I have a feeling that Ronald Reagan may be one of the bigger stumbling blocks here. It's easy enough to see Heston deciding to run in 1970. And once he does that, it's at least somewhat plausible he could end up leading a successful Presidential ticket either a decade or eighteen years later, depending on whether you go with Heston 1980 or Heston 1988. The problem is, if Reagan is still in the political arena Heston's rise from the Senate to the Presidency becomes a bit more difficult to imagine. Arguably, Heston is too similar to Reagan for Heston vs. Reagan to really work. Both are former actors, both have conservative leanings. True, there are some differences between the two, but I have my doubts as to whether or not the public would be able to accept to actor candidates. A similar problem creeps up in 1988. After eight years of Reagan, would the public really accept another actor Presidency so quickly?
Therefore I think the two keys here are getting rid of Reagan somehow, and getting Heston to actually run for the Senate. Reagan's absence might butterfly somehow into a Ford victory in 1976. Like I said, that probably means a Democrat wins in 1980. Under the circumstances Heston is arguably a decent enough candidate. There's no way Carter runs for the nomination here. The field would probably be Heston Kennedy Mondale and Jackson. Given his greater appeal to what we call "Reagan Democrats" I think it's possible that Heston could best Mondale and Kennedy if everything else was equal.
Senator Jackson would be the issue here, since he and Heston would probably appeal to the same voters, and thereby divide that vote. It'd be a contentious primary. Then again, would Jackson run given his showing in the primaries eight years earlier?
Therefore I think the two keys here are getting rid of Reagan somehow, and getting Heston to actually run for the Senate. Reagan's absence might butterfly somehow into a Ford victory in 1976. Like I said, that probably means a Democrat wins in 1980. Under the circumstances Heston is arguably a decent enough candidate. There's no way Carter runs for the nomination here. The field would probably be Heston Kennedy Mondale and Jackson. Given his greater appeal to what we call "Reagan Democrats" I think it's possible that Heston could best Mondale and Kennedy if everything else was equal.
Senator Jackson would be the issue here, since he and Heston would probably appeal to the same voters, and thereby divide that vote. It'd be a contentious primary. Then again, would Jackson run given his showing in the primaries eight years earlier?