2010 US Presidential Election

[Marky Bunny]

The idea is that we follow the last two yaesr of the West Wing Santos Adminstration as well as following the Republican nomination battle. Going on the basis of our own world, the Republican Canidadtes would be soon getting to announce their intentions to run.
The Front Runners for the Republican Nomination are listed below(all are people that appeared or mentioned during the series).
Governor Ray Sullivan of West Virginia
Leaves office in January after eight years in office.Popular with both Dems and Republicans.Was Vinick's running mate in 2006, as he is widely seen as a "Vinick Republican" moderate apart from abortion. Expected to annouce in early January. The clear front runner.
Governor Eric Swenson of Florida
Elected in 2004 to replace the 2002 Republican Candiadate for President Robert Ritchie. Easily won re-election in November. More popular and again more moderate than Ritchie, but is very wary of running for President after what happened to Ritchie in 2002.
Governor Edward Pratt of Tennessee
Two term Governor who ends his term in January 2009. Popular Governor from the right of the party.
Senate Majority Leader, Robert Royce of Pennsylvannia
The moderate Majority leader who is believed to offered his services to Vinick as a running mate in 2006. Belived by many to have no chance.
Congressman and former Speaker of the House Jeff Haffley from Washington
Speaker of the house from 2003 to 2006 until the Republicans lost control of the House. On the right of the Party. Looks certain to run.
Of the candidates that ran in 2006, it is looks unlikely that any of those candidates will run.

[Philip]

Originally Posted by maverick

Or someone completely out of nowhere...like a Bobby Jindal analogue, a southern black man to challenge the Incumbent latino...

Jindal is not black. He is of Indian (the Asia ones, not the Native ones) descent.

[Tim Thomason]

Given 12 years of Democratic rule, I'd guess that a wide field of Republican candidates would enter the race. Assuming that Sullivan doesn't pull a "George Allen," he would have a head-start on the nomination. I don't know if they ever showed Governor Swenson or not, but he could be a Bobby Jindal-like minority politician.

The smart money is that the Republicans would try to go back to the right after Vinick's centrist campaign. However, 2006 was a much, much closer election than 2008, so the Republican power brokers might want another centrist, moderate approach (perhaps if Santos shows a very liberal presidency, which is unlikely). I wouldn't count out right-wingers such as Walken or Butler, who seem to have significant power bases within the party.

I seem to recall a Santos campaign aide bringing up resentment that a Latino candidate was nominated before a black candidate, and various factions in 2006 wished for a female candidate (Amy Gardner and that pro-choice group). If the Republicans nominate one or both of those, they should at least nullify any "minority advantage" Santos has (although his four years should ideally do that anyway).

Governor Peggy Wade of Oklahoma, an enemy of Bartlet and pro-gun control, was most likely a Republican, so there's a woman you could throw in there. Governor Mike Reed of Ohio gave the keynote address (his "eight is enough" speech) at the 2006 RNC, and that's generally a spot for an up-and-coming politician. Vinick won't be in the election, but Robert Ritchie might try a desparate run for the nomination. He won't get it, but at least he'll fulfill Bartlet's prophecy that "he'll be back." Assuming Ritchie is roughly the same age as actor James Brolin, then he'd be roughly the same age as Vinick, seventy years old.

Senator Swain of Rhode Island, might be a good liberal Republican to throw into the race, assuming he didn't get Santos' offer of Defense Secretary. Senator Chris Carrick of Idaho, a former Democrat, might be funny to throw into the race just to see the look on Josh's face.

Of course these are all just based on running against Democrat Matt Santos. It's possible that Santos might not run again (despite his idealism, he always seemed ready and eager to retire from politics), which would open the floodgates for countless Democrats (and the series has shown plenty of viable Democratic candidates over the years). That'd be an interesting scenario. Also, if Josh, for some reason, felt that Santos was doing a horrible job (and/or if he was fired, as Santos could be talked into doing), he could just find some mediocre, idealistic mayor or something and propel that person to the nomination.

[Marky Bunny]

As always Tim your knowledge of the West Wing is superb.
Eric Swenson is mentioned a couple of times as Governor of Florida during the 2006 election, but you get the idea that he is more moderate than Ritchie. Good calls about Peggy Wade and Carrick.
The other person that could run for the Republicans is Congressman Matt Skinner. He is seen in 2001 as right-wing, other than that Josh Lyman respects him and that he is Gay!!!. That would be very interesting. I think he should run!!!!
I don't think Walken would run in 2010 having lost in 2006, and would likely support Haffley or Pratt. Butler would be the wild card. Reed did not stand for re-election 2006 for whatever reason.
I see the Republican divided by three factions, the moderate Vinick Republicans (Sullivan), the middle ground (Pratt, Haffley), and the right-wing (Butler).

[Imperator Frank]

wouldn't the election be in 2012?

[nakum]

In the former show "The West Wing", elections are on the 2002-2006-2010 cycle.

[Lyly]

Originally Posted by Philip

Jindal is not black. He is of Indian (the Asia ones, not the Native ones) descent.

He didn't say Jindal himself, he said a Jindal analogue, meaning an equivalently roled figure. The President was Latino, he countered with another minority. In the same sense that Jindal would be a counter to Obama.

[Strategos' Risk]

It's time for the East Asian-American community to aspire for the highest office of the land.

