2018 Presidential Election

[KingCrawa]

A run for the Senate against Curtis Ryan in 2026?

Or gearing up to pull a Shallick and run for the Presidency

 

[FitzB]

Or gearing up to pull a Shallick and run for the Presidency

Would be an interesting one.

Its a way off but I’m intrigued to see how the next Presidential race will play out seeing as none of the original cast are likely front runners. Would be interesting to see one of them thrown in the mix if there is a realistic opportunity to do so.

 

[lord caedus]

Lyman to become Seaborn's chief of staff

Tuesday, January 30th, 2024

President Sam Seaborn will has named Congressman Josh Lyman (D-CT) as the next White House Chief of Staff, the White House announced Tuesday. Lyman, who served as White House Chief of Staff under President Matt Santos from 2007 to 2009, will become the first person to serve non-consecutive terms as chief of staff, and only the second after Alexander Haig (who briefly continued as chief of staff after Gerald Ford assumed office upon Richard Nixon's resignation) to serve in the role under two presidents.

"The president can think of no one better to step into the role [of White House Chief of Staff] for the remainder of his time in office than Congressman Lyman." White House Press Secretary Tom Thurgood said in the announcement.

Lyman, a longtime friend of Seaborn's, served alongside the president during the two previous Democratic administrations, with Seaborn as Lyman's deputy during their time in the Santos White House. Following his departure from the Santos White House, Lyman served as chair of the Democratic National Committee from 2009 to 2014 while Seaborn sought (and won) election to the Senate. The pair's relationship hit a rough patch after Seaborn dismissed Lyman from his first presidential campaign in late 2017 owing to infighting arising from disagreements between Lyman and C.J. Cregg (Lyman's immediate predecessor as White House Chief of Staff). But the two (and Cregg, who served alongside both men in the Bartlet White House) reconciled before the end of Seaborn's first term and Lyman won a congressional special election in May 2022 to a House seat in Connecticut.

In his brief congressional career, Lyman accumulated a record as a loyal supporter of the president, being one of only three House Democrats to support every piece of legislation proposed or endorsed by the White House in the 118th Congress, according to NBS' analysis of congressional votes (for more information, see: How Often Does Your Member of Congress Vote With or Against President Seaborn?).

Lyman is expected to resign his House seat by Friday afternoon to take up his new position, triggering a special election. Per Connecticut state law, the election will almost certainly take place in April.

 

[lord caedus]

If the show hadn't gone off the air, this would be the 25th season of The West Wing. So, in celebration of that and also the major White House staff overhaul, here's a new main cast sheet for the "current season", with a new commemorative logo partially taken from the logo for The West Wing Weekly podcast (ironically just after Will left the main cast again).

Carmen Costa (Adria Arjona) makes her debut as the new White House Deputy Communications Director and speechwriter, stepping into big shoes left by John Edwards (played by the late Billy Miller).
Connie Tate (Connie Britton) continues in her role as White House Director of Legislative Affairs, aiming to keep an impatient president and a skittish Democratic majority on the same page as the midterm elections approach.
Lauren Parker-Seaborn (Anne Hathaway) will enjoy a fifth year as a member of the main cast, and a fourth season juggling the roles of First Lady, wife and mother.
C.J. Cregg (Allison Janney) retains her role as Senior Advisor to the President, while also acting as a mentor to the new staffers thrown into the maelstrom that is the West Wing.
Edie Ortega (Diana-Maria Riva) enters her fourth season as a main character and the Deputy Chief of Staff, having had two stints as a reoccurring character (in seasons 7 and 11) for both Santos campaigns.
Mark Sterns (Chris Rock) keeps his spot as White House Communications Director for a fifth season, a wise-cracking observer to the churn that's gone through the senior staff this past year.
Tom Thurgood (Morgan Spector) has been promoted to the main cast as he takes over as White House Press Secretary, having been a reoccurring character since season 22.
Danny Lance (Cole Sprouse) takes over the role of Personal Assistant to the President, trying to put what he learned in the classroom into practice in one of the highest political stages as recent college grad is likely to reach.
Josh Lyman (Bradley Whitford) returns to the main cast for the first time since his exit in season 10, for "one more shot" as White House Chief of Staff.
Sam Seaborn (Rob Lowe) enters his sixth year in office, hoping to keep up the frenetic pace of legislation before talk begins to turn to who will replace him in the Oval Office.

