1948 US presidential election after Operation Downfall

Alkahest

Banned
I'm currently writing an ASB TL where the Trinity test has the unwelcome side-effect of giving anyone who happens to be within 200 miles of Rice, California (where the Trinity test happened ITTL) initially uncontrollable psionic powers. This includes Los Angeles, Phoenix and Las Vegas.

For this reason the bomb is not used in the war with Japan, and my assumption (which is likely to be wrong) is that Operation Downfall then takes place. This leads to possibly hundreds of thousands of American deaths, and millions of dead Japanese. (The propaganda claiming that America is being punished by higher powers by the chaos in California makes the Japanese even more fanatical, if possible.) Japan eventually surrenders after a long and bloody war.

My question is, how would this influence the 1948 presidential election? My guess is that Truman will be far less popular, but who will replace him? I was initially thinking about Robert Taft, but while his non-interventionism might seem like what America wants after a horrible war, the Red Scare is scarier than ever (a more strained US and no bomb would likely result in a more bold Soviet Union) and the supernatural disaster-struck Southwest is likely in need of some major economic help, which would clash with his fiscal restraint. So, who?

I'd be thankful for your thoughts.

(I didn't put this in ASB wince the basic question has little to do with the ASB premise, but if someone thinks it should be moved I have no objections.)
 
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I'm not sure if Thurmond would run still- though he might. Wallace might run- though OTL he was a major proponent of nuclear research (even using radioactive fertilizer).
 
I'm currently writing an ASB TL where the Trinity test has the unwelcome side-effect of giving anyone who happens to be within 200 miles of Rice, California (where the Trinity test happened ITTL) initially uncontrollable psionic powers. This includes Los Angeles, Phoenix and Las Vegas.

This almost certainly means that California Governor Earl Warren will have uncontrollable superpowers, so he'd be my pick for '48. It'll wreck the most significant Supreme Court in our nation's history 15 years down the line, mind you....
 
This almost certainly means that California Governor Earl Warren will have uncontrollable superpowers, so he'd be my pick for '48. It'll wreck the most significant Supreme Court in our nation's history 15 years down the line, mind you....

Oh my God, please write about Earl Warren as a superhero. Jurisprudence Man fighting his archenemy, White Hood.
 

Alkahest

Banned
I'm not sure if Thurmond would run still- though he might. Wallace might run- though OTL he was a major proponent of nuclear research (even using radioactive fertilizer).
Not sure why anyone would vote for Thurmond in this situation, then again I don't understand why anyone would vote for him, period. I never really saw the appeal of the Dixiecrats. I can't see people caring all that much about racial segregation when there are frikkin' warlocks running around in the west.

As for Wallace, that's an interesting thought. If people are worried about the Red Menace his communist-hating credentials might be a bit too thin, though.
This almost certainly means that California Governor Earl Warren will have uncontrollable superpowers, so he'd be my pick for '48. It'll wreck the most significant Supreme Court in our nation's history 15 years down the line, mind you....
I will clarify the ASB rules a bit. Feel free to skip: (Anyone closer than 200 miles to Rica, California can use magic/psionic/super-powers when there, but these powers go away when they move out of that area. In addition, within 1400 miles from Rice (a zone extending from the Mississippi River in the east to Mexico City in the south to Edmonton, Alberta in the north) 14.3% of all children are born with a genetic ability to use these powers, while 2% of all children are born both visibly deformed and with those abilities. These powers work especially well within 1400 miles from Rice and even better within 200 miles from that same place. In addition, everyone born within 200 miles from Rice has the genetic ability to use these magic powers, while 14.3% of all children born there are visibly deformed and magic.) Phew.

As for Earl Warren, I was considering him as well. I guess it all depends on how well he handles the crisis in California. If he's seen as a competent leader who saved Los Angeles from chaos while Truman was busy fighting a war with the Japanese, he might very well be elected. Who do you think he would pick as his running mate?

Also, what do you think the fate of MacArthur would be in a world with a longer Pacific War?
 

JRScott

Banned
The problem here is that if everyone gained psionic powers in that area, the odds are is that one can exert mind control over at least continental distances and probably over the planet.

In other words we'd need more information on these powers, after all if I can mind control my way onto the ballot and then ensure every eligible voter votes for me I'll be the first president ever voted in by unanimous popular vote and electoral college vote. (Washington won all the electoral but not popular).
 

Alkahest

Banned
The problem here is that if everyone gained psionic powers in that area, the odds are is that one can exert mind control over at least continental distances and probably over the planet.

In other words we'd need more information on these powers, after all if I can mind control my way onto the ballot and then ensure every eligible voter votes for me I'll be the first president ever voted in by unanimous popular vote and electoral college vote. (Washington won all the electoral but not popular).
As said, they are "uncontrollable", the first years it mostly takes the shape of constant Poltergeist-like phenomena. No-one is going to use it for practical purposes in 1948. You can think of it as any ordinary disaster, only supernatural in nature.
 
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