Twists and Turns: An Alternate 1952 and Beyond

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Update 24: 1960 Arizona gubernatorial election
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    • Gentleman Biaggi

    Gentleman Biaggi

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    In 1958 the Democrats had gone on a sweep by the Democrats. The Democrats swept all national or statewide offices, as the recession was hurting the state. Incumbent Barry Goldwater was swept by Evo Anton DeConcini and representative Stewart Udall easily beat no-name Republican opposition. However, by 1960, it began to seem like Udall wasn’t attending to the needs of the state. Because of this, it seemed like he could be easily defeated by the Republican Party. However, when the Constitution Party was created, everything changed.


    When the Constitution Party was created, former Arizona Senator Barry Goldwater decided against becoming Fabus’s running mate to instead form a Arizona wing of the Constitution Party. Because of that, he was quickly nominated by the Constitution Party to be the party’s nominee for governor against Udall. The Republicans nominated state senator O.D Miller, who would have a small effect on the race. Udall was easily renominated by his own party


    Goldwater spent his campaign attacking Udall for “putting the state in a bad economic situation” and declaring that “We’ve seen how the old way of doing business has affected our great state, it’s time to see what new ideas can do.” Goldwater used much of the same tactics he used to defeat Ernest McFarland. He toured around the state, making speeches and attacking Udall. However, Udall was no slouch either. At one point he was losing 50% to 30% to Goldwater (Miller/Other/Not Voting/Undecided had 20%). So Udall challenged Goldwater decided to a television debate. Goldwater accepted, and during the debate, Udall questioned about Goldwater’s position on Civil Rights. Civil Rights was an important issue in Arizona, as the state had large populations of Mexican-Americans and Native Americans. Considering Goldwater’s position on Civil Rightswas… complicated (he was a founding member of the Arizona chapter of the NACCP, but opposed some parts of Civil Rights reform because of his libertarianoutlook.) Goldwater stated that Civil Rights didn’t matter because of the economic problems facing the state. a botched attempt to keep both the support of the Constitution Party and minorities (alternatively people of color) in Arizona. This perceived waffling enraged both Constitution Party hardliners (who felt that they wouldn’t be getting a true conservative) and minorities (who feared Goldwater wouldn't accept them).


    Following the debates, Udall and Miller received poll boosts. Udall used his boost to campaign around the state, particularly in heavily Native American or Mexican-American areas. Racial tensions were further stroked when flyers were passed around in heavily White areas that stated that Barry Goldwater had started the Arizona NACCP supposedly in hopes that it would depress turnout from potential Goldwater supporters. It was believed that this was the Udall or Miller campaign that did that, but in reality, staffers for Mississippi governor Carroll Gartin passed them around. Gartin felt Goldwater wasn’t a true conservative and wanted to elect Udall so that a more right-wing member of the Constitution Party could beat him in 1962. In the end, the polls showed a razor-thin result. Would Goldwater collapse? Would Udall unexpectedly come back? In the end, it was all up to the people of Arizona to decide their fate.

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    The election was decided in Goldwater's favor by three hundred and ninety-seven voters. Udall considered asking for a recount, but he was saving his energy and influence for the 1962 gubernatorial election. The newly-triumphant Constitution Party swept the state house and managed to prevent any party from forming a majority in the senate. The election would change Arizonian politics forever, as it began a new state party system.
     
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    • Update 25: 1960 Downballot elections
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    • Gentleman Biaggi

    Gentleman Biaggi

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    The 1960 House Elections were largely a continuation of the 1960 presidential election. Both had Democratic gains, but it was hurt by the growth of the Constitution Party, who had taken 23 seats from the Democratic Party before the election. Not only that, but fourth parties began to rise. The Liberal Party grew after “Stassen Republican” John Lindsay was defeated in the Republican primary by a more conservative opponent. Lindsay still won as a member of the Liberal Party, and after the Liberal Party’s victory in 1958, it rose the Liberal Party’s seat total to 2 seats. Meanwhile, conservative candidates were nominated by the Republican, Democratic, and Constitution Party in North Dakota’s At-Large districts, so 36-year-old Left-winger Buckshot Hoffner won the seat after running a populist left-wing campaign that reminded many of the Nonpartisan league of the days of old. All in all, the election was a success for the Democrats, who gained 11 seats, while the Republicans lost 22 seats, largely to vote-splitting in key areas, or just the general feeling of anti-Republican sentiment at the time.

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    The 1960 Senate Elections, on the other hand, were less successful for the Democratic Party. The Party had gone from a 66 seat majority, to a 56 majority due to the Constitution Party. While the Democrats tried to bounce back. However, the Democrat’s remaining Southern seats in North Carolina, Georgia, and Alabama were lost, or only kept alive due to the Constitution Party. (Richard Russell Jr., stayed in the Democratic Party because he felt he was too old to leave and still had some influence in the Democratic Party, so he stayed, despite his conservative views.). The Republicans lost three seats, and after William Lager’s death and Wayne Morse’s party switch to the Democrats, there were no more Indepedents. In the end, the Democrats gained 2 seats, after losing two senators from the south, they also had a chance to win Idaho’s senate race, but shot themselves in the foot by nominating left-winger Glen Taylor, who lost narrowly. Although, a left-winger did succeed in Idaho’s border state, as former Socialist Monroe Sweetland won, thus giving Oregon two of the most left-wing senators in Wayne Morse and Sweetland. Despite the Democrats having less seats than in 1958, it was clear that president Kefauver would have support in Congress.

