1964 United States Presidential Election (TNO: A New Frontier)

The 1964 United States Presidential Election was the 45th quadrennial presidential election. It was held on Tuesday, November 3rd 1964. National Progressive party nominee Robert F. Kennedy, brother of 37th President John F. Kennedy, defeated U.S. Senator from Utah Wallace F. Bennett, Republican-Democratic nominee. The 1964 election was first Presidential election ever won by the National Progressive Party, and cemented their place as a national party.

Incumbent President John W. McCormack elected not to run, and in the hastily conducted Republican-Democratic primaries Wallace F. Bennett defeated Lyndon B. Johnson. In the National Progressive primaries Robert F. Kennedy emerged as a surprise frontrunner after he defected to the party after his brother's assassination, pushing aside other candidates Henry "Scoop" Jackson and George Wallace.

The 1964 election year was set amidst a year of turbulence, tragedy, and anger. The South African War left thousands of Americans dead, and total defeat by the forces of the Africa Schild brought memories of America's defeat in the Second World War. The resignation of Richard Nixon and assassination of President Kennedy led to doubt in America's political system. Additionally, rioting caused by the veto of the Civil Rights Act of 1962 still continued in the Northeast, and although it was way more subdued then the fiery riots and protests of the past two years, the Civil Rights Movement remained a key issue to many voters. Robert F. Kennedy ran on a campaign of Civil Rights, an expanded safety net, and restoring America's confidence in itself through "bold, radical change". Wallace F. Bennett ran on a campaign of moderation. He promised to pass a new Civil Rights act, much more moderate than Kennedy's proposal. He also promised to increase economic and military cooperation between U.S. and the Organization of Free Nations, and to promote free-market policies. In contrast to Kennedy's promises of wide, sweeping changes, Bennett sought to convince voters that a steady hand was needed to guide America through troubled times.

Throughout the election season Kennedy maintained a wide lead over Bennett. Though both candidates were believed to have generally performed well in the Presidential debates, Bennett was not able to close the wide gap between him and Kennedy. On election day, Kennedy won the Electoral College and popular vote by a large margin, carrying states all across the country. Bennett was only able to secure victory in several Midwest and Southern states, where he managed to pick up voters from the right of the NPP who were opposed to civil rights and government programs.

Kennedy's victory started a 20-year streak of National Progressive victories in Presidential elections, winning every Presidential election until 1984. This election also began the National Progressive Party's shift away from being a big tent, anti-establishment party into a solidly progressive and leftist party.

Nixon's Resignation and Assassination of John F. Kennedy
''Main Articles: Assassination of John F. Kennedy and Resignation of Richard Nixon Prior to the events of early 1964, the election seemed likely to be won by the Republican-Democrats. Even after Nixon's resignation the party quickly united behind John F. Kennedy, who was virtually untouched by Nixon's scandals. His assassination threw the entire election for a loop, the Republican-Democrats hastily convened to nominate a candidate, and the National Progressives were soon after handed a perfect candidate in Robert F. Kennedy.

National Progressive Party
Main Article: 1964 National Progressive Party primaries