Nixon Vs Humphrey, 1972 edition

If Humphrey was the 1972 nominee, who'd win?

  • Richard Nixon

    Votes: 15 78.9%
  • Hubert Humphrey

    Votes: 4 21.1%

  • Total voters
    19
Hubert Humphrey was almost chosen as the Democratic nominee in the 1972 election, but McGovern narrowly got it and proceeded to be easily defeated. However Humphrey had a close race with Nixon in '68. If he got the nomination in '72, do you think he'd win the second time around much like Nixon himself, or is Tricky Dick going to take this? What do you think might change either way?
 
Humphrey wouldn't have had the "far left" liability of McGovern, and no doubt would've done better. The South would still have to be written off but Humphrey would've taken northern/industrial states, especially since Meany would've backed him whereas he rejected McGovern.
 
It would not be a landslide like Nixon v. McGovern, but Nixon would win fairly comfortably. He would pick up most of the 1968 Wallace vote in the South and much of it in the North. The economy seemed to be in good shape, the overtures to the USSR and China were popular with a majority of voters, and Nixon's job approval numbers improved throughout 1972 (and were always a net positive during the year). https://historyinpieces.com/research/nixon-approval-ratings Humphrey would probably keep most of the states he won in 1968 except Texas, but I don't see him adding any new ones.
 
Top