 

[Bad'Wolf]

If the show hadn't gone off the air, this would be the 25th season of The West Wing. So, in celebration of that and also the major White House staff overhaul, here's a new main cast sheet for the "current season", with a new commemorative logo partially taken from the logo for The West Wing Weekly podcast (ironically just after Will left the main cast again).

Carmen Costa (Adria Arjona) makes her debut as the new White House Deputy Communications Director and speechwriter, stepping into big shoes left by John Edwards (played by the late Billy Miller).
Connie Tate (Connie Britton) continues in her role as White House Director of Legislative Affairs, aiming to keep an impatient president and a skittish Democratic majority on the same page as the midterm elections approach.
Lauren Parker-Seaborn (Anne Hathaway) will enjoy a fifth year as a member of the main cast, and a fourth season juggling the roles of First Lady, wife and mother.
C.J. Cregg (Allison Janney) retains her role as Senior Advisor to the President, while also acting as a mentor to the new staffers thrown into the maelstrom that is the West Wing.
Edie Ortega (Diana-Maria Riva) enters her fourth season as a main character and the Deputy Chief of Staff, having had two stints as a reoccurring character (in seasons 7 and 11) for both Santos campaigns.
Mark Sterns (Chris Rock) keeps his spot as White House Communications Director for a fifth season, a wise-cracking observer to the churn that's gone through the senior staff this past year.
Tom Thurgood (Morgan Spector) has been promoted to the main cast as he takes over as White House Press Secretary, having been a reoccurring character since season 22.
Danny Lance (Cole Sprouse) takes over the role of Personal Assistant to the President, trying to put what he learned in the classroom into practice in one of the highest political stages as recent college grad is likely to reach.
Josh Lyman (Bradley Whitford) returns to the main cast for the first time since his exit in season 10, for "one more shot" as White House Chief of Staff.
Sam Seaborn (Rob Lowe) enters his sixth year in office, hoping to keep up the frenetic pace of legislation before talk begins to turn to who will replace him in the Oval Office.

Is there anyone out there to turn this into a fan credits video? I'd watch that

 

[KingCrawa]

Remind me who succeed Josh as Santos CoS? And why he quit?

 

[RRusso1982]

Josh Lyman as chief of staff again. What could possibly go wrong?

 

[Prometheus_2300]

Interesting seeing Josh come back to be CoS, although I was wondering something, what are the Santos doing post-presidency?

 

[Excelsior]

Remind me who succeed Josh as Santos CoS? And why he quit?

Pretty sure it was Nate Singer, maybe Otto Marcellas as interim between Josh and Nate.

 

[Excelsior]

If the show hadn't gone off the air, this would be the 25th season of The West Wing. So, in celebration of that and also the major White House staff overhaul, here's a new main cast sheet for the "current season", with a new commemorative logo partially taken from the logo for The West Wing Weekly podcast (ironically just after Will left the main cast again).

Carmen Costa (Adria Arjona) makes her debut as the new White House Deputy Communications Director and speechwriter, stepping into big shoes left by John Edwards (played by the late Billy Miller).
Connie Tate (Connie Britton) continues in her role as White House Director of Legislative Affairs, aiming to keep an impatient president and a skittish Democratic majority on the same page as the midterm elections approach.
Lauren Parker-Seaborn (Anne Hathaway) will enjoy a fifth year as a member of the main cast, and a fourth season juggling the roles of First Lady, wife and mother.
C.J. Cregg (Allison Janney) retains her role as Senior Advisor to the President, while also acting as a mentor to the new staffers thrown into the maelstrom that is the West Wing.
Edie Ortega (Diana-Maria Riva) enters her fourth season as a main character and the Deputy Chief of Staff, having had two stints as a reoccurring character (in seasons 7 and 11) for both Santos campaigns.
Mark Sterns (Chris Rock) keeps his spot as White House Communications Director for a fifth season, a wise-cracking observer to the churn that's gone through the senior staff this past year.
Tom Thurgood (Morgan Spector) has been promoted to the main cast as he takes over as White House Press Secretary, having been a reoccurring character since season 22.
Danny Lance (Cole Sprouse) takes over the role of Personal Assistant to the President, trying to put what he learned in the classroom into practice in one of the highest political stages as recent college grad is likely to reach.
Josh Lyman (Bradley Whitford) returns to the main cast for the first time since his exit in season 10, for "one more shot" as White House Chief of Staff.
Sam Seaborn (Rob Lowe) enters his sixth year in office, hoping to keep up the frenetic pace of legislation before talk begins to turn to who will replace him in the Oval Office.

