Welcome to the Alaska Caucus! First Presidential Contest in the Union!

[Electric Monk]

Camelot’s End by Jon Ward

“And the campaign also saw that Iowa was a good match for Carter, at a time when the New Hampshire primary was still considered by the political press to be the first real contest. Carter’s advisers wanted to jump out ahead of the rest of the field before New Hampshire. And in fact, five states held caucuses before New Hampshire’s primary: Iowa, then Mississippi, Oklahoma, Alaska, and Maine. Carter could have chosen to focus on any of those states, and it would have changed the arc of American political history.”

So. Let’s say Carter picks a different state. It won’t be Mississippi since that doesn’t help him, IOTL he already made a serious play at Oklahoma to disrupt Fred Harris: that leaves Alaska and Maine, the latter is too close to New Hampshire which is great in economics and poor in making a splash.

Alaska though is intriguing. Expensive but Carter has the cash. Outlandish enough to get extra press coverage. Craziest state level politics in the Union.

So what if the Alaska caucus becomes the first in the country? It imposes serious expenses but rewards independents from both parties with a highly flexible set of voters. Does Alaska cement their status when ??? wins in 1980 on the Republican side?

 

[Quintuplicate]

Alaskans hated Carter enough because he closed so much public land to hunting.

 

[Steve Brinson]

Alaskans hated Carter enough because he closed so much public land to hunting.

Which might be a divergence in and of itself - a Carter who wins in 1976 on Alaskan momentum might pursue policies in office more conducive to retaining that support. Alternately, maybe Ted Kennedy (or some other anti-Carter type) manages to win the 1980 caucus on Alaskan discontent and gets a boost in momentum?

 

[Electric Monk]

Let’s take a brief look into the near-future for fun / generate discussion lol

The resounding victory by Uncommitted in 1976 leaves Iowa as part of the early states but ends their bid to be first forever. Instead Alaska propels…

Carter ‘76.

1980: Ted Kennedy, Mike Gravel, Ted Stevens (plus alive wife) form a wild ride together after passing the Alaskan land bills in ‘78 as Kennedy thinking of the Presidency comes in to woo Gravel and keep the state party happy; Kennedy’s upset victory over Carter and New Hampshire landslide without a drunken comment sees the two men of their era bold enough to challenge a President of their own party face off.

1984: Gary Hart wins a dozen states in shocking upset, a consolation loss against projected one state.

—

Reagan follows Carter into Alaska and winning there is a major boost for his campaign, a victory in New Hampshire following and Ford is badly wounded…

Reagan ‘76

1980: Senator Jerry Litton barnstorms Alaska by small plane and parlays to victory in New Hampshire and then South Carolina and Iowa. Best in class media skills and a bent for organizing takes him all the way, President Reagan in tough circumstances is unable to translate personal popularity to votes.

1984: Bob Dole defeats weak opposition to lose badly against riding high President Litton.