I agree with what you on buyer's remorse. The Republicans are probably now realizing that a lot of Republican Senate, House, and Gubernatorial candidates are going to lose because of Duke, and Duke is not worth it.
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2018 Presidential Election
- Thread starter Marky Bunny
- Start date
A lot can happen between now and November. I think elections are basically won/lost in the last two weeks before election day.
If Duke wins, I am done following the thread. I have been a loyal follower since the summer of 2010.
Out of interest for someone just coming onto this thread... could someone summarise the achievements of Sam's presidency so far and his case for re-election?
I'd be curious to see how he might compare to Bartlet, Santos and Walken in their first term(s).
I'd be curious to see how he might compare to Bartlet, Santos and Walken in their first term(s).
Not true. How about Johnson/Goldwater in 1996? The results were baked in pretty early. Same with Nixon/McGovern in 1972. And Clinton/Dole in 1996. ITTL in 2010 Walken was pretty consistently ahead of Santos fron the conventions on. He had a decent lead and it tightened a bit the last couple of weeks.
Well I hope you're right. I hope there are parallels between this and Bartlet's re-election in 02'
No. Cruz endorsed the guy who insulted his wife & mother of his children. Thats the equivlent of Boone endorsing Duke after Duke insulted his wife.
I just hope the toxic rhetoric from the recent campaigns IOTL don't appear ITTL.
Second-to-last entry in the Senate series. Getting glad to be near the end even if it means now I've got no choice but to list the delegations that caused poor Prometheus headaches in the final entry.
1973-1997: Charles Cambridge (Democratic)
Elections: 1972, 1978, 1984, 1990
1997-2021: Calvin Bowles (Democratic)
Elections: 1996, 2002, 2008, 2014
2021-2027: James Lincoln (Republican)
Elections: 2020
Class 3
1981-2005: George "Hawk" Fuller (Republican)
Elections: 1980, 1986, 1992, 1998
2005-2019: James Lancaster (Republican)†
Elections: 2004, 2010, 2016
2019-2023: Terrance H. Schraeder (Republican)
Elections: 2020 (special)
United States Senators from MichiganClass 1
1983-1995: Christopher Dubar (Republican)
Elections: 1988
1995-2012: Paula Sancho (Democratic)
Elections: 1994, 2000, 2006
2012-2013: Lance Honeyman (Democratic)
2013-2025: Becky Reeseman (Democratic)
Elections: 2012, 2018
Class 3
1981-1993: Jack Page (Democratic)
Elections: 1980, 1986
1993-1999: John Flack (Democratic)
Elections: 1992
1999-2023: Randall Thomas (Republican)
Elections: 1998, 2004, 2010, 2016
1983-1989: Thomas Anderson (Democratic)
Elections: 1982
1989-2007: Randy Broughton (Democratic)
Elections: 1988, 1994, 2000
2007-2025: Vic Huntington (Democratic)
Elections: 2006, 2012, 2018
Class 3
1974-1987: Paul Laxalt (Republican)
Elections: 1974, 1980
1987-1999: Dawson Ackland (Republican)
Elections: 1986, 1992
1999-2016: Howard Weston (Republican)
Elections: 1998, 2004, 2010
2016: Brent Carter (Democratic)
2016-2023: Matthew Spencer (Democratic)
Elections: 2016 (special), 2016
--------------------------------------------------------------
Lists of United States Senators (1985-present)
AL • AK • AZ • AR • CA • CO • CT • DE • FL • GA • HI • ID • IL • IN • IA • KS • KY • LA • ME • MD • MA • MI • MN • MS • MO • MT • NE • NV • NH • NJ • NM • NY • NC • ND • OH • OK • OR • PA • RI • SC • SD • TN • TX • UT • VT • VA • WA • WV • WI • WY
--------------------------------------------------------------
United States Senators from Kentucky
Class 2Lists of United States Senators (1985-present)
AL • AK • AZ • AR • CA • CO • CT • DE • FL • GA • HI • ID • IL • IN • IA • KS • KY • LA • ME • MD • MA • MI • MN • MS • MO • MT • NE • NV • NH • NJ • NM • NY • NC • ND • OH • OK • OR • PA • RI • SC • SD • TN • TX • UT • VT • VA • WA • WV • WI • WY
--------------------------------------------------------------
United States Senators from Kentucky
1973-1997: Charles Cambridge (Democratic)
Elections: 1972, 1978, 1984, 1990
1997-2021: Calvin Bowles (Democratic)
Elections: 1996, 2002, 2008, 2014
2021-2027: James Lincoln (Republican)
Elections: 2020
Class 3
1981-2005: George "Hawk" Fuller (Republican)
Elections: 1980, 1986, 1992, 1998
2005-2019: James Lancaster (Republican)†
Elections: 2004, 2010, 2016
2019-2023: Terrance H. Schraeder (Republican)
Elections: 2020 (special)
Kentucky Democrats managed to keep a presence in the Senate over two decades longer than OTL *here* thanks to Calvin Bowles. Bowles, while being an old, crotchety Kentuckian by the time he left the Senate, at least didn't look like the weird turtle-man hybrid who holds the same seat IOTL.
