WI: President Custer?

What if, despite Custer's wishes, someone had brought machine guns to Little Bighorn? I think that Custer would still have claimed credit, knowing about his personality. But would he have gone into politics? What would a Custer presidency look like?
 
Gatling guns would certainly have helped, but they may not have been sufficient to pull off a true 'win' given teh numerical disparity.

Generals do typically get credit when their side wins (even if it's in spite, rather than because, of them), so there would be nothing odd about Custer getting credit. However, it wasn't a big enough expedition/war to really warrant that turning into political fodder.

Custer was fairly well known for his exploits in the civil war so he could have pursued some level of politics if he wanted. However, I'm not sure his tempermant would have lent itself to slogging through politics. If he did, he could be a congressman, governor, etc.

If he was elected president, the success of his presidency would depend on who he appoints to his cabinet and on luck (as all presidencies do). It would appear likely that he'd appoint some military cronies and such, so (if not careful) his presidency could wind up a bit like Grant's
 
Custer, definitely one of the most flamboyant people outside of JEB stuart.

Custer is only 37 in 1876, and the Republican convention was two weeks before the battle of Bighorn, and the Democratic convention begins the same day. That said though, Little Bighoorn is not that much of an impressive victory to warrant notice to higher office.

I mean, he may be able to go for a governorship, possibly, in a year or so but that really depends on his attitude and nature and if he matured enough for politicians to respect him.
 
That makes sense about Little Bighorn not being too impressive a victory, but I question the absoluteness of a politician having maturity. Without getting too much into modern politics, I can think of some high ranking individuals who aren't taken too seriously.
 
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