Not Red v. Blue, but the original ACW. In most TLs I’ve read, the Republican Party either shorts out after a Confederate victory (Clopton’s Short History) or becomes a dictatorship (No Gettysburg by Stephen Abbott, and the Althist.com one). Is there any way for the Republicans to not lose face after the South win, while not establishing a one-party rule?
The only ATL I’ve read when that happens is the now-defunct Five Nations of North America by Matt Trepal where the U.S. loses California and Utah after the ACW, yet still manages to elect “Union Republicansâ€. Does anyone have an archived copy of it online? The site’s completely gone.
I would guess that it depends on the mood of the nation and the leadership they choose. If the public feel tired of war and want to reestablish good relations with the South, McClellan and the Peace and Reconciliation types win- but they are the Democrats, who this thread isn’t about.
If the U.S. feels cheated, the Radical Republican-types would be in power. However, they are likely to be angry at Lincoln and co. are out for losing miserably. On the other hand, if any competent/noteworthy military leaders run for office, maybe they’ll win. It depends on how the war goes, but looking at OTL’s, most of the generals who shone were pretty apathetic on the subject of slavery. Grant and Sherman were sympathetic towards the South, and I guess Winfield Scott was too (he died in 1866 anyway). However, Fremont was the original Republican presidential candidate, a colorful fellow, and very much the abolitionist. How did he fare in the war?