Ooh, this is an interesting one.
2020
Pres. Scott (D-CT)/Vice Pres. Charlie Crist (D-FL): 395 (54% PV)Gov. TNF (I-KY)/Mayor Bill DeBlasio (I-NY): 85 (21% PV)Gov. Oldiesfreak (R-MI)/Sen. John Thune (R-SD): 58 (25% PV)The 2020 presidential election ends up being two contests: one in the South and Border States, and another in the rest of the country. Democrat incumbent president Scott enters his reelection bid with high job approval across the board, and many pundits consider him unbeatable. After a bitter and divisive nomination contest, Republicans nominate Oldiesfreak1854, the center-right Governor of Michigan who benefited from a wide split in the conservative vote. In order to solidify his conservative base, Oldiesfreak chooses Senator John Thune of South Dakota as his running mate. However, this conservative base would soon implode on him after a series of anti-Southern gaffes by the governor are made public and his religious beliefs begin to raise the ire of many Catholics and religious conservatives. Capitalizing on this division, Governor TNF of Kentucky, a populist-leaning Democrat who lost the nomination to Scott four years earlier, enters the race as an Independent and chooses New York City mayor Bill De Blasio (also a Democrat) as his running mate. Forced to distance himself from his controversies, Oldiesfreak is forced, after much hesitation, to withdraw his name from the ballot in Mississippi, Alabama, and South Carolina. Instead, he attempts to make inroads with moderates, liberals, blacks, and Hispanics, focusing most of his Southern efforts on Florida, North Carolina, Virginia, and Texas. Throughout the campaign, Scott and TNF both attack Oldiesfreak over his anti-Southern comments, while Oldiesfreak campaigns primarily on economic issues, attacking both candidates' liberal stances and calling TNF a "Southern socialist." On Election Day, Scott and Vice President Charlie Crist cruise to reelection, with TNF finishing second in the Electoral College and taking over 20 percent of the national popular vote. Oldiesfreak, despite his humiliating third-place finish in the Electoral College vote, manages to win enough support to finish second in the popular vote, with 25 percent of the national total.
