We've had a few discussions on the idea of Ronald Reagan being the Republican nominee in 1968. However the ones I remembre presuppose his victory over Hubert Humphrey.

What I'm curious about is what happens to the Republican Party if Reagan loses the 1968 election.

The Republicans will not renominate Reagan in 1972-and the 1968 loss is probably blamed on Reagan's extremism.

Reagan's nomination means that Nixon's career is over.

So who do the Republicans turn to in 1972 without Nixon or Reagan to turn to?
 

bguy

Donor
Senator Howard Baker of Tennessee would be a reasonable choice as a respected moderate senator from a southern state.

If George Bush still runs for the senate in 1970, he might very well win ITTL (the election was reasonably close OTL and Bush should do better here, since the out of power party tends to do better in mid-term elections and President Humphrey will probably be pretty unpopular in Texas by late 1970). A Senator Bush would be a plausible candidate for much the same reasons as Baker. (And especially if Humphrey carried Texas in '68, since that will make the Republicans really want a candidate who can plausibly carry Texas.)

President Humphrey also means no invasion of Cambodia and thus no Kent State massacre, so Governor Jim Rhodes of Ohio will not be discredited and thus could be a plausible candidate. He's from a key state, is clearly experienced, and should be broadly acceptable to both wings of the party. (It also wouldn't surprise me if Rhodes was Reagan's veep in '68, which would give him a name recognition advantage over the other candidates.)

And if busing becomes a major issue in Humphrey's first term then you could also see Senator Robert Griffin of Michigan, who led the fight for an anti-busing constitutional amendment OTL.
 
While he did, I don't that they were bad enough where he'd die before 1972.

Yes, he ran in 1972 IOTL. Humphrey died in January 1978(though if he wins he may die earlier in say 1975 or 1976 or perhaps be treated better and die later)
 
Rockefeller would certainly run again - maybe after losing with both Goldwater and Reagan, the GOP finally swallows hard and nominates Rocky.

Maybe OH governor Jim Rhodes on the more conservative side? On the moderate/liberal side, Sen. Charles Percy of IL also had ambitions to run for president at one point. And though it's unlikely, I wouldn't completely rule out another Nixon bid.
 
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