The Man From the State of Maine: The Presidency of James G. Blaine

Abhakhazia

Banned
James Blaine ran for President several times. All unsuccessful. The closed he got was 1884, when Grover Cleveland swung his home state of to the Democrats, causing him to lose the election.

You may think that this election would be an ideal time to change history.

I disagree.

Actually, Cleveland had the nomination tied up. It wasn't likely he could have lost the election.

But in 1876, however, on the first ballot of the Republican National Convention, Blaine took the lead. He just needed about 100 more delegates to take nomination. Three other candidates also got 100 delegates, if one of them (Oliver P. Morton, perhaps) had pulled out before the convention, Blaine easily could have won the nomination.

How would this effect history? You may ask. What would the election of 1876 look like with Blaine? Would he win? Would in be as close as real life?


Find out all this, and more in-
The Man From the State of Maine
The Story of the Blaine Presidency

92px-JamesGBlaine.png
 
*Old Angry Codger Voice*

Continental Liar from the state of Maine, more like it.

*End of old codger voice*

I am awaiting to see what this leads to. I like Garfield, which this TL could lead to not happen, but Hayes always came off to me as not that great a person.
 

Abhakhazia

Banned
*wipes up drool with paper towel*

Indeed it does. Please continue.

I second d32123's statement.

Thanks, guys. I hope you'll like it.
*Old Angry Codger Voice*

Continental Liar from the state of Maine, more like it.

*End of old codger voice*

I am awaiting to see what this leads to. I like Garfield, which this TL could lead to not happen, but Hayes always came off to me as not that great a person.

Yeah, my vague plan for this timeline will have Garfield happen.
 

Abhakhazia

Banned
List of Presidents of the United States
After the Civil War to the Great War

Andrew Johnson (Democratic) 1865-1869
Ulysses S. Grant (Republican) 1869-1877
James G. Blaine (Republican) 1877-1885
James Garfield (Republican) 1885-1889
Benjamin Harrison (Republican) 1889-1893

Grover Cleveland (Democratic) 1893-1895
William J. Bryan (Democratic) 1895-1905

Charles Fairbanks (Republican) 1905-1909
Theodore Roosevelt (Republican) 1909-1917


Here's the List of Presidents I'll be basing the timeline off.
I will go further but this is just Part I- The Blaine Legacy.
 
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Abhakhazia

Banned
I'm looking forward to this. Particularly the WJB administration. I always liked the guy for some reason.

Yeah, I planned to have him run with Winfield Scott Hancock to balance the ticket and maybe help pick up the midwest from the very unpopular Republican candidate, but then I was like "a Hancock Administration would suck. Let's kill him off".

It'll be interesting...
 
*DROOL*

List of Presidents of the United States
After the Civil War to the Great War

Andrew Johnson (Democratic) 1865-1869
Ulysses S. Grant (Republican) 1869-1877
James G. Blaine (Republican) 1877-1885
James Garfield (Republican) 1885-1889
Benjamin Harrison (Republican) 1889-1893

Winfield Hancock (Democratic) 1893-1895
William J. Bryan (Democratic) 1895-1905

Charles Fairbanks (Republican) 1905-1909
Theodore Roosevelt (Republican) 1909-1917


Here's the List of Presidents I'll be basing the timeline off.
I will go further but this is just Part I- The Blaine Legacy.
So Hancock and Bryan is this TL's McKinley and Teddy? :D
 
I'm a bit surprised that Blaine gets in.

OTL, Hayes carried Ohio by barely a single percentage point, despite being a native son. Would Blaine be able to carry it? If not I don't see where he gets the needed electoral votes from?
 
I'm a bit surprised that Blaine gets in.

OTL, Hayes carried Ohio by barely a single percentage point, despite being a native son. Would Blaine be able to carry it? If not I don't see where he gets the needed electoral votes from?
Garfield or Harrison as VP's from Ohio, maybe?
 

Abhakhazia

Banned
Nobody Needs To Know​

It may suprise you that one thing changed history- a rock.

In 1876, James G. Blaine tripped over a rock, falling into a ditch in his hometown of Augusta, Maine. He was on his way to pick up $64,000, all a bribe from the Union Pacific Railroad Company. He goes and meets a Union Pacific executive, picks up the money, and heads home. Somebody he saw him, with the money, a rumor flaired, sparking a congressional trial, and a whole bunch of other nonsense.

But things happened differently. Instead of walking around the rock, he tripped over it. It was Maine, in February, and the climate wasn't exactly "tropical". "Temperate" wouldn't describe it either, in fact probably more proper terminology is "Arctic". Like the Arctic, Augusta was covered in a sheet of ice. Blaine tripped on the rock, and slid into a near-by ditch, in excruciating pain. He broke his ankle, and would keep the limp; the reminder of that fateful day; for the rest of his life.

He probably would have froze to death if it weren't for a passing stranger recoginizing the Speaker of the House bent in a ditch in extreme pain. He took Blaine to his home right away. Blaine, with his broken ankle, obviously forgetting the deal that was supposed to transpire, manages to anger the Union Pacfic executives, who now refuse to give him the bribe.

Blaine heals, and prepares for the upcoming Republican National Convention. He now is the true front runner, causing many of his rivals to back out.

In the Expedition Hall, in Cincinnati, the site of the convention, an Illinois orator gives a rousing speech about how Blaine is "the plumed knight" a mighty figure of honesty against the corrupt factions in the Grant administration.

Meanwhile, to swing Ohio's important electoral votes for Blaine, Ohioan James Garfield is nominated as the Vice President.

Blaine goes into the election confident, things are looking up for him in the Northern states, Samuel J. Tilden doesn't seem likely to do so well against Blaine, who's principles of honesty, a better life for the common American, civil rights for Blacks and cleaning up the mess of the Grant administration leads to his confidence.

After long, hard dealing with Blaine, Greenback candidate Peter Cooper pulls out of the race, and backs Blaine. Many scoff at this; they say "Are the Greenbacks big enought to matter?" Blaine pleasently remindes them "Gentlemen, every vote counts".




Let the games begin.
 
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