samcster94
Banned
George Wallace was a very conservative Democrat(albeit had moderated on race) late in life, and had even voted for Bush. What would it take, even in retirement, for himself to officially call himself a Republican???
@David T I had the same exact thought, though technically the OP isn't necessarily about that.
As for what (if anything) this would change...I can't think of much, honestly. Part of it depends on when he decides to switch. 1968? 1972, in a scenario where HHH wins in '68? 1976, 1980, etc.? The only one of these where I can see Wallace having any chance in a Republican Presidential primary would be the HHH wins scenario, assuming he still moderates to some extent on the race issue anyways. And even then, I don't know how effective he'd be in a general election.
I mean it would change a lot. Though it's a stretch that Goldwater would choose him, if he does it makes Wallace a contender in '68, taking the support of the increasingly powerful Southern delegates from Nixon. It was widely surmised that if the convention deadlocked on the first ballot, Reagan would be the compromise candidate. In fact, he tried to take southern delegates from Nixon with a 'Stop Nixon' campaign, but Strom Thurmond's support of Nixon kept them secure. With Wallace in the running, Reagan would likely become the final compromise candidate in a convention split between Nixon, Wallace and Rockefeller. Unlike Nixon, he'd probably pick a liberal like John Lindsay as his VP. Humphrey-Muskie is still probably the democratic ticket.
Read it wrong sorryI was referring to Wallace flipping in general, not his becoming Goldwater's running mate in '64. That would obviously be more consequential.