GD POLITICS Podcast

Episode: "Roman Empire" Elections Part 2
Host: Galen Druke
Date: December 23, 2025

Episode Overview

In this episode of GD POLITICS, Galen Druke is joined by Leah Askarinom and Jacob Robashkin for Part 2 of their "Roman Empire Elections" series—an exploration of the elections that have left a lasting impression on their minds. The panel discusses fascinating and sometimes bizarre chapters of American electoral history, including Lincoln’s pivotal 1864 campaign, the infamous drunken swearing-in of Andrew Johnson, the posthumous election of a U.S. Senator, and alternative histories for the modern Republican Party.

Main Discussion Points & Insights

Setting the Stage: Which Elections Haunt Us?

• Each panelist lists elections they “can’t stop thinking about,” referencing both historical and contemporary events.
• Notable examples: the 2000 presidential election, Glenn Youngkin’s Virginia governorship, Obama’s election inadvertently leading to a Star Trek reboot, among others.
• Galen Druke provides a brief teaser for paid subscribers: "We’ve got the selection of Andrew Johnson at the Republican convention who ended up taking the oath of office blackout drunk. The story of the only dead person in US History to win a Senate race, and how the Republican Party might be different today if Mitt Romney won the presidency in 2012." (00:34)

The 1864 Republican Convention & Lincoln’s Running Mate Swap

Speaker: Jacob Robashkin
Timestamp: 02:05 - 03:20

• Jacob dives into the highly consequential 1864 presidential election, focusing on the Republican convention where Lincoln chose to replace his abolitionist vice president, Hannibal Hamlin (of Maine), with Andrew Johnson (from Tennessee), a Southern unionist.
• The motivation: Lincoln worried that “it’s too politically risky to have someone who's allied with the Radical Republicans on his ticket,” seeking broader appeal for reunification post-war.
• Notable background:
  • Hamlin was an abolitionist and served as a private and later corporal in the Maine militia while VP.
  • Johnson was selected to reassure border states, not out of shared ideology.
• Quote, Jacob Robashkin (02:42):
  “Incredibly consequential election. Right? Like, Lincoln wins the Civil War. He's the only guy at that time who, like, he was the right man at the right time. All of that, he wins with Hannibal Hamlin as his vice president.”

The Infamous Drunken Swearing-In of Andrew Johnson

Speaker: Jacob Robashkin
Timestamp: 03:03+

• After Lincoln’s assassination, Johnson ascends to the presidency—but his tenure starts on a notably low note.
• Jacob explains:
  “Johnson is blackout drunk when he gets sworn in as vice president in 1865. Yeah, he kisses the Bible as he's being sworn in, and then he's so drunk that he can't swear in any of the senators. Right. It's the vice president's job to swear in the senators.”
• This incident sets the chaotic tone for Johnson’s presidency and is cited by the panel as a glaring “what if” in American history.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Bob Stump (lighthearted intro, 00:00):
  “Bob Stump, Congressional candidate, House candidate, 2018, runs as Bob Stump. Bob Stump. The original, the legend Bob Stump.”
• Leah Askarinom (playful jab, 00:11):
  “You said Bob Stump so many times.”
• Jacob Robashkin (03:03):
  “Tragedy strikes, Lincoln is assassinated, and Andrew Johnson becomes president. Things get started on a really terrible note. ... Johnson is blackout drunk when he gets sworn in as vice president in 1865.”
• Leah Askarinom (fact-checking, 02:36):
  “Wait, you guys, it's 1860.”

Segment Timestamps

• 00:34–01:48: Overview of upcoming topics and reminder about paid content.
• 01:48–02:05: Recap of panelists’ chosen elections/themes.
• 02:05–03:20: Jacob Robashkin breaks down the 1864 Republican convention and Andrew Johnson’s vice presidential nomination.
• 03:03+: Details of Andrew Johnson’s drunken swearing-in.

Tone & Takeaways

• The conversation is lively, curious, and includes moments of light-hearted banter, especially in the panelists’ interplay over historical details and eccentric trivia.
• The panel treats historical elections as “Roman Empires”—events they are obsessed with re-examining and drawing lessons from.
• Humorous highlights, especially around the peculiarities of American political history (e.g., the drunken swearing-in), keep the tone engaging and relatable.
• The hosts emphasize how alternate decisions and chance events could have dramatically altered political trajectories—prompting listeners to think about the delicate hinges of history.

For more episodes and subscriber-exclusive content, visit gdpolitics.com.