Prologue: The Election of 1940
This will be a timeline I work on alongside another timeline, Deadlocked. I am not a buff on the Great Depression or WWII, so any corrections are greatly appreciated. The timeline will also be updated less frequently than Deadlocked for the same reason. One more notice, as you can tell by my username, I like Alf Landon a lot, so there might be inaccuracies due to my own bias, so again, any corrections are greatly appreciated. Either way, enjoy!
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Alfred Mossman Landon (September 9, 1887 - October 12, 1987) was an American oilman and politician who served as the 33rd President of the United States from January 20, 1941 - January 20, 1949. A member of the Republican Party, he beat Democratic candidate James Farley in the Election of 1940, and Harry Byrd in 1944. His Presidency was defined mostly by his actions during the Second World War, his work in attempting to alleviate the effects of the Great Depression, and the beginning of the Cold War. He cut many parts of the New Deal he considered "wasteful", temporarily removing federal support for Social Security before reinstating it after the war as an optional system. Following the Second World War, Landon created the North Atlantic Partnership Organization, or NAPO, in order to repel the growing Soviet rule of Eastern Europe and to help prevent another global recession. Alf Landon is positively ranked by historians and scholars, often ranking him within the top five.
As a moderate, Governor Alf Landon of Kansas was a favorite for the Republican nomination in 1936, but Landon declined, instead running for Kansas senate, as he was term limited from running for a third term as Governor. With Landon declining, Senator Arthur Vandenberg was nominated with newspaper editor Frank Knox for Vice President. They lost in a landslide, only winning the three upper New England states. With such a devastating defeat, it seemed to some the Republican Party would dissolve, but they persisted.
And that persistence paid off.
In 1939, President Roosevelt announced he would officially not be seeking a third term, and endorsed Postmaster General James Farley for President, who easily won the nomination on the first ballot, with Virginia senator Harry F. Byrd for Vice President amongst Progressive opposition. With no popular incumbent, and the GOP in shambles, it was time for Landon to shine. The former Governor now Senator announced his run for President, easily winning on the second ballot. For his running mate, the parties nominee last year, Arthur Vandenberg, was chosen as a man who could unite the party, especially with the liberal progressiveness of Landon.
In the campaign of 1940, Farley attempted to link himself as closely to Roosevelt as possible, something that Landon took advantage of, and had every radio station in America blast the same ad:
James Farley Audio: "I was chosen by Roosevelt to continue his work! Vote me for four more years of Roosevelt and the New Deal."
Narrator: "This is James Farley. James Farley is no Roosevelt, he is Roosevelt's shadow. Does the same thing, but with none of the same character or belief. Why not vote for a sensible man who knows how to improve upon the New Deal instead of plagiarizing it?"
Alf Landon: "I will not promise you the moon! Vote for a man who knows what to do!"
Similar attacks on how James Farley was just the "shadow of Roosevelt" were common, and Farley did not have much to combat these claims. Landon counterattacked on Farley's claims that he'd "destroy the new deal", by referencing his previous support for much of the New Deal.
In the end, Alf Landon would win the Presidency by a very narrow margin. Just a few thousand votes in Massachusetts decided the Election for Landon of Kansas.
Margins for those interested
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Alfred Mossman Landon (September 9, 1887 - October 12, 1987) was an American oilman and politician who served as the 33rd President of the United States from January 20, 1941 - January 20, 1949. A member of the Republican Party, he beat Democratic candidate James Farley in the Election of 1940, and Harry Byrd in 1944. His Presidency was defined mostly by his actions during the Second World War, his work in attempting to alleviate the effects of the Great Depression, and the beginning of the Cold War. He cut many parts of the New Deal he considered "wasteful", temporarily removing federal support for Social Security before reinstating it after the war as an optional system. Following the Second World War, Landon created the North Atlantic Partnership Organization, or NAPO, in order to repel the growing Soviet rule of Eastern Europe and to help prevent another global recession. Alf Landon is positively ranked by historians and scholars, often ranking him within the top five.
As a moderate, Governor Alf Landon of Kansas was a favorite for the Republican nomination in 1936, but Landon declined, instead running for Kansas senate, as he was term limited from running for a third term as Governor. With Landon declining, Senator Arthur Vandenberg was nominated with newspaper editor Frank Knox for Vice President. They lost in a landslide, only winning the three upper New England states. With such a devastating defeat, it seemed to some the Republican Party would dissolve, but they persisted.
And that persistence paid off.
In 1939, President Roosevelt announced he would officially not be seeking a third term, and endorsed Postmaster General James Farley for President, who easily won the nomination on the first ballot, with Virginia senator Harry F. Byrd for Vice President amongst Progressive opposition. With no popular incumbent, and the GOP in shambles, it was time for Landon to shine. The former Governor now Senator announced his run for President, easily winning on the second ballot. For his running mate, the parties nominee last year, Arthur Vandenberg, was chosen as a man who could unite the party, especially with the liberal progressiveness of Landon.
In the campaign of 1940, Farley attempted to link himself as closely to Roosevelt as possible, something that Landon took advantage of, and had every radio station in America blast the same ad:
James Farley Audio: "I was chosen by Roosevelt to continue his work! Vote me for four more years of Roosevelt and the New Deal."
Narrator: "This is James Farley. James Farley is no Roosevelt, he is Roosevelt's shadow. Does the same thing, but with none of the same character or belief. Why not vote for a sensible man who knows how to improve upon the New Deal instead of plagiarizing it?"
Alf Landon: "I will not promise you the moon! Vote for a man who knows what to do!"
Similar attacks on how James Farley was just the "shadow of Roosevelt" were common, and Farley did not have much to combat these claims. Landon counterattacked on Farley's claims that he'd "destroy the new deal", by referencing his previous support for much of the New Deal.
In the end, Alf Landon would win the Presidency by a very narrow margin. Just a few thousand votes in Massachusetts decided the Election for Landon of Kansas.
Margins for those interested