alternatehistory.com

Charles Evans Hughes was the Republican candidate for President in 1916, going against Woodrow Wilson. He lost the presidency by twenty-two electoral votes, and California by about a third of a percent. In his campaign, the former Supreme Court Justice snubbed Governor Hiram Johnson of California, not meeting with him during his campaign's swing through California, which may have been the reason for Johnson to fully support Hughes. If California had gone Republican, which would have been more likely with a Johnson endorsement, Hughes would win the Presidency. Let's say Hughes meets with Governor Johnson, Johnson publicly endorses Hughes, and then Hughes wins the Presidency. How different would the former Justice's presidency been compared to Wilson? Could Hughes keep America out of World War I, or would he follow Teddy Roosevelt's advice and still enter into the war? How different would things be?
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