Alternate US History (1788 onwards)

[West_Midlander]

State Margins - Democrats

Parker took a large 87% margin in Alabama. Followed way behind by Hearst at 10.1%. All candidates were on the ballot except Gray.

In Arkansas, Johnson took a plurality of 42%. Hearst was down at 24% and Parker & Gray tied at 15%. Wilson was in the low single digits.

California was a Hearst landslide. Wilson took 14%. Parker took 0.1%. Johnson and Gray were not on the ballot and the former President took the rest (86.2%).

Hearst bested Johnson by 9% in Colorado with all 5 candidates running.

Parker bested Gray 53-40 in Connecticut. The remaining 7% was split between Hearst, Johnson and Wilson.

Delaware was a sweep for Gray. Gray's home state went 59-31 for the former Senator.

All candidates contested Florida and Parker managed an 84% sweep.

Gray swept Florida with 59%.

Idaho went 56.3% for Johnson. Wilson surprisingly took 29.6%, second place.

Note: All states had all candidates on the ballot unless otherwise stated.

Parker swept Illinois with 89%.

Note: The first, second, and third finishing candidates each won their home states.

Johnson took 3/4ths of the vote in Indiana. Parker was not on the ballot.

Johnson took Iowa by 78% and Parker was kept off again.

Parker was expected to be the initial national frontrunner, followed far behind by Hearst, but state party bosses seemed to have had motives other than a fair and balanced primary.

Hearst took Kansas by just 40%. Parker off again.

Kentucky was another Hearst win, 42%. Parker was kept off the ballot again.

Gray won a huge landslide of 93% in Louisiana. Parker was held off again.

Maine was an 89.9% landslide for Gray. Parker was held off again.

Johnson won a narrow 50-47 margin against Gray in Maryland. Parker was not on the ballot again.

Massachusetts went 79% for Gray while Parker was held off again.

Hearst won a 92% landslide in Michigan. Parker and Johnson were not on the ballot.

In Johnson's home state of Michigan, he took 76% of the vote. Wilson and Parker were not on the ballot.

Parkerites expressed major concern for ballot access at the Convention Hall Floor while results were being read off. Hearst supporters in the crowd yelled back Hearst can win anyway, it's just insurance as Hearst is the best candidate to beat Roosevelt, anyway.

In Mississippi, Gray took 82% and Parker was not on the ballot. The Parkerites, a small portion of the present delegates, booed the count, citing Parker's large margin in Alabama. Chanting Parker Would've Won.

After the DNC Chairman fails to calm the 10% minority of delegates (Parkites), the vast majority of delegates, Hearst delegates and many others embraced the nominee, chanting "Randolph Hearst! Randolph Hearst!"

In Missouri, Hearst managed a 93% margin. Parker and Johnson were not on the ballot.

In Montana, Hearst took 91%. Only he and Gray had ballot access.

In Nebraska, Hearst won 60-40. Only he and Gray had access.

Once again, only Hearst and Gray were on the ballot in Nevada. Hearst won 89-11.

In the following states, Hearst was the only candidate on the ballot, as a result he garnered 100% of the vote:
New Hampshire
New Jersey (Wilson's home state)
New York (Parker's home state)

After Parker was deprived of the chance to contest his home state (also Hearst's home state), most of the Parkerite delegates left the convention in protest.

(Other Hearst-only ballot access states)

North Carolina
North Dakota
Ohio
Oklahoma
Oregon
Pennsylvania
Rhode Island
South Carolina
South Dakota
Tennessee
Texas
Utah
Vermont
Virginia
Washington
West Virginia
Wisconsin
Wyoming

[West_Midlander]

Democratic Primary Endorsements
GRAY - Gray endorsed Hearst following primary day at a joint rally.
JOHNSON - Johnson endorsed Hearst at the Convention.
PARKER - Parker did not appear at the Democratic National Convention. A few days later he made a press statement saying he will vote for Hearst as he is a Democrat through and through. No official endorsement.
WILSON - Wilson endorsed Hearst, the day after primary day, in the hopes of garnering goodwill among Democrats should he contest elected office again.