"Hawk" Fuller was the Senate Minority Whip during the Lassiter administration, who came out of retirement in 2010 to briefly run for president. He didn't do to well, but became the first Secretary of Labor in the Walken administration. His replacement, James Lancaster, eventually rose to become the chair of the Republican Conference Chair (the #3 Republican in the Senate) before passing away in 2019. Then-governor Ed Barrie replaced him with former lieutenant governor Terrance H. Schraeder, who then won a special election to fill the remainder of Lancaster's term. Despite Barrie resigning in disgrace, Schraeder is running for a term of his own this year.
"Hawk" Fuller was the Senate Minority Whip during the Lassiter administration, who came out of retirement in 2010 to briefly run for president. He didn't do to well, but became the first Secretary of Labor in the Walken administration. His replacement, James Lancaster, eventually rose to become the chair of the Republican Conference Chair (the #3 Republican in the Senate) before passing away in 2019. Then-governor Ed Barrie replaced him with former lieutenant governor Terrance H. Schraeder, who then won a special election to fill the remainder of Lancaster's term. Despite Barrie resigning in disgrace, Schraeder is running for a term of his own this year.
United States Senators from Michigan
1983-1995: Christopher Dubar (Republican)
Elections: 1988
1995-2012: Paula Sancho (Democratic)
Elections: 1994, 2000, 2006
2012-2013: Lance Honeyman (Democratic)
2013-2025: Becky Reeseman (Democratic)
Elections: 2012, 2018
Class 3
1981-1993: Jack Page (Democratic)
Elections: 1980, 1986
1993-1999: John Flack (Democratic)
Elections: 1992
1999-2023: Randall Thomas (Republican)
Elections: 1998, 2004, 2010, 2016
Michigan is one of the states whose Senate delegation's classes are different *here*. IRL their senators are in Class 1 & Class 2, but ITTL, they are Class 1 & Class 3.
Sancho resigned in 2012 after winning Michigan's gubernatorial recall election ousting then-governor John Brennan (R). No, not that one. She got to appoint her own replacement, picking a non-entity like Honeyman to fill out her term rather than pick a side in a competitive Democratic primary for the general election. The state legislature changes the law to avoid a concurrent special election to fill out the final two months of Sancho's term (i.e.- a retcon so I don't have to go back and change Reeseman's seniority date), but this change gets reversed after Sancho is ousted by future presidential candidate Ben Laurion (R) in 2014. Reeseman is on the list of potential running mates for President Seaborn this year.
The two Johns were pretty unremarkable senators, but Thomas emerges as the white whale for the Senate DCCC, frustratingly keeping Michigan's Senate delegation split despite the state voting Democratic in four of the last six presidential elections (Eisenhower in 1998 & Walken in 2010 are the only Republicans to have won it since Owen Lassiter). Thomas is retiring this year, and his seat is likely going to flip without him there.
Sancho resigned in 2012 after winning Michigan's gubernatorial recall election ousting then-governor John Brennan (R). No, not that one. She got to appoint her own replacement, picking a non-entity like Honeyman to fill out her term rather than pick a side in a competitive Democratic primary for the general election. The state legislature changes the law to avoid a concurrent special election to fill out the final two months of Sancho's term (i.e.- a retcon so I don't have to go back and change Reeseman's seniority date), but this change gets reversed after Sancho is ousted by future presidential candidate Ben Laurion (R) in 2014. Reeseman is on the list of potential running mates for President Seaborn this year.
The two Johns were pretty unremarkable senators, but Thomas emerges as the white whale for the Senate DCCC, frustratingly keeping Michigan's Senate delegation split despite the state voting Democratic in four of the last six presidential elections (Eisenhower in 1998 & Walken in 2010 are the only Republicans to have won it since Owen Lassiter). Thomas is retiring this year, and his seat is likely going to flip without him there.
