You are using an out of date browser. It may not display this or other websites correctly. You should upgrade or use an alternative browser.
alternatehistory.com
As obituaries have pointed out, e.g., http://www.latimes.com/local/obituaries/la-me-john-tunney-snap-20180112-story.html he was actually a quite accomplished freshman senator, and his image as a "lightweight" or "playboy" was quite unfair. If he had defeated Hayakawa in 1976--and it was a fairly close race--might he not have gone on to be on the national Democratic ticket in some future year? (E.g., if he gets re-elected in 1982 and 1988, maybe Clinton taps him as his running mate in 1992...)