13, 2012: Al-Qaeda second-in-command Ayman al-Zawahiri releases a videotape stating that first-in-command Osama bin Laden has passed away of kidney failure earlier during the month. The media is buzzing all over the announcement, and President Obama states that his death is "a sign that Al-Qaeda is weakening."

Osama Mohammed bin Awad bin Laden (May 10, 1957-November 2012)

The unemployment rate rose to 11.4% according to the latest figures. The media did not buzz over this, as Osama's death was considered the explosive news of the month.

November 16, 2012: State Secretary John Kerry, Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel, and Pakistani President Asif Zardari meet in Islamabad to discuss Al-Qaeda's future. Al-Qaeda terrorist Usama Neak fires five shots into the meeting, killing Secretary Kerry and President Zardari; Secretary Hagel was wounded but did not die.

John Forbes Kerry (December 11, 1943-November 16, 2012)

November 17, 2012: Prime-Minister Yousaf Gillani is sworn in to secede President Zardari.

President Obama announces that he will not replace Secretary Kerry. He also states that Kerry "will be missed for his many services to our nation."

Yousaf Gillani, the former Prime-Minister and current President of Pakistan.

December 30, 2012: All U.S. troops have left Iraq. President Obama visits Baghdad to make a speech announcing this fact, stating that "America can now focus on the future as opposed to being stuck in the past."

President-elect Romney states that President Obama "could not be more arrogant and more dangerous to our security."

Unemployment numbers reveal that the unemployment rate is 11.5%.

[feeblepizza]

I'd like to know who are those independent senators

In Vermont, Bernie Sanders; in Minnesota, Dean Berkley; in New Jersey, Lou Dobbs

Who ran against Brown in Massachussetts? Who beat Webb in Virgnia? Who ran against Casey in Pennsylvania?

In Massachusetts, Deval Patrick once again ran for the Senate and lost in a close race.

In Virginia, Mary Cheney was elected in a close race.

In Pennsylvania, Joe Scarnati posed a significant challenge but lost nonetheless.

[feeblepizza]

Good Timeline! Why does Romney keep Hagel, a former opponent, at Secretary of Defense? I like his pick of Joe Lieberman for UN Ambassador. Sad thing about Obama winning the popular vote, though...

He keeps Hagel much as President Obama kept Gates. The Hagel appointment will run until late 2013/early 2014.

[feeblepizza]

January 3, 2013: The new U.S. Congress is sworn in, and some changes are made in leadership. Republicans elect House Majority Whip Eric Cantor (R-Va.) as their Speaker, while Tim Murphy (R-Penn.) is elected Majority Whip. Mike Pence remains in his position as Majority Leader.

U.S. House Speaker Eric Cantor (R-Va.)

January 6, 2013: President-elect Romney and Vice-President-elect Christie meet with Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), Senate Minority Leader Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), House Speaker Eric Cantor (R-Va.) and House Minority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) in a discussion of how to get the economy moving again.

January 17, 2013: President Obama delivers his fourth and final State of the Union Address: "When I gave my first State of the Union in 2009, Americans were experiencing hard times. They are still experiencing hard times. We had an election a few months ago, and my policies were turned down. I believe that we can work together, Republican and Democrat, liberal and conservative, and solve these problems so that our next generation can experience America in its prime."

January 20, 2013: At noon at the U.S. Capitol Building, Willard Mitt Romney is sworn as the 45th President of the United States of America. In his Inaugural Address, he states: "We have seen record unemployment numbers; a rise in terrorism; our global position is falling rapidly. Americans are hurting. They need a change. We need to work together, all of us, to bring that change. We can bring America back. For the next four years, the Romney Administration will be working around the clock to restore our prosperity."

America's first multiracial President will be seceded by its first Mormon President - two American political records broken in a row.

January 21, 2013: On President Romney's first day in office, Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy passes away of a heart attack at the age of 76.

He is known as the crucial swing-vote on the court. President Romney says that he will make an announcement as to a choice in February.

[feeblepizza]

January 3, 2013: The new U.S. Congress is sworn in, and some changes are made in leadership. Republicans elect House Majority Whip Eric Cantor (R-Va.) as their Speaker, while Tim Murphy (R-Penn.) is elected Majority Whip. Mike Pence remains in his position as Majority Leader.

U.S. House Speaker Eric Cantor (R-Va.)

January 6, 2013: President-elect Romney and Vice-President-elect Christie meet with Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), Senate Minority Leader Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), House Speaker Eric Cantor (R-Va.) and House Minority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) in a discussion of how to get the economy moving again.

January 17, 2013: President Obama delivers his fourth and final State of the Union Address: "When I gave my first State of the Union in 2010, Americans were experiencing hard times. They are still experiencing hard times. We had an election a few months ago, and my policies were turned down. I believe that we can work together, Republican and Democrat, liberal and conservative, and solve these problems so that our next generation can experience America in its prime."

January 20, 2013: At noon at the U.S. Capitol Building, Willard Mitt Romney is sworn as the 45th President of the United States of America. In his Inaugural Address, he states: "We have seen record unemployment numbers; a rise in terrorism; our global position is falling rapidly. Americans are hurting. They need a change. We need to work together, all of us, to bring that change. We can bring America back. For the next four years, the Romney Administration will be working around the clock to restore our prosperity."

America's first multiracial President will be seceded by its first Mormon President - two American political records broken in a row.

January 21, 2013: On President Romney's first day in office, Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy passes away of a heart attack at the age of 76.

He is known as the crucial swing-vote on the court. President Romney says that he will make an announcement as to a choice in February.

feeble, where were independents elected, from the House and Senate?

The independents in the House were Tea Partiers from conservative Midwestern and Southern districts, while the independents in the Senate are from MN, NJ, and VT (Sanders).

[feeblepizza]

January 23, 2013: The U.S. Congress passes a wave of tax cuts, much like the Bush Tax Cuts of 2001 and 2003. President Romney signs them into law and calls them a "victory for America's middle class."

Presidential Approval Rating:
Approve - 51.3%
Disapprove - 42.6%

January 26, 2013: The American Economic Recovery Act of 2013 passes the U.S. House. The act ends many programs that the 2009 stimulus started. It also gives tax cuts and grants to small businesses. The cornerstone of the bill is the sharp reduction in spending on social programs such as welfare. It gains all Republican and independent votes, as well as votes from many Blue Dog Democrats who were threatened in 2010 and 2012.

During an interview, former President Obama alludes to his future in the political arena: "At this point, who knows? I might write a book, I might start a PAC of some sort, but right now I'm just taking it on the down-low and reviewing my options. All I can say now is that I wish President Romney all the best."

The former President's approval/disapproval ratings have not improved, sitting at 33/60. Former President Jimmy Carter's are 50/31 and former President George W. Bush's are 43/45. This makes him America's least popular former U.S. President.

February 1, 2013: President Romney's economic bill passes the Senate in a resounding 61-39 vote. President Romney signs it just as unemployment hits 11.7% - its highest point since the 1970s.

Presidential Approval Rating:
Approval - 51.4%
Disapproval - 43.1%

Also, President Romney nominates 5th Circuit Appeals Judge Priscilla Owen (a 2005 appointee from George W. Bush) to replace Justice Kennedy on the bench. She is considered rigidly conservative, and was on President Bush's shortlist to replace Sandra Day O'Connor in 2006.

February 3, 2013: President Romney states that healthcare reform will be his Administration's next top priority. He states that ObamaCare will be repealed and replaced with "common sense reform" such as buying across state lines and private savings accounts. When polled, 55% of Americans would like to repeal ObamaCare, while 37% wish for it to remain in place.


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