Sun and Moon - The Presidential Election of 2040

[P. Clodius Pulcher did nothing wrong]

Great updates!

[Kyle Rittenhouse is a Political Prisoner]

Go Ossoff!

[Enderman]

SixFiftyFour...they uncapped the static House of Representatives number, leading to 564 representatives in total (plus PR, DC and maybe a few orher new states I'd imagine), or something else is going on there?

[Unapologetic Chinaperson]

SixFiftyFour...they uncapped the static House of Representatives number, leading to 564 representatives in total (plus PR, DC and maybe a few orher new states I'd imagine), or something else is going on there?

The current name FiveThirtyEight reflects the current number of electoral votes: 538. After the number of House seats was uncapped under the Wyoming/Vermont Rule, the number of EVs increased to 654 by the 2030 Census.

[Unapologetic Chinaperson]

The moment the debate was over, I practically knocked down the university doors as I ran back to my bus. People stood on the sides slackjawed in awe as I racewalked down the meandering hallways, whispering “Amber!” and “That’s the governor” in my earshot. But I could not stay. Debates are fun, but I have people to meet, people to see! A presidential candidate’s life is hard, that much is obvious, but few people truly know how little rest me and my fellow candidates get on the trail.

As soon as I get back on the bus, I saw the television playing Spongebob. Ah, Spongebob, such a feature of my childhood. I remember sitting down every evening - weekday and weekend - to watch the show, to the consternation of my parents. So did Deneb. Everybody in school said that Deneb and I formed a Spongebob and Patrick duo (and when Ellen came along, he became Squidward). I guess Squidward - not a politician or a historical figure, but a cartoon character - was my first socialist inspiration.

But this was not the original cartoon from my childhood. No, this was the Spongebob anime, created as a remake of the original. Because gore and violence always improve the quality of children's’ shows! Sarcasm aside, even though I don’t like how the symbol of my childhood innocence turned into a Neon Genesis Evangelion clone, millions of people apparently do; the anime got greenlit for a fifth season and continues to top the streaming charts.



The bus began to move as soon as the last Secret Service member climbed onto the bus. “Next destination,” he said, and under his command the bus roared to life, its eight electric motors drowning out Patrick’s anguished screams as he is once again cut up into pieces by Plankton’s undead chum warriors. (Don’t worry; starfish regenerate.)

Within a minute, we were moving at a respectable 100 miles per hour towards Iowa City. Soon enough, there was the towering “Thanks for Visiting” billboard marking the Des Moines city limits, scraping its space among the clouds. Below it was another sentimental token - a Krystal restaurant.



Like Spongebob, Krystal (not to be confused with Crystal, but more on that later) was another name that defined my childhood. Every other week, when my parents were too tired and overworked to cook a proper meal, they brought back a bag full of Krystal sliders and shakes, and we sat down wherever as we continued with our busy lives. It became once a week after my dad left for Seoul, though occasionally my mom would switch it up with McDonald’s or Waffle House. For so many years, that was life: me, and the Krystal slider, my comfort food.

Oh how times have changed. It must’ve been years since I last step foot in a Krystal restaurant, even as it expanded its footprint from its Southern base to the North and Midwest. College was when I completely went cold turkey on fast food, even though I started hating it and the food system in general well before then. It was a system that was indifferent to animal and human lives alike, where billions live short and miserable lives in cramped, dirty quarters and fed corn and antibiotics until slaughter, where workers live and die poor, in the shadows, and where consumers ate until they got sick one way or the other.

And even after the Realignment, it all continued! When Krystal workers went on strike for a living minimum wage in 2021, the management straight-up started firing everyone, one by one, while replacing them with robots. More than every other corporate entity, they embraced the worst of the automation revolution. Today, the only human workers in an average Krystal franchise are the franchisers and a couple associate managers; the cashiers are screens and the fry cooks are conveyor belts, helped by a bunch of headless metal frames with arms.

No wonder the average Krystal franchise also has a portrait of Crystal, the Silicon Valley president, hung up high on some wall. The similar names are just the tip of the Republican iceberg.

I have to admit, Senator Ryan was brave. He may have destroyed his bid for the presidency, but he stood his ground and spoke his heart. For our food system still needs change, so that every American has the privilege of eating for the sake of wellness.

As I daydreamed, my phone rang. I picked it up. It was an old friend, the country’s other famous Marylander, the defender of the common woman and man in the Senate.

It was a short conversation. We both knew what it would be about before it even started, and we both knew how it would end. I assured him that the special elections will happen as planned, and he ensured that whatever is happening in the Senate is happening as planned too.

“I’m ready,” he said, about to hang up the phone.

“Okay,” I said. “I’ll see you on the news within an hour.”

