Alternative History
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<1908 1916>
Turnout:15,935,762
Picture
President Theodore Roosevelt, 1904
President Woodrow Wilson portrait December 2 1912
Nominee Theodore Roosevelt Woodrow Wilson
Party Republican Democratic
Running Mate Hiram Johnson William Jennings Bryan
States Carried 44 11
Popular Vote 8,623,691 4,204,318
Percentage 54.12% 26.38%
Picture
Eugene V
William Howard Taft
Nominee Eugene V. Debs William Howard Taft
Party Socialist Conservative
Running Mate Emil Seidel Nicholas Murry Butler
States Carried 0 5
Popular Vote 2,103,926 1,003,827
Percentage 13.20% 6.30%


1912 us election map

Red/Roosevelt, Blue/Wilson Maroon/Taft

The 1912 election saw Theodore Roosevelt being elected for a 2nd term. His progressive principles caused a split in the republican party, some conservatives broke away to form a conservative party.






Republican Nomination[]

There was little doubt in the minds of many Republicans that Theodore Roosevelt would seek a second term. But although immensely popular with Republican voters, his radical policies made him hated by large party bosses. In 1908 Roosevelt had avoided a schism in the party by selecting William Howard Taft (a moderate conservative who had been one of his main opponents for the nomination) as his running mate. However Taft was pushed by party bosses and in May 1912 he resigned as vice president, announcing that he would challenge Roosevelt for the nomination at the republican convention in June.

Taft kept his promise, challenging Roosevelt (and along with Robert La Follette being the only republicans to do so) and losing on the first ballot. Taft received only 207 votes, La Follette 38 to Roosevelt's 761.

Roosevelt chose Gifford Pinchot, head of the national park service and a strong supporter of Roosevel'ts reforming policies, as his running mate (against the advice of his advisors). This blatant rejection of conservative elements in his party was what led 152 Taft delegates to leave the convention, declaring that the republican party had "abandoned its soul".

Democratic Nomination[]

Conservative Nomination[]

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