It's ASB, but if by some freak it did manage to happen he would face intense hostility from both Democrats (as he's a rival for the allegiance of progressive elements) and regular Republicans, who between them would wield veto-proof majorities in both houses. He'd be a President without a party (or at best only a very trivial party) rather like John Tyler or Andrew Johnson. He could expect a very frustrating presidency.
So you don’t think we’d see the Progressive Democrats flock to the Progressive Party over time?
With how popular Teddy was and the moderate strength of Progressives, could he use the obstinance of the established parties to bolster his progressive base? The GOP was split when it came to 1912 (some plausible allies) and with WWI and issues in Mexico, the government is going to need to come to terms with Theodore or be seen as putting America at risk.
Why should they when they have a perfectly good party of their own?
And they are very tenacious in their party loyalty. Even in 1904, when they found themselves saddled with a conservative nominee, they were content to abstain rather than vote for TR, whose popular vote, allowing for the increase in population, hardly differed from McKinley's in 1900. The only way he can conceivably win is by getting the vast majority of the Republican vote, reducing Taft to maybe half his OTL support, and getting a Democratic opponent so obnoxious to faithful Bryanists that they abstain in droves. And even that will be a temporary situation, since the latter will flock back to their party as soon as it finds a more populist leader.
Well maybe WJB and WW never come to the agreement they did in OTL. Since WW had previously been a Bourbon Democrat, maybe we do see the abstention by Byranists which allows TR to win as the "one true progressive" candidate.
So you don’t think we’d see the Progressive Democrats flock to the Progressive Party over time?
How well did that ever work for third parties? Inevitably, if the Progressives make too strong of a showing said Progressive democrats will gain control of the party, co-opt the Bull Moose platfotm, and use their superior organization to pull the BM voters to them instead
No, OTL the Bull Moose party folded back into the Republican Party after a few yearsSo OTL?
No, OTL the Bull Moose party folded back into the Republican Party after a few years
Gotcha. Yeah, most did. Though I could probably classify myself as a Progressive Republican. Or alternatively a Conservative Democrat. Ahhhhhh, the joys of being an independent centrist. LolI mean progressive republicans became democrats over time
So OTL?
It's ASB, but if by some freak it did manage to happen