[Technocracy Timmy]

Fun timeline to read.

It is interesting to see the Republican Party embrace a more internationalist agenda in both foreign policy and when it comes to immigrants - strong repudiation of 2010's Trumpist Party. In some ways it reminds me of Eisenhower's GOP during the 50's vs. the more isolationist and nativist 1920's GOP.

[_]

A Spongebob Anime, great...

More on topic I had a question as to how someone's political career went.  What happened to Dan Lipinski?  Was he voted out in favor of someone more liberal?  Did his seat flip?  Is he still in office?

[Unapologetic Chinaperson]

Fun timeline to read.

It is interesting to see the Republican Party embrace a more internationalist agenda in both foreign policy and when it comes to immigrants - strong repudiation of 2010's Trumpist Party. In some ways it reminds me of Eisenhower's GOP during the 50's vs. the more isolationist and nativist 1920's GOP.

Astute observation. There are several reasons why the GOP becomes more internationalist.

The obvious one is that the GOP has liberalized on social issues, including immigration, in the years after the Realignment. (Notice the capital R.) By letting in climate refugees, the GOP sheds the Trumpist image that turns off upscale but socially liberal voters, especially Asians. It helps that the Dems become somewhat more anti-immigrant (but not completely so, as the progressive base would not allow it).

Same with its drift away from the Trumpist "America First" ideology. Turns out isolationism is not popular with upscale college-educated voters, especially those who have studied or done business abroad.

Another reason is the rise of China as a second superpower that rivals (and by 2040, actually outclasses) the US. On one hand, the GOP has seized this opportunity to improve relations with the Middle Kingdom and positioning itself as the pro-China party. On the other hand, geopolitical realities that lead to Sino-American conflict (particularly in East Asia and Africa) also push the GOP to be internationalist, though from the opposite direction.

In general, the world has truly become interconnected - conflict in Nigeria creates terrorism in France, emissions from America result in drought in Pakistan - and the GOP must bend to this reality.

A Spongebob Anime, great...

I was always going to have a Spongebob remake in this universe, but once I saw the Namak video, I knew it had to be an anime.

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He retired in 2024 and was followed by a succession of fiscally liberal but socially conservative Democrats. It's now a very Democratic district (with PVIs exceeding D+8), due to its appreciation of Democrat-driven transportation investments and the national party's embrace of more socially conservative Dems. The area has also been increasing in population with the suburban revival, brought upon by the self-driving car.

[Enderman]

2020 or 2024 realignment? Also when are ya gomma reveal when Deneb becomes Crystal?

Edit: On second thought, I think I nust found out one result of their falling out. Lol

[Unapologetic Chinaperson]

2020 or 2024 realignment? Also when are ya gomma reveal when Deneb becomes Crystal?

Edit: On second thought, I think I nust found out one result of their falling out. Lol

Sorry to break it to you, but Deneb and Crystal are two different people.

You'll find out more about them in Chapter 3 and beyond, but first we got to get through Iowa.

[morgankingsley]

Yeah, real life speaking, we are kind of at the point when a realingment would happen. Seems like every sixty years or so, this country is due for one. Like even when the democrats won the south every election from 1876-1968, once you get to around 1928 you could see the movement and it gets more obvious by 1948 and 1960, 64, and most obvious with Wallace in 68. So yeah, we will probably see one soon.

[Enderman]

2020 or 2024 realignment? Also when are ya gomma reveal when Deneb becomes Crystal?

Edit: On second thought, I think I nust found out one result of their falling out. Lol

Sorry to break it to you, but Deneb and Crystal are two different people.

You'll find out more about them in Chapter 3 and beyond, but first we got to get through Iowa.

...oops...

Still excited though lol

[Unapologetic Chinaperson]

Sen. Minority Leader Chris Van Hollen to Retire
By Buzzfeed News
January 15, 2040

Senate Minority Leader Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), in an afternoon announcement, said that he will retire from the Senate by the end of January, for age-related reasons.

“I am extremely grateful that I have been serving this country for so many years,” Van Hollen said during his announcement. “However, I cannot continue doing so until the end of time. Age has caught up to me, and furthermore, both the Democrats and the country as a whole need to give a chance for a new generation of politicians to shine.”

Van Hollen, who recently turned 81, has been the Senate Minority Leader since 2034 and has served as Senator since 2017. The oldest Senator ever to serve as a party leader, there has been previous speculation as to whether Van Hollen will retire, though he has denied any intention to do so before today.

A special election to elect Van Hollen’s successor will be held on February 15. Meanwhile, the Senate Democratic Caucus is expected to elect a new Minority Leader by the end of January, and likely sooner, according to multiple sources associated with the SDC.

