Worst possible alternate US election

Which opposing candidate from any election winning would cause the worst possible scenario. By alternate candidate i mean the actual elections and someone from a major party. And by worst situation I mean largest amount of total human suffering from that point to the present.
 
No possible way this could become an ideological circlejerk/war.;)

Frankly, I can't think of one that would cause mass devastation. They could suck at president, but the death of millions is another thing entirely.

But, if we could work outside the confines of the two parties, Lyndon LaRouche. Basically any conservative Republican during the Depression. Any American Independent Party candidate. Etc.
 
Breckinbridge winning in 1860 would be pretty bad...

And whatever you think of a conservative winning in 1932, I'd say Huey Long winning would be worse still...
 
was huey long actually doing well when he died? i have a suspicion that he actually did win and caused alot of terrible stuff to happen, then someone came back in time and killed him.
 
was huey long actually doing well when he died? i have a suspicion that he actually did win and caused alot of terrible stuff to happen, then someone came back in time and killed him.

That's what the time-traveler in 1928 was there for. He just miscalculated and had to wait a few years.
 
Which opposing candidate from any election winning would cause the worst possible scenario. By alternate candidate i mean the actual elections and someone from a major party. And by worst situation I mean largest amount of total human suffering from that point to the present.

DC Stephenson? William Pelley? Lyndon Larouche?
 
Wallace win in 1948 then we will see a Soviet spy in the cabinet. America will turn into a semi-socialist nation within 4 years and the Soviets will gain foothold in Western Europe and Communism will spread around the world. Greece will turn communist. Turkey will turn communist. Iran will turn communist. Whole Korea will turn communist. Whole Southeast Asia will turn communist. A disaster to the world with 3/4 of the world are living in a communist regimes.
 
Realistically speaking...

Calhoun at any time. Confederacy takes over the country without a shot being fired after Congressional control brings in the territories as slave states.

Breckenridge: 4-year delay fuse on the ACW, no Lincoln or Douglas to lead the Union.

Bryan: economy goes down hard, CP might win WWI.
 
huey long!

ooh I have been working on a "huey long survives" story actually, I just posted the point of divergence, more to come probably in a few hours.

It is called "A Long Story"
 
Worst possible election? One of the real wingnuts from those out in space third parties (left or right) somehow gets elected...

From 'major' candidates I'd say George Wallace in 1968 or Harry Byrd in 1960... either of those two would have torn the country apart and made the hypothetical Disney presidency of AWoL look like smooth sailing.
 
Bryan: economy goes down hard, CP might win WWI.

*blink blink*

Umm, as for the first one--probably not. Sad fact is the goldbugs were in the wrong and the only reason they didn't destroy the economy is huge gold finds were made that did what Bryan wanted to do with bimetallism. As for the second one, definitely not, unless Bryan manages to get elected for... three or four consecutive terms. At least.
 
Realistically speaking...Bryan: economy goes down hard, CP might win WWI.

I suspect that overrates how much difference a POTUS really makes to the economy.

As for the CPs winning WW1, that might be bad news for Germany's next door neighbours, but would it seriously harm the US? The next but one generation might find itself in some sort of Cold War with an empire ruled by the Kaiser's grandson, but probably no nastier than the actual Cold War of OTL.
 
Hoover '32. Not necessarily because of anything he'd do, but because of the strong risk of revolution or a reactionary coup.
In a similar vein, Landon '36.

Thurmond '48 would've not been fun, but I'm not entirely sure he counts as a major party (given his limited appeal).
 
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