This is an awesome cast. Morgan Spector and Adria Arjona are great underrated actors. Also I thought Dylan Sprouse was the new bodyman all this time, totally had those two mixed up.

 

[lord caedus]

Remind me who succeed Josh as Santos CoS? And why he quit?

Pretty sure it was Nate Singer, maybe Otto Marcellas as interim between Josh and Nate.

It was Singer. Marcellas served as chief of staff during the last month of the Santos administration and

And Josh left to take over running the DNC.

Josh Lyman as chief of staff again. What could possibly go wrong?

The President has authorized the Secret Service to use lethal force if Josh uses the words "secret" and "inflation" in the same sentence.

Interesting seeing Josh come back to be CoS, although I was wondering something, what are the Santos doing post-presidency?

Presumably enjoying life in Houston after Helen's attempt at a political career seems to have stalled out.

I would imagine both as the nation's first Hispanic president and also the youngest and healthiest of the three living ex-presidents, President Santos is in high demand as both a speaker, and also probably serves on the boards of several non-profits.

This is an awesome cast. Morgan Spector and Adria Arjona are great underrated actors.

Thank you.

Also I thought Dylan Sprouse was the new bodyman all this time, totally had those two mixed up.

Well, it helps that they are identical twins.

 

[RRusso1982]

Really surprising choice. If you go back to the beginning of the original thread, Lyman was an unmitigated disaster as Chief of Staff in the Santos administration. Now he hasn't even warmed up that House seat in Connecticut, and the voters of that district have to foot the cost of another special election in less than 2 years. That special election could actually be a harbinger of the midterms. The 5th in Connecticut is actually a swingish district. At least it it the least Democratic district in Connecticut. If the Republicans nominate a decent candidate, it could get interesting. At least Lyman was safe there. With his ability to raise money, it would have scared off any A-list Republican challengers anyway.

 

[Marky Bunny]

Friday February 2nd, 2024

The latest UK polling, with undecided voters removed:
(+/- since December 3rd poll)

Labour: 39% (+1)
Conservative: 23% (-2)
NPP: 19% (+1)
Liberal Democrats: 10% (-2)
SNP: 3% (-1)
Green: 2% (n/c)
Socialist Alliance: 1% (n/c)
Plaid Cymru: 1% (n/c)
Others: 2% (n/c)

 

[lord caedus]

Got some more governors, from the state that looks like a mitten to the one that looks like a pan.

--------------------------------------------------------------
Lists of United States Governors (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
--------------------------------------------------------------
​

Governors of Michigan
45. 1983-1991: Tim Lattner (Democratic)
Elections: 1982, 1986
46. 1991-1999: Tony Wolke (Democratic)
Elections: 1990, 1994
47. 1999-2007: Marcus Blakemore (Republican)
Elections: 1998, 2002
48. 2007-2011: Ruth Hutchins (Democratic)
Elections: 2006
49. 2011-2012: John Brennan (Republican)
Elections: 2010
50. 2012-2015: Paula Sancho (Democratic)
Elections: 2012 (recall)
51. 2015-2023: Ben Laurion (Republican)
Elections: 2014, 2018
52. 2023-2027: Dianne Maguire (Democratic)
Elections: 2022

Spoiler: Michigan

The only new creation is the earliest governor on the list, Lattner. Brennan was the only governor to leave office early, having been recalled owing to his push to limit the bargaining power of public-sector unions in Michigan and also several corruption allegations. Sancho, one of Michigan's senators, won the recall election to replace him.