[Unapologetic Chinaperson]

Sen. Trevor Noah to be Next Minority Leader
By USA Today
January 18, 2040

Senator Trevor Noah (D-NY) has been elected Senate Minority Leader by the Senate Democratic Caucus.

Upon his selection, Noah, 55, emphasized the need for the Democratic Party to “regroup and reenergize,” something that the Senate Democrats have struggled with under the Sun Administration. “We need to be the party of progress, the party that will ensure a fair and just life for every American,” he said during his acceptance speech.

“Also,” he continued, “I’m really looking forwards to working with my Republican counterpart,” referring to Senate Majority Leader Tom Kean Jr. (R-NJ). The former comedian then injected humor into his speech: “Now, Jersey boy, I’m from New York, so this is gonna be a lot of fun!”

Noah is the senior Senator from New York, having served in the Senate since 2031. Noah will also be the first foreign-born Minority Leader; born in Johannesburg, South Africa, Noah immigrated to the United States in 2011. Before entering politics, Noah was a comedian and author, with his most prominent role being the host of the Daily Show from 2015 to 2026. His books, which include his autobiographies Born A Crime and (South) African American have sold millions of copies around the world.

During his tenure, Noah has been a vocal critic of the Sun Administration’s policies, famously denouncing the Sun Tax Cuts, her deregulation of the biotech industry, and the introduction of Oversight in the United States. However, Noah has also worked with President Crystal Sun, most famously passing the bipartisan Transportation Improvement Act of 2039, which expanded the high-speed rail and hyperloop systems of the United States.

[_]

I had a request, can you show us the IL Senate Delegation?  I really hope Cheri Bustos is a senator in this TL.

[Unapologetic Chinaperson]

I had a request, can you show us the IL Senate Delegation?  I really hope Cheri Bustos is a senator in this TL.

Senior Senator: Inez Kapoor (R-IL)



Junior Senator: Sasha Obama (D-IL)



Inez Kapoor, a former Ambassador to India, was elected in 2034 as part of the Republican wave against then-President Castro. Likewise, the younger Obama was elected in 2038 as part of the anti-Sun midterm backlash. It helps that the Obamas were still very popular in the state, even among Illinois Republicans (many of whom are actually ancestral upscale Democrats).

[P. Clodius Pulcher did nothing wrong]

Could I ask who represents Florida in the Senate?

[Unapologetic Chinaperson]

Could I ask who represents Florida in the Senate?

I'll get up a full Senate list at some point in the near future. Right now the priority is on getting through Iowa.

Which reminds me: Iowa results will hopefully be up tonight.

[Unapologetic Chinaperson]

The Rules of the Primaries

After the Realignment of the 2020s, one of the first things the DNC did was reform the primary process. This was largely done to satisfy the demands of the progressive base, who see the frankly-Byzantine primary process as a symbol of the old regime’s needless complexity and inefficiency. So in 2025, the DNC established a committee to reform the primary process; some reforms got through, while others didn’t.

Superdelegates: One of the first things to go were superdelegates. Now all delegates are considered “pledged” and must vote at the behest of the states’ voters.

State Delegate Allocation: The DNC streamlined the calculations that determine how many delegates a state or territory get. Each state gets:
    1. a base of 10 delegates
    2. 3 delegates per congressional district
    3. 3 delegates per election that each state went Democratic for the last 3 elections (for a maximum of 9 delegates)

It was proposed to include each states’ number of Democratic representatives and/or senators, whether the state has a Democratic governor, etc., like in the old system. However, that was all scrapped, under the logic that only presidential results should matter in the process for selecting the president.

Note: For territories, all of the above is skipped and each territory gets a flat 10 delegates, with the exception of Puerto Rico with its 25 delegates (10 base delegates + 15 from its 5 CD equivalents).

Candidate Delegate Allocation: Each candidate who wins greater than or equal to 15 percent of the vote will receive delegates. The delegates each candidate gets is determined by the percent of the total vote that went to candidates that won delegates. That is, if 3 candidates win 30% of the vote and a fourth wins 10%, the top 3 candidates will get around 33% of the delegates, not 30%, while the fourth candidate gets 0.

The number of delegates each candidate gets equals the aforementioned percentage rounded to the nearest integer; if the total number delegates awarded does not match the number of delegates the state has available, delegates will be subtracted or added from the bottom or top candidates' counts, respectively, until the two numbers equal each other.

Primary Scheduling: Unlike superdelegate elimination or delegate allocation reform, primary scheduling remained relatively unchanged from the 2000s and 2010s, due to resistance from the states. Iowa, New Hampshire, Nevada, and South Carolina are still the first states, in that order, Super Tuesdays still exist, etc.