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    • Gentleman Biaggi

    Gentleman Biaggi

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    Hey, sorry about the lack of updates recently, I've been a bit swamped with schoolwork (I'm actually doing a speech on LBJ, so that research will hopefully help this TL be better), but I'll be posting a new update on Wednesday or earlier.
     
    emk163

    emk163

    Gentleman Biaggi said:
    Hey, sorry about the lack of updates recently, I've been a bit swamped with schoolwork (I'm actually doing a speech on LBJ, so that research will hopefully help this TL be better), but I'll be posting a new update on Wednesday or earlier.
    Click to expand...
    It affects us all sometimes. I mean heck, I'm goin to college after this school year.
     
    Electric Monk

    Electric Monk

    Gentleman Biaggi said:
    Hey, sorry about the lack of updates recently, I've been a bit swamped with schoolwork (I'm actually doing a speech on LBJ, so that research will hopefully help this TL be better)
    Click to expand...

    Did you read Caro’s LBJ books? Because those are by far the gold standard—nor should you overlook his Moses book about NYC.
     
    Semi-Update 2: Politics & Pop Culture
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    • Gentleman Biaggi

    Gentleman Biaggi

    Banned
    I wasn’t able to finish the Haitian box, so enjoy this semi-update.
    Politics and Pop Culture
    54CCD781-82F6-4887-A653-4024C28128C1.jpeg

    2004 article from Entertainment Weekly; Remembering the Politics of Ronald Reagan
    Today, Ronald Reagan is remembered as a celebrated actor who had a career spanning decades. However, despite Reagan’s fame, we often forget his politics. During the 1940s, he fought “Communist Influence” in Hollywood, and later spoke about “Socialized Medicine”. However, Reagan began to turn to the left in the late 50s. He began to distance himself from the Republicans (he had voted for them in ‘52 and ‘56), and in 1960 his biggest political moment would occur. Reagan was asked to make a speech for Democrat Estes Kefauver, as Reagan had been a supporter of Kefauver, and Reagan delivered. His speech, “A New America” was so influential, it became the name of Kefauver’s domestic policy during the sixties. Reagan’s most notable part of the speech was when he said “We could continue our move to the right, and see our nation fall to financial collapse, or we could move back to the left, and save our country.” His speech was a big part of the campaign, and it undoubtedly helped Kefauver and Kennedy. Some expected it to lead to a political career for Reagan, but Reagan never took advantage of it. Instead, he returned to film, and his speech is forgotten.”

    52 Years After Reagan’s Speech

    “...We need a new America, and Kefauver will bring that to us!”
    Wasalu put down the speech. He had been reading Reagan’s speech for days now. He was fascinated that an actor could make such a speech. Now he needed to tell Rosie. He had an idea.
    “Hello Muhammad, (Wasalu had been going by his middle name for a while) what’s troubling ya?”
    “Rosie, I have an interesting proposition...”
     
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    • IntellectuallyHonestRhino

    IntellectuallyHonestRhino

    Gentleman Biaggi said:
    I wasn’t able to finish the Haitian box, so enjoy this semi-update.
    Politics and Pop Culture
    View attachment 385224
    2004 article from Entertainment Weekly; Remembering the Politics of Ronald Reagan
    Today, Ronald Reagan is remembered as a celebrated actor who had a career spanning decades. However, despite Reagan’s fame, we often forget his politics. During the 1940s, he fought “Communist Influence” in Hollywood, and later spoke about “Socialized Medicine”. However, Reagan began to turn to the left in the late 50s. He began to distance himself from the Republicans (he had voted for them in ‘52 and ‘56), and in 1960 his biggest political moment would occur. Reagan was asked to make a speech for Democrat Estes Kefauver, as Reagan had been a supporter of Kefauver, and Reagan delivered. His speech, “A New America” was so influential, it became the name of Kefauver’s domestic policy during the sixties. Reagan’s most notable part of the speech was when he said “We could continue our move to the right, and see our nation fall to financial collapse, or we could move back to the left, and save our country.” His speech was a big part of the campaign, and it undoubtedly helped Kefauver and Kennedy. Some expected it to lead to a political career for Reagan, but Reagan never took advantage of it. Instead, he returned to film, and his speech is forgotten.”

    52 Years After Reagan’s Speech

    “...We need a new America, and Kefauver will bring that to us!”
    Wasalu put down the speech. He had been reading Reagan’s speech for days now. He was fascinated that an actor could make such a speech. Now he needed to tell Rosie. He had an idea.
    “Hello Muhammad, (Wasalu had been going by his middle name for a while) what’s troubling ya?”
    “Rosie, I have an interesting proposition...”
    Click to expand...

    A Liberal Reagan? This could have tons of impact on small Midwestern towns south of Minnesota.
     
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