Using the Rutherford Scenario, I have a young 39-year-old, Governor James Alexander of Massachusetts winning the presidency in 2016. (his victory was the first since 2000, when President Jason Stanton was re-elected. Stanton would eventually become Alexander's father-in-law, when his youngest daughter, Alice married Alexander in 2020, his first wife Cynthia had died in 2012).
He defeats the Republican incumbent in that election, Alexander would win 70,414,261 (54.56%) while President John Howell won 58,518,343 (41.72%).
The margin of victory of 11,895,818 was the largest given to a winning challenger since Reagan's victory in 1980.
Stanton won 396 EV, and Howell won only 142.
He goes on to win reelection in 2020, defeating former Senator Tim Peck (of Nebraska), and his running mate, Governor Bill Fulton of Wyoming, 531-7, carrying 49 states & DC (losing only Mississippi and 3rd CD in Nebraska), & won 66.05% to just 32.45% for Peck.
Alexander wins 90,571,382 to 44,502,030 (a popular vote margin of over 46,069,352 votes). As I develop the story, I will give more body to the Alexander presidency and the issues he confronts during his 8 years in the White House.
Alexander enormous popularity, enables his own Vice President, Andrew Kirkpatrick, to easily secure in 2024.
Kirkpatrick, for his part had won election to a House seat from Ohio in 1988 winning reelection in 1990 and was elected to the Senate in 1992 and won reelection in 1998, and joined Stanton's cabinet as Secretary of Defense in 2001, serving until 2005. Kirkpatrick rejoined Senate after winning reelection in 2006 and remained in the Senate until he assumed the Vice Presidency.
Kirkpatrick secures a lopsided vicrory, in 2024 and wins the electoral vote 417-121 (the Republican ticket in that election was Senator Kirk Lawrence of California and former Congressman Cindy Rosenberg of Florida)
Kirkpatrick would've a reasonably successful successful 8 years as President, however Democrats begin to lose ground, nevertheless Kirkpatrick manages to win re-election in 2028, his margin of victory in both the popular & electoral vote, is however, considerably smaller.
This time he only won 320 EV to 218 for Businessman, Douglas Long (Arkansas) and his running mate, Senator Elizabeth Saavedra of California.
Kirkpatrick appointment of his predecessor as Secretary of State, was not unexpected and Alexander 4 year tenure at the State Department, proved to be a unqualifed success.
Kirkpatrick's nomination of Alexander, while controversial in many respects, made sense, as both former and future president's shared identical views on foreign policy and national security. It had been one of the primary factors behind why Alexander had asked Kirkpatrick to be his Vice President.
This is the 2016 Presidential election map.
The map below, illustrates the lopsided nature of the Alexander-Kirkpatrick landslide in 2020, with the president winning every state except for Mississippi & Nebraska's 3rd congressional district.
Andrew Kirkpatrick had the advantages of what resembled incumbency, as Vice President, he enjoyed the support of an extremely popular President, and with these advantages, Young entered a contest were victory was likely never in doubt.
The 2024 map, Kirkpatrick and his running mate, Governor Rebecca Marquez of New Jersey won 417 electoral votes, to 121 for Lawrence-Rosenberg ticket.
As the incumbent seeking a second term, Kirkpatrick had a record of his own to defend, and despite enjoying the advantages of peace and prosperty, this record had the potential for being a double edged sword for the Kirkpatrick-Marquez administration, the 2028 elections, proved to be far from being a ringing endorsement of Kirkpatrick, he still however won a second term, but a by a reduced margin as compared to four years previously. He was reelected, winning 320 electoral votes to 218 for the Republican ticket, being comprised this time of Businessman, Douglas Long (of Arkansas) having controlled the White House for 11 years, Democrats knew that the political pendulum was swinging in a more conservative direction.
The events which occurred throughout 2028, compelled Kirkpatrick make decisions! Later in the year, Chief Justice Theodore Rodman (a Alexander appointee circa 2017), died as a result of a traffic accident, and the increasing independence of Secretary of State, James Alexander forced Kirkpatrick’s hand, he therefore nominated Alexander to the position of Chief Justice, Alexander would be the only president besides Taft to serve on the bench. Alexander would be only 51 years old at the time of his appointment.
The 2028 Electoral map was as follows.
Things hadn't been so onesided, prior to 2016, the 2012 Presidential election, had seen John Howell, then serving as Vice President holding the White House for the Republicans after 8 years, holding the prize.
Howell won 310 to 228 for his Democratic opponent.
The election of 2008, had yielded a massive Republican landslide, which was a 506-32 split in the electoral college.
