Dystopia Now! The Presidency of Edwin Anderson Walker

Yes, but there's this:

"a number of soldiers had complained that Walker was instructing them how to vote in the forthcoming American election by using the Conservative Voting Index, which was biased toward the Republican Party"

He would prefer a conservative Republican to a liberal Democrat, of course, and in most cases the Republican candidate was more conservative than the Democrat, so naturally the Conservative Index would back more Republicans than Demcorats. But he still considered himself a conservative Democrat at the time.
 
He would prefer a conservative Republican to a liberal Democrat, of course, and in most cases the Republican candidate was more conservative than the Democrat, so naturally the Conservative Index would back more Republicans than Demcorats. But he still considered himself a conservative Democrat at the time.

I see.

Would it still bother you if he changed his affiliation in this TL?
 
I see.

Would it still bother you if he changed his affiliation in this TL?

Not particularly. But let me warn you in advance: If Walker (who in spite of Little Rock was then quite obscure, which is why his resignation and announced candidacy would hardly cause a shock wave--only his subsequent "persecution" by JFK made him a cause celebre with the Right) was the *only* candidate running against Nixon in the GOP primaries, and if Nixon is caught with the proverbial dead girl or live boy and loses every GOP primary to Walker by default, *Walker still won't be nominated.* The GOP Establishment would simply settle on a candidate other than Nixon and nominate him. Primaries were by no means as important in those days as they are today. (The same is true of the Democrats--JFK was *almost* stopped in spite of winning most of the primaries virtually without opposition. And of course JFK was much more acceptable to party leaders than Walker would be to either Democratic or Republican leaders.)
 
Not particularly. But let me warn you in advance: If Walker (who in spite of Little Rock was then quite obscure, which is why his resignation and announced candidacy would hardly cause a shock wave--only his subsequent "persecution" by JFK made him a cause celebre with the Right) was the *only* candidate running against Nixon in the GOP primaries, and if Nixon is caught with the proverbial dead girl or live boy and loses every GOP primary to Walker by default, *Walker still won't be nominated.* The GOP Establishment would simply settle on a candidate other than Nixon and nominate him. Primaries were by no means as important in those days as they are today. (The same is true of the Democrats--JFK was *almost* stopped in spite of winning most of the primaries virtually without opposition. And of course JFK was much more acceptable to party leaders than Walker would be to either Democratic or Republican leaders.)

We're only through the first post. What will come may surprise you
 
Not particularly. But let me warn you in advance: If Walker (who in spite of Little Rock was then quite obscure, which is why his resignation and announced candidacy would hardly cause a shock wave--only his subsequent "persecution" by JFK made him a cause celebre with the Right) was the *only* candidate running against Nixon in the GOP primaries, and if Nixon is caught with the proverbial dead girl or live boy and loses every GOP primary to Walker by default, *Walker still won't be nominated.* The GOP Establishment would simply settle on a candidate other than Nixon and nominate him. Primaries were by no means as important in those days as they are today. (The same is true of the Democrats--JFK was *almost* stopped in spite of winning most of the primaries virtually without opposition. And of course JFK was much more acceptable to party leaders than Walker would be to either Democratic or Republican leaders.)

What you state is more or less true for the 1960 nominating process of both parties, not just the Republicans. The difference is that the Democrats had a much deeper bench: JFK, LBJ, Humphrey and Stuart Symington were all candidates and all would have been acceptable to the powers that be, though Humphrey would have caused some grumbling in the South. Still, though, if one were to attempt a renegade candidacy that year, one would have stood a far better chance with the Republicans than the Democrats. While capturing the GOP nomination might be objectively difficult, I think capturing it would be easier than winning as a Democrat.
 
What you state is more or less true for the 1960 nominating process of both parties, not just the Republicans. The difference is that the Democrats had a much deeper bench: JFK, LBJ, Humphrey and Stuart Symington were all candidates and all would have been acceptable to the powers that be, though Humphrey would have caused some grumbling in the South. Still, though, if one were to attempt a renegade candidacy that year, one would have stood a far better chance with the Republicans than the Democrats. While capturing the GOP nomination might be objectively difficult, I think capturing it would be easier than winning as a Democrat.

Agreed. There was room for conservative Democrats, but it's hard to see one carrying the presidential nomination, especially somebody as across the board conservative as Walker seems to be.
 
Not particularly. But let me warn you in advance: If Walker (who in spite of Little Rock was then quite obscure, which is why his resignation and announced candidacy would hardly cause a shock wave--only his subsequent "persecution" by JFK made him a cause celebre with the Right) was the *only* candidate running against Nixon in the GOP primaries, and if Nixon is caught with the proverbial dead girl or live boy and loses every GOP primary to Walker by default, *Walker still won't be nominated.* The GOP Establishment would simply settle on a candidate other than Nixon and nominate him.

its like how Bernie dead-enders keep fantasizing about him replacing her on the ticket when all indications have been that Biden would be the emergency replacement.
 
This is not going to end well...I was in 7th grade during the 1960 election, ITTL doesn't look like I'll graduate high school (or maybe even make it to HS).
 
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