Collaborative Presidential Elections - New

[Negusa Nagast 🚀]

President Laxalt was able to pursue a largely successful foreign policy, and saw a massive spike in his approvals when hostages were successfully rescued from Iran. However, he refused to hand over the Panama Canal, causing world-wide condemnation. In 1980, inflation soared, unemployment rose, and the deficit expanded due to tax cuts that the public did not feel. The Democrats nominated Governor Jerry Brown (D-CA) with Senator and former Astronaut John Glenn (D-OH) as his running mate. Vice President Reagan (R-CA) chose Jack Kemp (R-NY) to be his running mate. The election was close, and was decided only after Brown eeked out a 2% win in California.

Governor Jerry Brown (D-CA)/John Glenn (D-OH) - 299 Electoral Votes, 50.9% of the popular vote.
Vice President Ronald Reagan (R-CA)/Jack Kemp (R-NY) - 239 Electoral Votes, 48.4% of the popular vote.

[Negusa Nagast 🚀]

Goddamn, will anyone win re-election?

Laxalt and Brown did.

[Negusa Nagast 🚀]

1960

Senator Wayne Morse (U-OR)/Senator Hubert Humphery (U-MN), 302 EV, 49.8% of the PV
Senator Robert Byrd (SR-WV)/Governor George Wallace (SR-AL), 184 EV, 37.8% of the PV
Senator Henry Cabot Lodge (R-MA)/Senator Barry Goldwater (R-AZ), 51 EV, 11.9% of the PV
Others: .5% of the PV


The Democrats disappear as a national party, only competitive at local levels. Remaining Southern  Democrats defect to the State's Rights Party, while the remainder join the Union party. Vice President Taylor decids to not seek the 1960 nomination, opting to live a quiet, life with his family. Senator Wayne Morse (U-OR) wins a few primaries and the convention, and selects Senator Hubert Humphrey (U-MN) as his running mate. The party focuses on solidifying their hold on the West and Midwest and making inroads in the Northeast by absorbing the Democrats.

The States Rights party nominates Senator Robert Byrd (SR-WV) in an attempt to appeal outside of the South, but forces Governor George Wallace (SR-AL), first elected in 1958, into the vice presidential slot at the convention and once again force a plank of segregation on to the ticket.


Quickly fading in prominence, the Republican Party nominates Senator Henry Cabot Lodge Jr. (R-MA) and Senator Barry Goldwater (R-AZ) and attempt to run as a moderate alternative to the two parties. The Union Party attacks Goldwater as too conservative and the States Rights  Party attack Lodge and Goldwater from the right, mainly on the issue of segregation.

[Negusa Nagast 🚀]

1976

Governor Jimmy Carter (SR-GA)/Senator Henry M. Jackson (SR-WA), 286 electoral votes, 49.6% of the popular vote.
President Harold Hughes (U-IA)/Senator George McGovern (U-SD), 252 electoral votes, 49.2% of the popular vote.

President Hughes passes many social programs, aimed at helping the poor. While successful at helping the poorer man, inflation rises due to massive government spending. An Arab oil embargo causes inflation to spike and a mild recession begins. The States Rights party is able to reorganize and gets a new zeal. The Union Party suffers losses in the 1974 midterms, but not enough to lose their majority. Hughes alienated many moderates and conservatives when he proposed enacting another prohibition amendment or a Congressional law levying heavy taxes on alcohol.

Governor Jimmy Carter emerges as a moderate dark horse candidate from the States Rights primaries. He picks Senator Henry M. Jackson to appeal to voters outside of the South. The pick works, and Carter is able to pick up Washington, Maine, Wisconsin, and New Hampshire, albeit all by narrow margins. Carter runs as a candidate that would keep government out of peoples lives and reigning in spending, and boosting mediocre economic growth.

The race was not decided until the following morning.