Michigan does not allow its governors to serve more than two terms if they have taken place after 1993, so former governors Blakemore and Laurion cannot run again, while incumbent Dianne Maguire can run for one more term.

--------------------------------
​

Governors of New Mexico
26. 1983-1987: James Mejia (Democratic)
Elections: 1982
27. 1987-1991: Merritt Webb (Republican)
Elections: 1986
28. 1991-1999: Hal Norris (Democratic)
Elections: 1990, 1994
29. 1999-2007: Roy Connors (Republican)
Elections: 1998, 2002
30. 2007-2010: Rudi Vansen (Republican)
Elections: 2006
31. 2010-2011: Henry Gomez (Republican)
32. 2011-2019: Rudi Vansen (Independent)
Elections: 2010, 2014
33. 2019-2027: William Raven Diego (Democratic)
Elections: 2018, 2022

Spoiler: New Mexico

The Land of Enchantment's governors turned into a headache, partially of my own making. I'd established Mejia as someone who lost his re-election bid in 1986, so Newman gave him the Interior Department as a consolation prize, not knowing that New Mexico IOTL briefly had a time period (1970-1990) where their governors could not succeed themselves. Also the whole Vansen thing requires yet another retcon of New Mexico's gubernatorial term limits.

Here's what I've got: The repeal of term limits that occurred IOTL 1990 was moved up by four years thanks to the constitutional crisis brought about by Reagan's incapacitation, meaning Mejia was eligible for re-election. He lost to Webb (new character), who then lost to Norris (another new creation) in 1990 (the final new creation, Connors, was elected after Norris was term-limited). A crucial difference with OTL was that New Mexico's ATL term limit law was written in a way that only allowed an incumbent governor to succeed themselves once. This came into play when Vansen, faced with accusations of corruption, decided his best strategy was...fleeing to the UK only to turn himself in two days after leaving the country. Unsurprisingly, the state legislature in New Mexico impeached and removed Vansen for this stunt, elevating Gomez to the role.

Then Vansen was vindicated (or so it seems) when the charges filed against him were dropped, so he ran as an independent against both Gomez and the Democratic nominee and won. Eligible for a second consecutive term since his impeachment had made Gomez the incumbent in 2010, not him, he won a third straight election in 2014 thanks to Republicans not putting up a candidate. But, unsurprisingly, it turns out where there was smoke, there might have been fire, as voters in New Mexico really soured on his administration's constant court battles and scandals by the end of his second (consecutive) term. So, over his objections (which didn't count for much given he was unpopular and more important, had almost no support in the state legislature anymore), New Mexico's legislature proposed and voters ratified new limits for the state's governor: a strict limit of two consecutive terms, counting any portion of one term as a whole term.

So that means that Diego is ineligible to run in 2026, but could run in 2030.

--------------------------------​

Governors of Oklahoma
21. 1975-1981: David Boren (Democratic)
Elections: 1974, 1978
22. 1981-1989: Jim Beaver (Republican)
Elections: 1980, 1984
23. 1989-1997: Todd Buechler (Democratic)
Elections: 1988, 1992
24. 1997-2003: George Carper (Republican)†
Elections: 1996, 2000
25. 2003-2011: Peggy Wade (Republican)
Elections: 2004, 2008
26. 2011-2017: Lawrence Martin (Republican)
Elections: 2012
27. 2017-2021: Rob Kenny (Democratic)
Elections: 2016
28. 2021-2025: Katherine Williams (Republican)
Elections: 2020

Spoiler: Oklahoma

The home of Alan Duke needed only two new creations for this list: Buechler and Carper. There were two mid-term vacancies ITTL's Sooner State: Carper died in office and was succeeded by Wade. Wade herself resigned to become HUD secretary under Glen Allen Walken (surprisingly not commented at the time was having the secretary in charge of urban development being from a predominantly rural state), elevating Martin to the role.

