The Election of 1800 (President Infinity Alternate Elections)

The United States Presidential Election of 1800 was the fourth quadrennial election to determine the President and Vice President of the United States. The election was the first that did not have George Washington as a candidate and the first where candidates claimed party affiliation. Though 1796 was considered competitive, the 1800 election was the first to not have an obvious favorite.

The Third Washington & Jay Administrations
At beginning of his third term, President George Washington remained incredibly popular and won added support from opposition Henrians after Washington chose Thomas Jefferson to take over the State Department and pursue pro-French foreign policy but resembled his first two terms in most policies. Following Washington's death and John Jay's ascension to the Presidency, Jay became heavily criticized for removing Jefferson from office and then replacing him with Alexander Hamilton. Though in all other areas, Jay followed Washington's policies.

Political Parties
After years of the buildup of ideological divisions and factions, parties have been created officially. People agreeing with Washington's principle of making the federal government as large as it needs to be have named themselves after him, Washigntonians. To those who wish to restrict the power of the government as much as possible have taken Patrick Henry as their muse and officially dubbed themselves Henrians. Both nicknames have been used to describe each group for several years. New Hampshire Governor Josiah Bartlett has started the marginal Abolitionist party.

Favorite Four
As usual, several candidates prepare to run for the highest office, but four candidates stand out as early favorites. Despite controversy over the Jefferson removal, President John Jay remains popular in the North and among many Washingtonians but has become even more unpopular in the South, and he refuses to claim any political party. Both parties now have their favored candidates, who have been begged to run the past two election, running: Chief Justice John Adams and former Secretary Thomas Jefferson, each having a strong hold in the North and South, respectively. Finally, after three straight elections as a failed compromise candidate, the House of Representatives brought in Massachusetts Governor Samuel Adams to serve as Speaker of the House where he was acclaimed for keeping the parties working together and making the House effective. In an election featuring an incumbent President and the symbolic leaders of each party, Samuel Adams, shockingly, started the election as the favorite.