1904: Timothy Sanders the Democratic nominee

[Blow by blow, the passion dies]

Sanders, born in 1850 to working-class Irish parents in the suburbs of Trenton, was a lawyer and alderman who repudiated Catholicism during his teenage years, and served as the Governor of New Jersey between 1894 and 1902. His term as Governor of New Jersey was marked by the banning of child labor and fight against machine politics, cuts to the property tax, the direct election of Senators, introduction of the initiative and referendum, stronger antitrust laws, and the creation of a flat income tax at 5%. His governorship was marked by economic growth and an increase in immigration to the state.

His refusal to run for reelection in 1901 caused people to speculate about Sanders running for President. After he embarked in a whistle-stop tour of the Northeast, these rumors increased; on January 5 1903, Sanders confirmed he was running for President with a newspaper article, where he focused on creating a flat income tax, requiring Senators to be directly elected, reducing tariffs on products with established industries while creating a tariff commission, increasing bank regulation, defending the gold standard, reforming campaign finance, and opposing imperialism.

Sanders was nominated on the fourth ballot of the 1904 Democratic National Convention, defeating Alton Parker and William Randolph Hearst; he gave a speech calling for Americans and Democrats to unite for a better future.

During the general election, Sanders focused on his proposals for economic and political reform, saying they would lead to prosperity. He clarified his stance on imperialism, saying the United States' foreign policy in Latin America should focus on soft power rather than military intervention; he campaigned with William Jennings Bryan, and promised to make him Secretary of State. Sanders attacked Theodore Roosevelt for his corruption scandals when directly campaigning in the Midwest and Northeast, contrasting them with his honesty and integrity as Governor. However, Sanders was a dull campaigner who frequently appeared distracted on the campaign trail. His running mate was Edward C. Wall from Wisconsin.

[Blow by blow, the passion dies]

It would probably go like this: (originally, he picked up Indiana and Montana)