Theodore Roosevelt runs for a third term in 1908

Robert

Banned
Theodore Roosevelt decides to break with tradition and runs for a third term in 1908.

1) Does he win?

2) Who does he pick as VP?

3) What effect does this have on future history?
 
Id say he would easily win, Taft would probly be his VP he left him as his successor in OTL after all. The POD could be him not promising to stay for only one turn in the prior election, he reportedly ended up regretting that decision. He likely wins handily as Taft did OTL and continues his Progressive agenda, it gets interesting when 1912 rolls around. I dont think he would run for a third term under these circumstances, the only reason he ran OTL was because of Taft's supposed betrayal of his policies. I bet we would get Roosevelt 1908-1912 then Taft 1912-1916 making for an interesting WW1, perhaps Taft decides to stay out of the conflict completely unlike Wilson's "we're neutral but still sell tons of vital war supplies to the allies" neutrality.
 
If he wanted Taft to succeed him I doubt he would have been VP. The tradition of the VP being a step towards the real job was very weak then.

Sec of State?
 
Taft would have become Chief Justice of the Supreme Court in 1910.

Elihu Root would be the successor.
 
Taft would have become Chief Justice of the Supreme Court in 1910.

Elihu Root would be the successor.
Unfortunately I found on reading about the elections that Elihu Root's health would have precluded any run on his part. This was an issue both in 1908 and in 1916 when he was considered a strong candidate for the presidency.
 
What about Robert M. LaFollette? Assuming, Taft ends up as Chief Justice.

He was already a prominent Republican and a good contender to run in 1912 instead of Taft. He even later pulled a TR and ran under an independent Progressive Banner. I know TR did not like LaFollette personally, but it could still be the case.

Without Woodrow Wilson you'd continue the progressive agenda for a while longer. And as far as the war goes under Taft or someone from the Roosevelt camp, I can see an earlier entry.

Under LaFollette, the US might try to stay isolationist for as long as it did in OTL. I think that despite LaFollette's criticism of the US entry into the war, had he been in power he'd realize the US had to be dragged into the conflict at some point. But like Wilson he'll push to do it as late as possible and running for his second term with the "we'll stay out of the war" plataform.
 
What about Robert M. LaFollette? Assuming, Taft ends up as Chief Justice.

He was already a prominent Republican and a good contender to run in 1912 instead of Taft. He even later pulled a TR and ran under an independent Progressive Banner. I know TR did not like LaFollette personally, but it could still be the case.

Without Woodrow Wilson you'd continue the progressive agenda for a while longer. And as far as the war goes under Taft or someone from the Roosevelt camp, I can see an earlier entry.

Under LaFollette, the US might try to stay isolationist for as long as it did in OTL. I think that despite LaFollette's criticism of the US entry into the war, had he been in power he'd realize the US had to be dragged into the conflict at some point. But like Wilson he'll push to do it as late as possible and running for his second term with the "we'll stay out of the war" plataform.

Robert La Follette was like the Ron Paul of that time; a man with a dedicated base, but considered a bit of a kook by many others. There is no way he manages to win the Republican Presidential nomination unless the Republican Party becomes something else entirely. I believe the strongest candidates would either be Charles Evan Hughes, who would still be Governor of New York at that time, or Senator Albert Cummins of Iowa, a Progressive very much in the Roosevelt mold.
 
I don't think TR's going to left Taft become a Supreme Court justice. I mean, wasn't he the one talking him out of it OTL?
 
I don't think TR's going to left Taft become a Supreme Court justice. I mean, wasn't he the one talking him out of it OTL?

The one time Roosevelt offered Taft a position on the Court, Taft felt he had a duty to continue serving as the Colonial Governor of the Philippines until he felt they would be able to stand up, following the brief "war" that occurred there. Root was Roosevelt first choice to succeed him, but again, he was too ill to run and refused. Taft was his second choice, but that was when he knew he wasn't going to run. Its possible he finds a different protege.
 
I think TR appoints Taft as CJ in 1910. sSo someone else is the winning Republican candidate in 1912. I assume TR picks a progressive to replace him. wWe could still get the Federal Reserve, The Clayton Anti Trust Act, and The Federal Trade Commission. I also think TR would want someone of compatable, so we still get the occupation of Haiti and Dominican Republic.
 
Would Roosevelt's successor be able to win 1912? 16 years of Republican control of the White House could be working against them by that point.
 
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