[West_Midlander]

Republican Primary Endorsements
CANNON - Did not appear at the convention. Endorsed Roosevelt following the primary, saying "there is only one choice this November."
FORAKER - As a business Republican, he vastly preferred Roosevelt to Hearst and gave a fiery speech and endorsement at the RNC.
LA FOLLETTE - Endorsed Roosevelt before the Convention. Pressured to not wait until the convention due to the following: was snubbed out of a speaking slot. Many thought he would try to push his platform and call out the "faults" of the Roosevelt administration, despite his preference of TR over Hearst.

[West_Midlander]

The Socialist Party convened in New York City. Debs stepped aside and the party nominated Democratic Speaker William Randolph Hearst, effectively not running a candidate in this election. The Socialists announced they would challenge as many Republicans as possible for congressional seats in 1908. The party would also not contest the seats of pro-labor Hearst Democrats. Some Socialist Party leaders wanted to merge, with Hearst back at the wheel of the Democrats. Debs warned of how easily the incumbent President was tossed aside in 1904, bolstering his concern with the thought that if Hearst lost the election, the Socialists' infrastructure (if they dissolved/merged with Dems) would be dismantled and labor Democrats would be out of control of the party again.

[West_Midlander]

At the RNC, Roosevelt announced that his running mate would be incumbent Vice President Charles Warren Fairbanks.

At the DNC, Speaker Hearst announced his running mate would be Mr. John W. Kern of Indiana.

[West_Midlander]

1908 Presidential

The closest state was 50-49.9 (Michigan).

Hearst swept the nation taking 62.9% of the popular vote to Roosevelt's 37.1%.

The EV count was 311-172. Hearst swept the Democratic South. The Former President held most of the West and was competitive in the Plains. Minnesota went blue, alongside half of New England. Hearst also swept the urban areas of Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Illinois and Indiana. Roosevelt broke into the South, though only into Missouri and held onto Ohio and his home of New York, besting the fellow son of New York, Speaker W.R. Hearst, there.

States by popular vote

[President of the great nation of 🏳️‍⚧️]

Briefly wondered how TR lost his home state while sweeping the South.

[America's Sweetheart ❤/𝕿𝖍𝖊 𝕭𝖔𝖔𝖙𝖞 𝖂𝖆𝖗𝖗𝖎𝖔𝖗]

1908 Presidential

The closest state was 50-49.9 (Michigan).

Hearst swept the nation taking 62.9% of the popular vote to Roosevelt's 37.1%.

The EV count was 311-172. Hearst swept the Democratic South. The Former President held most of the West and was competitive in the Plains. Minnesota went blue, alongside half of New England. Hearst also swept the urban areas of Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Illinois and Indiana. Roosevelt broke into the South, though only into Missouri and held onto Ohio and his home of New York, besting the fellow son of New York, Speaker W.R. Hearst, there.

States by popular vote

That contrast between North and South Dakota tho

[West_Midlander]

Yep. PI's figures can be quite wacky. I got those numbers by running as Debs hands off (under 5% in the end) and it resulted in a Hearstslide. Since Debs didn't run ITTL I gave his %s to Hearst, as he's very pro-labor, this kept all states the same, save one. WI flipped to Hearst after doing this.

[West_Midlander]

The US House of Representatives (elected 1908)
Democrats: 207 (+48)
Republicans: 137 (-52)
Socialists: 47 (+4)
Hearst's landslide had shockwaves downballot. Democrats swept into the House taking a 53% majority of seats in the lower congressional chamber. Republicans were reduced to 35% of seats. The Socialist Party made a few gains, despite not contesting Democratic contests. With the Democratic party led by Hearst Democrats, a Democratic-Socialist cooperation would allow the President 65% of the House, nearly a supermajority (enough for constitutional amendment).
[DEMOCRATIC GAIN]

[West_Midlander]

The US Senate (elected 1908)
Democrats: 48 (+16)
Republicans: 30 (-16)
Socialist: 12
[DEMOCRATIC GAIN]
The Socialists failed to make any gains as 16 seats changed hands. Democrats swept the Senate appointments by sweeping and holding state legislatures. The Democrats narrowly met the 47 Senator threshold for a majority, yet a Democratic-Socialist association would grant Hearst exactly two-thirds of the Senate (60/90, 66.7%, so I assume one vote short of a supermajority?).

