1888: Frederick Douglass vs. Grover Cleveland

[Oldiesfreak1854]

Douglass/Cleveland, of course.  As for a map:

Grover Cleveland (D)- 224
Frederick Douglass (R)- 177

[Oldiesfreak1854]

I'm imagining the coded racism in today's political rhetoric, and remembering the very racist things I've read politicians say in the mid 19th c, specifically a shocking Lincoln excerpt, and I'm surprised anybody thinks Douglass would have won any state in 1888.

Talk about a conspiracy theory!

Douglass/Cleveland, of course.  As for a map:

Grover Cleveland (D)- 224
Frederick Douglass (R)- 177

West Virginia?  It didn't even vote for Benjamin Harrison IRL.  Why would it have supported Douglass?

Anyway, Douglass/Cleveland.

Cleveland:  370
Douglass:  31

Unfortunately, racial equality was quite a radical notion in 1888.  Douglass would have made a great President.

Douglass/Cleveland, of course.  As for a map:

Grover Cleveland (D)- 224
Frederick Douglass (R)- 177

West Virginia?  It didn't even vote for Benjamin Harrison IRL.  Why would it have supported Douglass?

Anyway, Douglass/Cleveland.

Cleveland:  370
Douglass:  31

Douglass/Cleveland, of course.  As for a map:

Grover Cleveland (D)- 224
Frederick Douglass (R)- 177

West Virginia?  It didn't even vote for Benjamin Harrison IRL.  Why would it have supported Douglass?

West Virginia split off from Virginia during the Civil War out of loyalty to the Union, so I would think they would be more friendly to a black presidential candidate.

[Oldiesfreak1854]

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That is the 2004 to 2008 swing map. West Virginia would be one of five states where Obama actually did worse than Kerry, despite every non-racial factor suggesting a far better performance.

Not true.  Much of SW Virginia voted for Doug Wilder for governor in 1989 as well.