1864 Presidential Election - It's On!

[FEMA Camp Administrator]

Three days, dawgs.

Despite the narrowness of his election, attempting to act as a non-partisan president quickly became the wrong path for John Hale. In attempting to reach out to the Manifest Party, he quickly mis-calculated their intents. While there were a number of moderates who resembled the Whigs more in style, there was also a strong radical contingent that aligned with Union Senator Charles Sumner of Massachusetts. Thus, in attempting to moderate to appease a broader spectrum of people, the administration accidentally alienated its ally early on. From there, things would escalate. Sumner, leading the radicals, proceeded to act as a spoiler for Hale on legislation concerning tariffs, internal improvements, and enforcement of laws in the South. Meanwhile, some have said that Hale resembles a Crockett-esque Whig these days than an old guard Unionist.

Despite his troubles, Hale would be re-nominated. There was a large movement towards Sumner for Vice President, but it quickly became clear to the delegates that such a "unity ticket" would be disastrous once in office. Instead, the little known Governor Ulysses S. Grant of Florida was nominated. A military man of West Point stock, Grant originally came to Florida as one of the federal troops stationed there in the 1840's. Attaining notoriety as a "soldier's man" early on, the new state, full to the brim with veterans and federal troops, easily embraced him and the man who'd gained notoriety in the area entered politics. Showing little interest in the legislature after one term, he was elected Governor in 1860. While some have questioned so-called "corruption" and the party machine in the state, the convention cared little for that. Grant would rally veterans--a key constituency, especially for the Unionists--and could serve as a compromise candidate, as he stood with Hale on fiscal issues and also supported strong enforcement of laws in the old CAS.

While the Union party embraced laissez-faire economics, the Whigs took a strange turn. The party, relatively new, had traditionally been one of Jeffersonian ideals. They idealized the American West as a frontier ripe to plan the values of democracy and the common man. In doing so, they tended to distrust large institutions--other than the military, on occasion--and opposed banks and the East in general. While Lincoln had been with the party since the beginning, his surrogates and the platform they nominated was a radically different take on the concept of championing the common man. As opposed to the Bentonian support for hard money, a plank in the platform advocating silver-backed currency, something that benefited debt-laden farmers, was added. A greater emphasis was placed on support for railroads and other internal improvements, and even the concept of a national bank was brought up, though it was easily nixed. One more traditional Whig at the convention snarled that Lincoln was a "National in disguise". For Vice President, the anti-corruption Horatio Seymour of New York was selected. Seymour, with his support for the continued gold standard, appeals to the old-line party members, while his stance as Governor of New York has earned him the votes of immigrants, something Lincoln would struggle with. The ticket, nevertheless, supports less of a federal presence in the South. "The job of the war for re-unification and of the subsequent reconstruction has been unquestionably accomplished." Such a stance, combined with curbing veterans' benefits, would hurt among military voters and blacks but help with civilian white Southerners.

Finally, there's the "Radical"/Manifest ticket. In nominating Charles Sumner, the Manifest party tied its fate to that of the radical Unionists in New England. The ticket, now with significant influence from Sumner and his men, supports a platform of raised tariffs, rigorous enforcement of civil rights protections for blacks and "anti-treason" legislation in the South, some immigration restrictions, as well as traditional Manifest mainstays such as maintained legal protection for religious minorities and relative autonomy of communities such as those in which "Mormons" reside.

[Goldwater]

Hale.

[H. Ross Peron]

Hale.

[Deus Naturae]

Hale.

[Supersonic]

Switching to Hale which I didn't expect.

[H.E. VOLODYMYR ZELENKSYY]

Lincoln!

[TNF]

Radical!

[Flake]

Sumner to make the race slightly more competitive.

[Senator Spiral]

Hale.

[ElectionsGuy]

Hale.

[Zioneer]

Sumner/Wells. The Radical/Manifest platform seems relatively good this time around, and I'm nothing if not a Manifest loyalist.

[Dr. Cynic]

I suggested the Lincoln\Seymour ticket and damnit, I'm sticking with them.

[Snowstalker Mk. II]

Sumner

[Cassius]

Tough choice to make, but I decided to stick with the Whigs in the end.

[Pessimistic Antineutrino]

Hale.

[Kaine for Senate '18]

Lincoln

[tmthforu94]

Sumner

[Supersonic]

Wow, Sumner outpolled Hale.

[Zioneer]

Wow, Sumner outpolled Hale.

Manifest lives!

[Zioneer]

I wonder who the tie-breaking (for second place) vote will be for?

[FEMA Camp Administrator]

Well, it appears that this is over or something. I face the possibility of not continuing this, seeing as I now am taking 18 credits and doing some sort of so-called job. When I'm not doing one of those two, I'm probably gonna be eating, working out, or over at the fraternity house. That said, that leaves only a few random hours in the day as well as nights.

[Senator Spiral]

If you know for sure that you won't continue this, maybe someone can pick op from where you left off, like Dallasfan.

[#CriminalizeSobriety]

If you know for sure that you won't continue this, maybe someone can pick op from where you left off, like Dallasfan.

I'd potentially be interesting in doing so, provided Cathcon would be okay with that.

However, I'd like to take a moment to thank Cathcon for all the hard work he has done with this (and the previous) series. He has done a lot of hard (and probably underappreciated) work and there is something to be said for that. He would certainly be a tough act to follow.

[H.E. VOLODYMYR ZELENKSYY]

However, I'd like to take a moment to thank Cathcon for all the hard work he has done with this (and the previous) series. He has done a lot of hard (and probably underappreciated) work and there is something to be said for that. He would certainly be a tough act to follow.

^^^This - I doubt most other people could run something like this while juggling all the other things you do. Thanks, Mr. Con, sir.

[FEMA Camp Administrator]

Thanks, guys. I'll have three days at home coming up, so hopefully I'll be good for another round or two. If not, I'm glad you folks appreciated it and that Dallasfan65's a ready and willing (and more than qualified) successor.