2040 United States Presidential Election

The 2040 United States Presidential Election was held on November 3, 2040. The Republican ticket consisted of Florida Governor Ray Turner and conservative radio talk show host Timothy Parker. The Democratic ticket consisted of New York governor Matthew Reyes and North Carolina senator Joshua Palmer. The Green Party nominated environmental activist Larry Wells and trade unionist James Burns as his running mates. The Libertarian Party nominated gun rights activist Douglas Silva and entrepreneur Peter Warren. This was the sixth presidential election where the winning candidate failed to win the popular vote. In all, 138,710,765 votes were cast in this election.

## Primaries

#### Democratic Party Primary

Candidates for the Democratic Party primary were New York governor Matthew Reyes, Oregon senator Jack Lee, and Mayor of Baltimore James Martin. Matthew Reyes ran a moderate campaign emphasizing his bipartisanship while governor of New York and he made education a centerpiece in his primary campaign. Jack Lee also ran a moderate campaign, but unlike Reyes, Lee emphasized his middle class background and he would work hard for the American people, just like he did with his own life. Lee made also campaigned for lower taxes. James Martin ran a more progressive campaign, calling for a reduction in the income gap, cancelling all student debt, and a big reduction in military spending. James Martin made a reduction of the income gap and a reduction in wealth inequality a centerpiece in his campaign. Matthew Reyes won the nomination mainly due to his moderate and bipartisan credentials. Also a lot of people felt that Lee was talking too much about his background and was failing to tell the American people his ideas and policies. For many people outside of really progressive states, Martin was just too progressive.

#### Republican Party Primary

Candidates for the Republican Party primary were Florida governor Ray Turner and TV personality Richard Anderson. Ray Turner ran a conservative campaign emphasizing cutting taxes across the board, keeping the government out of healthcare, banning CRT, and religious values. Turner made America First a centerpiece in his campaign. On the other hand Richard Anderson ran a more moderate campaign emphasizing small tax cuts, keeping America in foreign affairs, and rebuilding infrastructure. Anderson made the economy his campaign centerpiece. Turner attacked Anderson on his insider background and keeping America in foreign affairs. Anderson attacked Turner on being a outsider saying Turner was not ready for office and he also attacked on Turner's more far-right stances, racist, and homophobic rhetoric. Turner's slogan was "Guns, God, and Freedom." Ray Turner one the nomination on his America First, religious values, and tax cuts. Richard Anderson lost mainly due to his more moderate stances, which were becoming less and less important to Republican voters.

#### Libertarian Party Primary

Candidates for the Libertarian Party primary were gun's rights activist Douglas Silva, radio talk show host Jerry Williams, and Ohio state senator Kim Scott. Douglas Silva ran a campaign based on gun rights, greatly reducing government interference in the economy and healthcare. Silva made reducing government interference in the economy his campaign centerpiece. Jerry Williams ran a more left leaning campaign, he based his campaign on limited gun control laws, small reductions in government interference in the economy, and pro-choice policies. Kim Scott based her on campaign on attacking the political establishment and reductions in government interference in the economy. Silva often attacked Williams on being "a fake Libertarian." Douglas Silva won the nomination mainly due to him being supportive of reducing government interference. Jerry Williams performed well in more liberal states thanks to his more liberal campaign, but ultimately it was not enough for a win. Kim Scott performed well in her home state of Ohio, as well as other rust belt states. Scott did well in the rust belt due to her being from that area and her being against the political establishment. Silva winning the nomination marked a more rightward shift in the party.

#### Green Party Primary

Candidates for the Green Party primary were environmental activist Larry Wells and trade unionist James Burns. Larry Wells campaigned mainly on the environmental side of the party while James Burns campaigned more on the socialist economic part. Wells thought that the Green Party should focus on environmental issues while Burns thought the party should focus more on the economic issues. Wells barely won the nomination showing that Green Party voters wanted to focus more on environmental issues. Wells would choose Burns as his running mate to unite the party.

## General Election

#### Main Issues in the 2040 Presidential Election

##### Education

Education was a major part in this election, as calls for reforming the education system drastically increased. Reyes campaigned on increasing funding for equality in schools and anti-hate programs in schools. Reyes also campaigned on increasing teachers salaries and minor reforms to curriculum. Turner campaigned on federal funding for private schools and school choice. Turner was also against Reyes proposal to fund anti-hate programs in schools labeling them the programs "Critical Race Theory programs," and "indoctrinating are kids programs," this rhetoric inflamed some parents fears. Silva campaigned on ending CRT in schools and was also against Reyes funding anti-hate programs in schools. Wells campaigned on equality in schools, major reform to curriculum, and increasing teacher salaries. Wells also supported Reyes funding of anti-hate programs proposal.

##### Abortion and Planned Parenthood

On abortion, Reyes was pro-choice and campaigned for free access to abortion and federal funding for planned parenthood. Turner was pro-life and called for banning abortion with some exceptions. Silva did not campaign or talk about abortion. Wells was pro-choice and wanted to federally fund planned parenthood. Wells also organized demonstrations in support of pro-choice policies. Around 32,000 people joined these demonstrations.

##### The Economy and Taxes

Reyes campaigned for lower tariffs, subsidizes for clean energy, which he argued would create jobs, and increasing the minimum wage to $13 an hour. Turner campaigned on higher tariffs, keeping the minimum wage where it is, and subsidies for steel, aluminum, oil, and natural gas. Turner also wanted to build more oil wells to increase energy independence. Silva wanted to keep the minimum wage where it was, lower tariffs, and have the government stay out of the economy. Wells campaigned for a $15 minimum wage, subsidizes for clean energy, creating more green jobs, and protections to unions.

#### General Campaign

Reyes campaigned heavily in the rust belt states emphasizing his economic plan. Palmer was mainly campaigning in North Carolina, Arizona, Florida, and Georgia. Turner campaigned in the rust belt, the sun belt, and to shore up conservative support, Turner campaigned lightly in the bible belt. Silva ran in likely Republican states like Indiana, Montana, and South Carolina. Wells campaigned in more progressive states on the eastern seaboard plus California. Turner often attacked Reyes on not being friendly to oil, natural gas, and coal. Turner also attacked Reyes on his pro-gun control stances saying it was government overreach and the 2nd amendment would be repealed under his watch. Turner also wanted to limit the government's interference in healthcare and thought that the free market can do healthcare. Silva campaigned on gun rights, and reducing government interference in the economy and healthcare. Wells campaigned on environmentalism and protecting unions.

#### Polling

2040 United States Presidential Election Polling
 CNN
 Fox News

## Results

In an upset, Ray Turner defeated Matthew Reyes, taking 275 electoral votes to Reyes' 263 electoral votes. Reyes lost the election, though he did win the popular vote. This election was one of the close elections as Turner only got over 270 electoral votes by 5 electoral votes. The majority of Americans thought that Reyes would win the election and polls were showing a Reyes win. Turner won 26 states and one district in Maine. Reyes won 24 states and the District of Columbia. Turner's win in Wisconsin signals that Republicans are breaking though part of the "blue wall," but Reyes still won Michigan and Pennsylvania which means that the blue wall is still partially intact. Reyes got North Carolina close which signals that Democrats are making gains there, but Turner did win all the other sun belt states, which makes Democrat gains confined to North Carolina. 138,710,765 votes were cast in all, Reyes won 69,892,234 votes or 50.4% of the popular vote. Turner won 67,202,101 votes or 48.5% of the popular vote. Silva won 1,203,487 votes or 0.9% of the popular vote. Wells won 412,943 or 0.3% of the popular vote. Turnout in the 2040 presidential election was 62.8%.