Or alternatively, the Palin analogue.

[Archangel Michael]

Originally Posted by Strategos' Risk

It's time for the East Asian-American community to aspire for the highest office of the land.

Or alternatively, the Palin analogue.

Urge to kill rising...

[Strategos' Risk]

Wait, whatever happened to Rev. Butler, the (unintentional) Huckabee analogue? In OTL ol' Huckster is still slated to run in 2012.

Similarities between the fictional 2006 election and the real-life 2008 U.S. presidential election have been noted in the media: young minority Democratic candidate (Matthew Santos on the show, Barack Obama in real life) has a grueling but successful primary campaign against a more experienced candidate (Bob Russell on the show, Hillary Clinton in real life) and chooses an experienced Washington insider as his running mate (Leo McGarry on the show, Joe Biden in real life), whereas the Republican contest is determined early in the primary season with an aging maverick senator of a Western state being the nominee (Arnold Vinick on the show, John McCain in real life), defeating an ordained minister as the closest competitor (Reverend Butler on the show, Mike Huckabee in real life), and then selecting a socially conservative running mate from a small Republican state (West Virginia Governor Ray Sullivan on the show, Alaska Governor Sarah Palin in real life).

I propose we add in Mackenzie Allen into this race, as well as some other Commander-in-Chief characters like Theodore Roosevelt "Teddy" Bridges. That is if anyone's still reading this anymore.

[mjustinian]

Its interesting that you mention a West Virginian. Being from W. Va. (Hardy County) myself, it is a strong, consertative Democratic State. I know many people who after this election have changed parties to independent or republican.

I would think a president from West Virginia would be like the red-headed step child. But I think it may roll like this. Robert Byrd dies and Capito takes his seat in the senate (republican). Mike Teets, from Hardy County is electe to the House in Capito's seat. Rockefeller is voted out for his backing Obama and goes back North. In his place Joe Manchin, who changes parties (to republican, and he is Italian at that) wins his seat in the senate. And it would end up being Manchin who gets the nonination for President. He has that pull...believe me.

[Marky Bunny]

Ray Sullivan is the two term Governor from West Virginia. Elected in 2000 and re-elected in 2004, and was Arnold Vinicks running mate.
Teddy Bridges would have to Governor prior to 2000 as Gabe Tilman was the Dem Governor from 2000 onwards.
I think Andrew Wu should be from North Carolina and elected in 2004. (As the 2004 mid-term elections where never shown on the show, maybe thats why we have never heard from him).Re-elected in a landslide in 2008.
Also Vinick was a Senator not Governor.
Regards to One Nation 10, maybe they try and get Seth Gillette or Chris Carrick to run.
I will also do some detail on the Santos Adminstration and what has happended, and why it is in a mess.

[Strategos' Risk]

Good recommendations. I think we can post the completed posts eventually in the Timeline thread. I'll try to get more people to help with this. Also I think mjustinian might be in the wrong thread. You have an excellent grasp of the story, I didn't notice Gabe Tillman on the Wiki at first. Maybe Bridges could be the governor of California between Lassiter and him.

I think Carrick would be a better fit for One Nation '10 than Gillette, Gillette's more of a Kucinich-type character, Carrick is more of a nonpartisan opportunist independent like Michael Bloomberg, which actually matches up quite nicely for the Unity '08 parallel. This thread could be helpful.

[Marky Bunny]

Thanks for the comments. I have a idea of who is going to run. I plan to have the debates start in May as they in OTL in 2007. I have not decided if Walken runs.
See the link below showing a list of Governors.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of...tate_governors

[Strategos' Risk]

Thanks for the list. One more link: the first and third posts on this thread might be helpful as well.

[Strategos' Risk]

Excellent articles! I would like to promote this thread somehow, but I'm not sure how to.

[Marky Bunny]

Originally Posted by Strategos' Risk

Excellent articles! I would like to promote this thread somehow, but I'm not sure how to.

Thanks for the kind comments, hope you like my plotting. I re-watched "The Portland trip" epsiode from Series Two in which Skinner appears and talks about being Gay and being a Republican, before I did the article. I also re-watched a couple of the series seven epsiodes where Sullivan appears. It's strange when writing I could almost here the actors saying the words. I should be a writer!!!!
There will be more annoucements this week, including a suprise!!!

[Will Ritson]

Mark - how is Sam Seabourne getting on as assistant CoS in the Santos administration. I remember Bartlett once telling him that "one day you will run for this office". Obviously he wouldn't be a candidate in 2010, or even 2014, but I could envisage a situation where an alternative democratic candidate tries to poach his services as campaign manager.

[Underboss_3]

I'm one of the people who wish there had been at least one season of the Santos Administration on tv. I loved the West Wing (even though I'm a Republican). This is a fun discussion to follow.

[Marky Bunny]

Originally Posted by Will Ritson

Mark - how is Sam Seabourne getting on as assistant CoS in the Santos administration. I remember Bartlett once telling him that "one day you will run for this office". Obviously he wouldn't be a candidate in 2010, or even 2014, but I could envisage a situation where an alternative democratic candidate tries to poach his services as campaign manager.

I will be doing a review of the first two years of the Santos administration soon. Regards Sam damm, you have got one of my plot points once the challenge against Santos gets going later on this year!!!!