alternatehistory.com

Apparently, starting from his defeat in '04, William Randolph Hearst had intended to run at the head of a Third Party ticket of his own making, with his own funds, and with this newspapers backing him. The plan was temporarily stalled when he failed to win the mayoralty of New York City in '05, but was permanently killed when while running for Governor of New York, every Independence endorsed candidate won an office, except for him; Charles Evan Hughes took it. Without its leader at its head, and despite his support, the Independence Party for the most part faded away.

Now, supposed he becomes Governor of New York. He succeeds in getting Thomas Watson to run alongside him, and thus most of the remnants of the Populist Party. How would the election play out?


William Howard Taft (R-OH) / James S. Sherman (R-NY)
William Jennings Bryan (D-NE) / John W. Kern (D-IN)
William Randolph Hearst (I-NY) / Thomas E. Watson (I-GA)

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