United States Senators from Nevada
Class 11983-1989: Thomas Anderson (Democratic)
Elections: 1982
1989-2007: Randy Broughton (Democratic)
Elections: 1988, 1994, 2000
2007-2025: Vic Huntington (Democratic)
Elections: 2006, 2012, 2018
Class 3
1974-1987: Paul Laxalt (Republican)
Elections: 1974, 1980
1987-1999: Dawson Ackland (Republican)
Elections: 1986, 1992
1999-2016: Howard Weston (Republican)
Elections: 1998, 2004, 2010
2016: Brent Carter (Democratic)
2016-2023: Matthew Spencer (Democratic)
Elections: 2016 (special), 2016
Anderson wins the Democratic primary after incumbent Howard Cannon is caught lying about a corrupt Teamster offering him a bribe and keeps the seat for the Democrats. But he quickly gets involved in a scandal of his own, being recorded calling himself "the one" while high on hallucinogens. Anderson checks himself into rehab and declines to run for re-election, so Democrats pick a little-known state assemblyman named Randy Broughton as their candidate. Broughton manages to pull off an upset victory, bucking the expectations given President Newman's low popularity heading into the 1988 midterms. He wins two more terms before deciding to retire in 2006. Las Vegas Mayor Vic Huntington helped swing the state for Matt Santos and is the last sitting senator who was first elected alongside America's first Hispanic president.
Say it with me: "[Laxalt] was appointed early after his predecessor resigned to give him a head start on seniority."
Say it with me: "[Laxalt] was appointed early after his predecessor resigned to give him a head start on seniority."
Don't get me wrong. I am not usually the type to take my ball and go home when I don't like something. I was for Walken in 2014 and I was not happy when he was behind Fitzsimmons that whole summer and when it looked like he was going to lose on Election Night. I would not have been happy if Fitzsimmons had won, but I still would stayed a loyal follower. Duke is just a really loathsome character and it would be really painful and sickening to watch him win and watch him as President
I am really hoping that the thread is not going Trumpian or rather Dukian; so maybe Sam Seaborn hasn't got much done or point to many achievements, but when you've a Senate controlled by Republican's for the first two years and then you add the House under GOP control at this moment, then no wonder Seaborn isn't going to get much anything done! don't want to criticize, but the Johnson vs. Goldwater contest was in 1964. Yeah I agree the Seaborn campaign is capable of making mistakes, but Duke's ability to alienate large segments of the populace is unequalled, almost Goldwaterite in fact. One thing Goldwater had going for him, there wasn't a mean bone in his body and was almost universally liked, until LBJ demonized him; can't say that Duke possess many redeemable qualities.
Exactly. It is unfair to compare Alan Duke with Barry Goldwater. Barry Goldwater was a good and honorable man. A patriot.
I honestly dont know what you expect us to say. This isnt, (to use a fanfiction term) a "Wank" timeline. When Mark started this tl, it was to continue the West Wing storyline. We are telling a story. Each of us working in Comms/Politics. We all have a wide range of views on both sides of the political spectrum.
At the end of the day, we're here to tell a story. Every great story has it's peaks & valleys. And that is NOT in anyway a clue or hint about the outcome of the TTL election.
We're here to tell a story. That's it. That's all.
At the end of the day, we're here to tell a story. Every great story has it's peaks & valleys. And that is NOT in anyway a clue or hint about the outcome of the TTL election.
We're here to tell a story. That's it. That's all.
My position is this: don't let your personal politics get in the way of enjoying a good story! (Note, I am not offering any comment on the future of this story, because I have no input or information in that regard.) The "good" guys don't win all the time, and the "bad" guys winning doesn't mean an endorsement of their positions. It's just a new chapter of the story. Things happen; that's life. If this was a regular althistory timeline would you stop reading if the "bad" guys won an election or a war? And there are much worse people than Alan Duke real or fictional.
It would cease to be a good story if someone as disgusting as Duke was elected President.
It's just story telling 101, keeping us in suspense. They did it in the last two elections and even to some degree in 2010. Like I said, we just need to trust the writers, give them our respect with the story they have so far and keep the toxic politics of our reality out of this timeline. And these guys know how to tell a good story! It shows because they've been here a long time! I personally don't see this TL going the way of Doom, Gloom and the American way or Cross of Globalism that's for sure. I don't see it taking a dark turn.
Ya know, I always felt the West Wing was meant to show a more hopeful and optimistic side of politics and I feel this timeline also captures that same feeling. My advise to my fellow readers is don't just look to the state of politics in our world but also look at the past politics and storytelling the West Wing show and this timeline has to see how the story goes in the future. That's another thing stories in a series do best. They borrow or re-use earlier stories in the series i.e. Star Wars, Star Trek, 24, Marvel/D.C movies. So let's watch the story play out and enjoy the show!
Ya know, I always felt the West Wing was meant to show a more hopeful and optimistic side of politics and I feel this timeline also captures that same feeling. My advise to my fellow readers is don't just look to the state of politics in our world but also look at the past politics and storytelling the West Wing show and this timeline has to see how the story goes in the future. That's another thing stories in a series do best. They borrow or re-use earlier stories in the series i.e. Star Wars, Star Trek, 24, Marvel/D.C movies. So let's watch the story play out and enjoy the show!