Interest in a Blaine TL?

Now there seem to be couple on here, but they are old and unfinished. James G. Blaine doesn't get enough love on here, and it's a shame.

So I thought why not have him run, and win, in 1876? Normally this is outside my area of interest, but a couple things really stand out about Blaine to me.

1) he would've been the first 'modern' President, in the sense that he would build a strong military and project American power abroad. America would be interested in imperialism much earlier, it has the potential to go for Hawaii in particular.
2) he would've continued Reconstruction (assuming he wins decisively, and we shall), meaning this era of Republicanism may have even flightier Democratic interludes
3) he was anti-British, so coupled with his militarism, America could be propelled on the warpath toward England as it looks to establish itself as a colonial power and world leader.

I wouldn't be able to do it myself, I'm not an expert on the era, but I'd love to help collaborate and brainstorm on creating a timeline on one of most underrepresented and interesting figures of this time, as he truly was ahead of his time.
 
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2) he would've continued Reconstruction (assuming he wins decisively, and we shall), meaning this era of Republicanism may have even flightier Democratic interludes.

How does he manage this? Reconstruction is already dead

Even before he takes office, the Republicans hold power (by the skin of their teeth) in only two Southern states, and there isn't the slightest likelihood of their recapturing any. And even if the Republicans regain the HoR in 1876 (most unlikely) they are virtually guaranteed to los the Senate in 1878, given the number of Southern Republicans whose terms are expiring.

In any case, the US Army is now too small to do anything much in the South, and even a Republican Congress isn't likely to spend the money needed to expand it to the level which would be required.

FTM I don't see how he wins in 1876 (though with better luck he might have in 1884). The Republicans survived only because hayes , a popular Governor of Ohio, makaged to hold that state for them by a single percentage point. It is unlikely that any other Republican could have held it.
 
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