The Will of the People (1969 Contingent Election)

[Left Wing]

President Lyndon Baines Johnson/Vice President Hubert Horatio Humphrey: 255 Electoral Votes, 30.6% PV
Senator Eugene Joseph McCarthy/Senator George Stanley McGovern: 188 Electoral Votes, 26.5% PV
Governor George Corley Wallace/General Curtis Emerson LeMay: 77 Electoral Votes, 16.3% PV
Governor Nelson Aldrich Rockefeller/Governor George Wilcken Romney: 12 Electoral Votes, 16.3% PV
Governor Ronald Wilson Reagan/Senator John Goodwin Tower: 11 Electoral Votes, 10.2% PV

In a mighty blow to conservatives and the two party system the election ended in a deadlock. Johnson had come so close to achieving a majority despite the odds yet narrowly fell short. But Democrats across the country took pride in the fact that the Republican party had been utterly smashed at the polls. Reagan's abysmal 10 percent showing was taken as a sound rejection of hard conservatism in the country and immediately the comparisons to Goldwater began. There was not much consolation to be found in combining the two "Republican" candidates votes totals as a meager 29.5% was still barely above what even William Howard Taft received in 1912.

As the election heads for a three way standoff between Johnson, McCarthy in the house, Johnson looks to be a strong favorite, though McCarthy's tenure or Wallace's cajoling of conservative support could end in a surprising result. Whatever the result, it is clear politics in this country has changed for good.

Poll will run for three days.

[darklordoftech]

I wonder whether or not Humphrey or McGovern would be willing to be Vice President under Wallace.

[President Punxsutawney Phil]

F in chat for the Republican party

[S019]

LBJ/Humphrey

[😥]

LBJ/Humphrey

[Continential]

Wallace/McGovern for chaos

[Battista Minola 1616]

Well, I supported Johnson/Humphrey in the popular election and I will support them in the contingent election too since the Democratic machine has the money to bribe Representatives and Senators as well.

[President Johnson]

Lyndon Johnson/Hubert Humphrey, easily.

[Left Wing]

The Vote of Congress:

Going into the congressional vote, much uncertainty loomed. While the emerging third parties had not organized congressional candidates in every seat, in many of the seats they did contest the elections were characterized by mass vote splitting, disrupting typical coalitions. With this and the Republican caucus's indecision on which candidate to support, there began to be questions as to whether Johnson would be defeated. While McCarthy had put up a strong fight with the president, his powers of persuasion would not be undone. Ultimately Wallace and McCarthy would both fail to strike a deal to advance their causes and focused on appealing to members of congress to honor the votes of their state. While some found this persuasive, ultimately the connections and relationships with the body from the president would be too much to overcome. Even more decisive was the victory of Hubert Humphrey in the senate, where he was supported by a coalition of Democrats and Republicans, opposed by only the most strongly anti-war of members. While the Democratic Party would retain the presidency, it was clear that the emerging opposition from the left would be a hindrance to their electoral prospects in the long term. Johnson immediately began plotting ways to nullify this effect while not giving in to the liberals demanding more dovish policies out of his next term. Only time would tell what this solution would be.

[beaver2.0]

It's amusing that three Democrats have ended up at this stage.