Plausibility Check: Eisenhower/Taft '52

Let's say for whatever reason that Richard Nixon was not elected to the House in 1946 or the Senate in 1950, taking him out of consideration for selection as Eisenhower's running mate. Is it plausible that Robert Taft could have been nominated instead? If not, who would be most likely to be selected?
 

bguy

Donor
Let's say for whatever reason that Richard Nixon was not elected to the House in 1946 or the Senate in 1950, taking him out of consideration for selection as Eisenhower's running mate. Is it plausible that Robert Taft could have been nominated instead? If not, who would be most likely to be selected?

There's no reason for Taft to accept the Vice Presidency. He has much more power as the leading Republican in the Senate.

I imagine William Knowland probably gets the nomination if there's no Nixon. He's young, from California, acceptable to the conservative wing of the party, can be portrayed as a moderate (OTL he supported Earl Warren's presidential run) and will be perfectly willing to be the campaign's hatchet man, so he pretty much hits all the billets Nixon did OTL.
 
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