First of all, he's not getting it by challenging an incumbent President who wants to run again. Nor is he getting it by being a third party candidate.
But under circumstances outlined elsewhere by @Mikestone8, Theodore Roosevelt becomes the Republican nominee for 1912:
....from there, things work out, so that Roosevelt beats Wilson.
Theodore Roosevelt is POTUS in 1913, having run on a more moderate platform than his Bull Moose platform, but something reformist enough to stay true to his reputation and past administrations and to compete with Wilson's promises.
How will TR's Congressional coattails for the GOP be, and how will his legislative and domestic policy record compare with Woodrow Wilson's historic first term?
What will he be going for, and getting, in the 1913 and 1914 Army and Navy budgets?
How will he be reacting to ongoing events in Mexico?
What about incidents with Japanese ships visiting Mexico that the Hearst papers spun into a big deal at the time?
Let's assume the July crisis happens, will he try to intervene diplomatically?
Assuming that fails (success would be pretty miraculous by the time the urgency to lean in is noticed), what's the Roosevelt Administration's posture towards the warring alliances and American military capabilities, including preparedness to project power to Europe?
Are the Germans any more fearful/respectful of American neutral rights under Roosevelt than in OTL? IE, the Germans keeping U-boats away from passenger ships or American-flagged ships? What about German sabotage operations? Why or why not? Will the British be any more circumspect?
Once the war is underway, might TR attempt any mediating or pressuring to end it diplomatically in 1915 or 1916? Could he have a shot at brokering something, or getting close to it.
....and before anybody says it, the first person who makes a reply about Roosevelt rallying the US into declaring war right after the Lusitania gets sunk gets the newbie boobie prize pinned on them. (hint: it's not coveted)
But under circumstances outlined elsewhere by @Mikestone8, Theodore Roosevelt becomes the Republican nominee for 1912:
Taft would need to die in office (preferably before Nov 1910) and Sherman decide not to run.
That allows TR to run on a much more moderate platform, with no nutty fantasies about recall of judicial decisions or making it easier to amend the Constitution.
Once he gets into the Primary fight with Taft, the GOP cause (with *any* candidate) is hopeless, as any nominee will have alienated half the party.
....from there, things work out, so that Roosevelt beats Wilson.
Theodore Roosevelt is POTUS in 1913, having run on a more moderate platform than his Bull Moose platform, but something reformist enough to stay true to his reputation and past administrations and to compete with Wilson's promises.
How will TR's Congressional coattails for the GOP be, and how will his legislative and domestic policy record compare with Woodrow Wilson's historic first term?
What will he be going for, and getting, in the 1913 and 1914 Army and Navy budgets?
How will he be reacting to ongoing events in Mexico?
What about incidents with Japanese ships visiting Mexico that the Hearst papers spun into a big deal at the time?
Let's assume the July crisis happens, will he try to intervene diplomatically?
Assuming that fails (success would be pretty miraculous by the time the urgency to lean in is noticed), what's the Roosevelt Administration's posture towards the warring alliances and American military capabilities, including preparedness to project power to Europe?
Are the Germans any more fearful/respectful of American neutral rights under Roosevelt than in OTL? IE, the Germans keeping U-boats away from passenger ships or American-flagged ships? What about German sabotage operations? Why or why not? Will the British be any more circumspect?
Once the war is underway, might TR attempt any mediating or pressuring to end it diplomatically in 1915 or 1916? Could he have a shot at brokering something, or getting close to it.
....and before anybody says it, the first person who makes a reply about Roosevelt rallying the US into declaring war right after the Lusitania gets sunk gets the newbie boobie prize pinned on them. (hint: it's not coveted)