To accommodate the dates established for Beaver, ITTL Oklahoma voters passed a referenda to realign its gubernatorial cycle to align with presidential elections starting in 1980...only for the presidential cycle to realign to Oklahoma's old electoral calendar six years later. Once bitten, twice shy, voters rejected subsequent attempts to re-align their state election cycles with the presidency out of fear that the presidential election cycle could get realigned again.

Oklahoma voters passed an initiative in 2010 that prevented anyone from serving more than eight years as governor (not exempting partial terms as IOTL), meaning Lawrence was term-limited out despite serving only two years of Wade's last term. That means that Williams is eligible to run for re-election this year, but cannot run for re-election again if she wins a second term.

--------------------------------
​

Governors of Vermont
76. 1977-1991: Richard A. Snelling (Republican)†
Elections: 1976, 1980, 1984, 1988
77. 1991-2000: Donald Hogan (Democratic)
Elections: 1991, 1995
78. 2000-2008: Jim Donnet (Republican)
Elections: 1999, 2003
79. 2008-2028: Janet Lorton (Democratic)
Elections: 2007, 2011, 2015, 2019, 2023

Spoiler: Vermont

IOTL, Vermont is one of only two state (with New Hampshire) who elects its governors for two-year terms. ITTL, it's four years and here's what I'm coming up with to explain the discrepancy: with the end of unquestioned Republican dominance in the state and the end of the "mountain rule", Vermonters saw little reason for the biannual elections and extended the state's terms to four years starting in 1976. The national constitutional crisis brought about by Reagan's incapacitation saw Vermonters enact a constitutional amendment requiring early elections if a governor died, resigned or become incapacitated for at least 30 consecutive days, with a year left in their term.

Which is what happened when Richard A. Snelling died in January 1991, with two years left in his term (his death being accelerated by having continuously served as governor from 1977 instead of IOTL having a six year gap between stints in the governor's mansion). His Democratic lieutenant governor, Hogan (new creation like his own successor Donnet) succeeded him and won the 1991 election that accidentally realigned Vermont's electoral cycle. Following the 1991 election, Vermont changed its laws to only require a special election if a governor left office with more than two years left in their term. An attempt to realign its election cycle back to its previous schedule did not garner enough support in the state legislature, which instead only was able to enact a compromise that prevented further realignments of the state's electoral cycle as a result of a gubernatorial vacancy.

Vermont does not have term limits on their governors, so Janet Lorton, who will become the nation's longest-serving governor when John Elderton (R-UT)'s successor is sworn in, is eligible to run for a sixth term in 2027 if she chooses.

 

[MHurtado09]

Governors of Oklahoma​

22. 1981-1989: Jim Beaver (Republican)
Elections: 1980, 1984

When did Oklahoma change their elections schedule in this timeline? They've been electing their governors to four-year terms since 1910 in real life.

 

[lord caedus]

Senate passes civil rights legislation prohibiting discrimination based on gender identity

Monday, February 5th, 2024

The Senate today passed legislation that prohibits discrimination based on gender identity. The Civil Rights Act of 2024, passed after several weeks of behind-the-scenes negotiations, would explicitly prohibit discrimination based upon a person's gender identity, adding it to existing federal civil rights laws.

A remaining legislative priority for President Seaborn, Senate Democrats were forced to drop gender identity from the Civil Rights Act of 2019 (which outlawed discrimination based on sexual orientation) to attract enough Republican support. But with the Democrats having retaken control of the chamber in 2022 and the threat of a filibuster neutralized for the remainder of the current Congress, Democratic leadership reportedly felt confident enough to push wavering red state Democrats such as Rick Remick (D-LA) and Hubert "Arkansas" Smith (D-AR) towards backing the White House-backed bill.

"This is a great day for the millions of Americans who are transgender or non-binary," Senate Majority Leader Jimmy Fitzsimmons (D-MA) said, upon the bill's passage. "I wish we had been able to pass this law five years ago [in the Civil Rights Act of 2019], but as Dr. Martin Luther King. Jr. said: 'the arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends towards justice.'"

