1868: Sumner as a 3rd Party Candidate

[nini2287]

Claiming his hatred of Grant and that Reconstruction has not gone far enough, Radical Republican Sen. Charles Sumner announces that he will run for President as a Independent, how does the election turn out?

[jokerman]

Hit 'em again!

[jerusalemcar5]

What happenned to that great man is terribly despicable.  A scar on the history of Congress.  I am disgusted by those like States and Truman Dem who have laughed about it.

Anyways...

I would say Maine, Vermont, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island go to Sumner.  Only ones he stood a chance in.  So that is 28 votes for Sumner.  he Sumner challenge though swings New Hampshire, Connecticut, California, Alabama, Indiana, and for some fun Pennsylvania to Seymour.

Sumner-28
Seymour-143
Grant-123

So they have to go to the House and Senate...

(I'll make some guesses there are come back)

[Lincoln Republican]

Seymour takes his home state of Massachusetts, plus Connecticut and Rhode Island from Grant.

Grant          192 EV (instead of 214 EV) Republican
Seymour       80 EV (unchanged)           Democrat
Sumner         22 EV                                Radical Republican

Blue               Republican
Red                Democrat
Light Green    Radical Republican
Pink                Unreconstructed States
Dark Green     Territories

[jerusalemcar5]

How Sumner not have moved some Grant states to Seymour?  it is ridiculous to assume otherwise.  Look how close some of those states were.

[Lincoln Republican]

How Sumner not have moved some Grant states to Seymour?  it is ridiculous to assume otherwise.  Look how close some of those states were.

Yes, possibly Alabama, California, Indiana.

I already had the map made though.  So Seymour could conceivably have received another 26 EV, meaning Grant 166, Seymour 106, Sumner 22.

Grant still wins.

[jerusalemcar5]

The Senate vote for Vice President was hardly a vote.  The heavily Republican dominated Senate swung their support behind Republican Schuyler Colfax, easily defeating Democrat Francis Blair, Jr.

The final tally was:

Colfax (R)- 57
Blair (D)- 9

The partisan vote bitterly divided an already bitterly divided country.

The much more contentious House vote is yet to come...

[jerusalemcar5]

Recently elected Vice President Colfax is still in his capacity as Speaker of the House of Representatives and with that position comes the power to possiblyblock a growing a number of defections from Grant to Sumner.  At the same time, the small group of Democrats unite together to try and elect a Democrat for the first time since Buchanan in 1856.


Alabama-
Grant:6

Arkansas-
Grant:4

California-
Grant:1
Seymour:2

Connecticut-
Seymour:3
Sumner:1

Delaware-
Seymour:1

Florida-
Grant:1

Georgia-
Grant:4
Seymour:2

Illinois-
Grant:6
Seymour:3
Sumner:5

Indiana-
Grant:5
Seymour:3
Sumner:3

Kentucky-
Grant:1
Seymour:7

Louisiana-
Grant:4
Seymour:1

More voting tomorrow, it's getting late.  Rather interesting to research these representative to see how they'd vote.  We finish tonight:

Grant:7 states
Seymour:4 states
Sumner:0 states

Anyone have corections, as if anyone will read this, let me know.

[jerusalemcar5]

I'd offer more breakdowns, but my post just got erased with all the breakdowns, (I HATE WHEN THAT HAPPENS!) so here are my final results in the House vote.

Grant added-Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, West Virginia, Wisconsin.

TOTAL:22

Sumner added-Maine, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Vermont, Rhode Island, New York, New Jersey.

TOTAL:7

Seymour added-Maryland.

TOTAL:5

Needing 18 for a majority, Grant is elected.

FINAL ELECTORAL MAP:
Blue-Grant
Light Blue-Sumner
Tossup-Not an admitted/readmitted state
Red-Seymour

FINAL HOUSE MAP:
See key above