[West_Midlander]

President William Randolph Hearst

President-elect Hearst took office without incident on January 20, 1909. With two unimpeded inaugurations behind them, the political violence of the early century was over and the public breathed a sigh of relief.

Vice President John Worth Kern

[West_Midlander]

Secretary of State John McBride

The President called on his Secretary of State to serve again, to which the former labor leader agreed. At this point in time, McBride had become an activist in the Socialist Party, discarding his former Independent party affiliation. McBride was confirmed 54-22. Some conservative Democrats would not vote for McBride but none would vote against him. 8 Republicans defected the "Nay" party line in an attempt to hold onto their seats in the midterms. (Hearst and his nominee for SoS are very popular).

[West_Midlander]

Governor John Albert Johnson of Minnesota was approached by Hearst with the offer of joining the cabinet. The Governor declined citing poor health. Governor Johnson resigned in February of 1909 and returned to private life. As a result, he survived several years longer than in our timeline and did not perish in late 1909 as the incumbent Governor.

[West_Midlander]

Attorney General Horace Boies

President Hearst once again called on his loyal Attorney General, Horace Boies of Iowa, to serve. Boies, who had returned to law, agreed to the proposition. The populist Attornery General was confirmed 60-20 with the opposition of all Socialist Senators and a few left-wing Democrats.

[West_Midlander]

Secretary of the Treasury William Green

Labor leader and former Treasury Secretary under Hearst, William Green, returned to his position at the President's pleasure and at the Senate's approval. Green was approved 52-34.

[West_Midlander]

Secretary of the Navy Allan Benson

Socialist newspaper editor and write Allan Louis Benson was nominated by President Hearst to serve as Navy Secretary. The pick was criticized for being a non-Democratic leftist and for not being a naval veteran, himself. The vote came down to 45-45 after much deliberation and after heavy lobbying on his part, Hearst convinced Kern to cast his vote in favor of the nominee.

[West_Midlander]

Senator Robert La Follette was offered a cabinet position by the Democratic president. La Follette refused the offer after debating it a lot. Despite being passed over for the nomination several times, Fighting Bob figured his image in the party and a chance to win the nomination in 1912 or later would be nonexistant if he agreed to serve the Democrat, as a prominent Republican.

[West_Midlander]

Secretary of the Interior James H. Maurer

Trade unionist James Hudson Maurer was nominated for Interior Secretary. He was confirmed 50-25.

[West_Midlander]

Secretary of Agriculture Meyer London

Hearst calls on his former Secretary of Agriculture Meyer London to serve again. The socialist politician agrees and is confirmed by the Senate 47-19.

[West_Midlander]

Secretary of Commerce & Labor Kate Richards O'Hare

Hearst nominated Socialist editor, orator, and activist Kate Richards O'Hare to his cabinet. O'Hare was confirmed 50-40 after much debate. Most Democrats agreed to vote for her because it is a minor cabinet position, but had reservations because of her politics and her gender. O'Hare is the first female cabinet secretary (besting Perkins in '33 IOTL).

[West_Midlander]

Postmaster General John Coit Spooner

The Old Man of Washington, Spooner, was nominated again and confirmed 90-0 after he agreed to quit the Republicans (now Independent).

[West_Midlander]

Secretary of War George Dewey

In order to abate conservatives and moderates in Congress, President Hearst nominated his Democratic Former Vice President George Dewey to serve as Secretary of War.
 The former navy admiral had his differences with the President but agreed to serve his party once again. He was confirmed 82-1.

[West_Midlander]

Ambassador to Austria-Hungary Victor Luitpold Berger

Hearst nominated the Socialist politician to serve the United States as Ambassador to his country of birth, Austria-Hungary. Berger was confirmed 46-40.

[West_Midlander]

Ambassador to the United Kingdom Samuel Gompers

Hearst called on the nation's first Commerce & Labor Secretary, Samuel Gompers, to serve the US as Ambassador to the United Kingdom, the nation of his birth. Gompers agreed and was confirmed by Congress 50-40. There were many Democratic defections to the Nay side and the conservative and moderate Democrats began to tire with President Hearst's Socialist and pro-labor nominations.