1916 United States Presidential Election

1912 Presidential Election - 1920 Presidential Election

Background
After Prometheus Von Spaar was inaugurated as President, trouble soon began to brew in Europe. After Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria Hungary was assassinated, tensions skyrocketed between the aforementioned nation and Serbia. President Von Spaar advocated for a strict isolationist approach to the soon to be war, however after the sinking of the Lusitania, public sentiment began to shift away from Von Spaar's brand of isolationism. Other important issues of the day include racial tensions caused by the formation of the KKK as well as economic and social upheaval.

Primaries
-Dem PrimaryIt was widely believed that President Prometheus Von Spaar would run for President again and be the Republican nominee. However, his late decision not to run for another term created a chaotic scene at the Republican convention. Not having very many choices, the Republicans decided to nominate Harry Biden V, the Republican nominee in 1904 and influential kingmaker within the party. Biden campaigned on isolation, but non aggressive toughness against the central powers, more specifically Germany, as well as business regulations and his own record of experience. Biden would choose Progressive Governor Hiram Johnson as his running mate at the convention.

Results
Shortly after the conventions, the two candidates had met in Chicago and had engaged in a fist fight. Although they had decided not to pursue charges against each other after the altercation, tensions between the two remained high. Mulford and his supporters called Biden old and fat, asserting he is unable to lead the country in his condition. Meanwhile, Biden attacked Mulford, claiming that he was sympathetic to Germany and the central powers due to much of his family and close relatives being German-American. Close to the election, it was revealed by private investigators that Biden had potentially embezzled funds from the Michigan Central Bank to his own personal earnings. Although Biden denied this, the story captured newspaper headlines across the nation. Biden ended up experiencing a heart attack on the campaign, although he survived, the event served to further the claim that he was too old and weak to be President. Eventually, Mulford won in a landslide victory, winning many states that were otherwise reliable Republican.