Robert Marion "Fighting Bob" La Follette Sr is one of the most prominent politicians ever to come out of Wisconsin. Having already represented the state in the house and serving two full terms as Governor (and being elected to a third) he was elected to the Senate in 1905. While he would have a initially warm relationship with then President Teddy Roosevelt, his opinion would sour after Roosevelt would refuse to back a number of bills proposed by La Follette.
Fast forward to 1912 and La Follette is preparing to mount a primary challenge to incumbent President Howard Taft only to have his candidacy be completely overshadowed by Roosevelt's entry into the race. La Follette resisted calls to drop out and would spend much of the primaries attacking Roosevelt. As I'm sure most of you know, Roosevelt would win the majority of the primaries (La Follette and Taft would win two each) yet the convention would still vote to reelect Taft.
When Roosevelt and his supporters broke away to form the Progressive party, La Follette would not only refuse to follow suit but attacked Roosevelt as a traitor to the progressive cause. This would alienate many in the Progressive movement and would cost him his position as the leader of Progressive Republicans in the Senate.
IRL Roosevelt's Progressive party would fizzle out after his defeat being unable to put together a ticket for the 1916 election after Roosevelt refused while La Follette would remain a Republican in the Senate until the 1924 election when he founded his own version of the Progressive party for his presidential run. La Follette would also fail to capture the presidency and his party would quietly dissolve that same year.
But what if La Follette is able to overcome his personal distaste for Roosevelt and joins the original Progressive party? With his standing among Progressives preserved could he run for President sooner? Perhaps as early as 1916 if Roosevelt refuses the nomination as in otl?
Fast forward to 1912 and La Follette is preparing to mount a primary challenge to incumbent President Howard Taft only to have his candidacy be completely overshadowed by Roosevelt's entry into the race. La Follette resisted calls to drop out and would spend much of the primaries attacking Roosevelt. As I'm sure most of you know, Roosevelt would win the majority of the primaries (La Follette and Taft would win two each) yet the convention would still vote to reelect Taft.
When Roosevelt and his supporters broke away to form the Progressive party, La Follette would not only refuse to follow suit but attacked Roosevelt as a traitor to the progressive cause. This would alienate many in the Progressive movement and would cost him his position as the leader of Progressive Republicans in the Senate.
IRL Roosevelt's Progressive party would fizzle out after his defeat being unable to put together a ticket for the 1916 election after Roosevelt refused while La Follette would remain a Republican in the Senate until the 1924 election when he founded his own version of the Progressive party for his presidential run. La Follette would also fail to capture the presidency and his party would quietly dissolve that same year.
But what if La Follette is able to overcome his personal distaste for Roosevelt and joins the original Progressive party? With his standing among Progressives preserved could he run for President sooner? Perhaps as early as 1916 if Roosevelt refuses the nomination as in otl?