Primaries vs. Caucuses: Caucuses also still exist, but they have been gradually phased out in favor of primaries. By 2040, only American Samoa, Iowa, North Dakota and Wyoming hold caucuses; everyone else holds primaries.

These results result in a total of 2500 delegates available (coincidentally a nice round number), with 1251 delegates needed to win.

The Republicans operate on similar rules, except that they include the number of Republican representatives and senators and whether the state has a Republican governor and/or state legislature in determining delegate allocation between the states

[Unapologetic Chinaperson]

February 1 - Iowa Caucus Results


Buttigieg speaking after his Iowa victory

Americans Abroad
American Samoa
Guam
Northern Mariana Islands
Virgin Islands

Iowa Results

Sen. Pete Buttigieg - 33%, 11 delegates
Gov. Amber Glass - 27%, 9 delegates
Gov. Jon Ossoff - 26%, 8 delegates
Sen. Tim Ryan - 12%, 0 delegates
Sen. Tulsi Gabbard - 3%, 0 delegates

Iowa Total: 28 delegates

2500 total delegates
1251 delegates needed to win

Despite the Maryland governor’s recent surges in the polls, Senator Buttigieg managed to retake first place and win the caucuses by a six percent margin. But he wasn’t without challenges; both Glass and Ossoff were very close to toppling him. With Glass in the lead in New Hampshire and Ossoff in the lead for most of the Southern states, Buttigieg has his work cut out for him.

The biggest loser that day was Tim Ryan, who had a measly 12 percent showing in Iowa, below the delegate threshold of 15 percent. Much of his poor showing can be attributed to his perceived insult to the meat industry during the January 15 debate, after which he slipped from a high of 26 percent to the 11-15 percent range. At least he did better than Gabbard, who has not been fazed by coming dead last in Iowa (largely because she barely campaigned in the Hawkeye State).

In other news, President Crystal Sun received 98 percent of the vote in the Republican caucus, which was also held on February 1, with the remaining 2 percent scattered among various fringe candidates, Spongebob Squarepants, and Kesha the dolphin, who became a meme after being killed in a boat collision last year.

[Unapologetic Chinaperson]

Tim Ryan Drops Out
By Vice News


Sen. Ryan addressing his supporters

After a disappointing 4th place finish in Iowa, Sen. Tim Ryan (D-OH) has announced that he will suspend his campaign for the President of the United States.

“I know that this isn’t the result that we have hoped for,” Ryan said to a crowd of supporters in Columbus, Ohio, “but we will continue to fight for the health, happiness, and prosperity of the American people. To Governor Glass and Governor Ossoff, to my fellow Senators Pete Buttigieg and Tulsi Gabbard, I wish you all well, and I will be more than willing to work with whomever wins the Democratic nomination.

Despite heavily campaigning and spending the maximum $20 million in the Hawkeye State, Iowa caucus-goers voted heavily against him, giving him only 12 percent of the vote. Pundits point to his debate gaffe during the January 15 debate, when Sen. Buttigeg (D-IN) hammered him after Ryan said he would “eviscerate  and punish the meat industry for the damage they’ve done to American bodies,” in a state where the meat industry is an important part of the economy.

Even so, Ryan had generally failed to muster much enthusiasm from voters and win them over from his younger competitors. He had been trailing in most polls of the early states. A recent Gallup poll placed him in last place, with only 9 percent of those surveyed saying they would vote for him; he trailed Sen. Tulsi Gabbard (D-HI), who was the choice of 11 percent of respondents.

The remaining four candidates will continue to campaign, with the New Hampshire primaries on February 7, the Nevada primaries on February 18, and the South Carolina primaries on February 26.

[Unapologetic Chinaperson]

Also, does anyone know how to add the non-Puerto Rico territories (like American Samoa, Guam, and the Virgin Islands) onto the map? That would be greatly appreciated.

[President of the great nation of 🏳️‍⚧️]

Unfortunately impossible.

[Unapologetic Chinaperson]

Unfortunately impossible.

I remember seeing some maps with the other territories in boxes in the lower-right corner (along with Puerto Rico). I guess I remembered wrong?

[Unapologetic Chinaperson]

Some quick things:

1. 100 posts! Yeah!

2. To celebrate 100 posts, I want to ask you guys, the readers, for your reactions up to this point. What are your most/least favorite parts of the story so far? How many easter eggs/hidden details did you find? Do you approve of Tim Ryan's decision to drop out after Iowa?

3. University classes have started for me, so there will be fewer updates every week. I'll still update this story, but don't be surprised if there are dry spells from time to time; that probably means I'm busy with projects/finals IRL.

4. Speaking of updates, the next one should come this weekend and will be about the richest man in the world. After that, it's maybe one or two more narrative-type updates, and then we move onto Chapter 3 and Crystal's backstory.