Senate Minority Whip Mark Cumberland (R-TX) said that the law was an "overreaction", saying he was not blind to the struggles faced by transgender people in the United States, but that "misapplications of civil rights law" could force religious institutions to hire people "whose lifestyles are against those faiths' creeds."

"I fear that spreading the application of such powerful legislation—which was necessary when it was originally written to dismantle the systems of Jim Crow and segregation—to force one side's version of tolerance and openness on faith-based groups that don't necessarily share that exact vision, has the potential to tremendously backfire." The senior senator from Texas said after the floor vote.

The act heads to the president's desk on a 52-47 vote, almost entirely along party lines. Curtis Ryan (R-OR) and Ellie Wilkins (R-NH) were the only Republicans to join the Democrats, while Senator Joseph McKenna (D-DE) was the only senator absent when the roll call was taken.

 

[lord caedus]

When did Oklahoma change their elections schedule in this timeline? They've been electing their governors to four-year terms since 1910 in real life.

Edited. There's always one thing I miss in these.

 

[PaxxAmericanus]

is it currently King Charles III ittl and if so when did he ascend?

 

[KingCrawa]

Monday February 5th 2024

Former London Mayor Dies Aged 77

The former Mayor of London, Ben Stanley has died aged 77 his family announced earlier today. He had not been seen in public for much of the last year and had the statement confirmed recently been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s.

Mr Stanley had had a long career in left wing politics as both a member of the Labour party and later the Socialist Alliance which he helped found. He first came to prominence as the leader of Harrow Council in the 1980s. He failed to became MP for Harrow West in 1983, before winning the neighbouring seat of Brent South in 1987.He ran for the leadership of the Labour party against Ricky Meyer in 1992 and lost badly. During his time in parliament, he remained a backbencher and a constant thorn in the side of the leadership.

He became Labours candidate for the Mayor of London when the post of elected Mayor was established, elected first in 1998 and then re-elected in 2002. However, by the time of the 2006 election he had fallen out with the party leadership again at least partially down to refusing to back London’s bid for the Olympics (He argued that the Olympics “celebrated imperialism and capitalism). He was de-selected and replaced by Gerald Fox. He then ran as an independent in 2010. In 2012 he founded the Socialist Alliance alongside longtime ally Hamish Galloway, and then ran for and won the Governorship of Merseyside. However, he was not re-elected in 2017.

Well known for his controversial statements, he attacked the Middle East peace agreement calling it a sellout, and was highly criticised by politicians on all sides for saying that President Bartlet had bought Zoey Bartlets kidnapping “on himself.” However, despite this he remained popular with large sections of the populist left.

Tributes have poured in from across the political spectrum. The Prime Minister Michael Duggan, has said that “despite holding vastly different political views, I deeply respected Ben for never giving up and always holding fast to his beliefs even when they were not popular.” Former Mayor of London Nigel Jay released a statement saying, “Without Ben Stanley the post of London Mayor would not exist as it does today. Despite our differences he was always ready with a word of advice.”

Stanley’s long-time friend and successor as leader of the Socialist Alliance Hamish Galloway has said that “Ben represented the very best of British left-wing politics. Even when we weren’t popular, even when people wouldn’t listen, he fought on” He also said “I remember a time we were at a protest, Greenham Common I think and this policeman came up and demanded Ben’s name. Without thinking I just yelled out, “Don’t tell him Ben.”

Labour leader Patrick Brazil also issued a statement saying “Despite no longer being a member of the Labour party, Ben Stanley was still a Labour man at heart, and he will forever hold a place in our parties history. He was one of the first people to contact me when I was elected leader promising that he would hold me to account. I had hoped to invite him to the next Labour conference to give a talk on Labour in the Wilderness. Sadly, we will no longer be able to benefit from his experience.”

Ben Stanley (photo by Ian Lavender)

OOC: This has been approved by Marky in honour of the death of Ian Lavender, announced today.

 

[The Champion]

is it currently King Charles III ittl and if so when did he ascend?

The Royal Family status is the same of OTL for what I know.