What if the U.S. never passes the 22nd Amendment?

The 22nd Amendment to the U.S. Constitution was passed after FDR broke with the two-term precedent set by George Washington, and was elected a total of four times. It stipulates that the same individual may only be elected president twice. Truman, who was in office at the time of the amendment's passage, could theoretically have run for another term, as the amendment was written to not apply to him, but he chose not to, and probably would have lost had he run again.

So, which subsequent presidents would have run for a third (or more) term?

- Ike is doubtful, as while he was seen as a popular and successful president, the economy was in recession in 1960, and he would have been 70 at the start of his new term, so age would have been an issue
- Kennedy, LBJ, Nixon, Ford, Carter, and Bush Sr did not serve two full terms: Kennedy was assassinated, Nixon resigned, Carter, Ford, and Bush were defeated for reelection, and LBJ opted not to run again, though he could have even with the 22nd amendment in effect
-Reagan is more likely, though he was clearly in failing health by 1988 and his age and health would have been an issue, and I'm not sure he would have been able to meet the physical demands of a presidential campaign. Still, had he run, he probably have won a victory comparable to Bush's
- Clinton very likely would have run for reelection, and probably would have won, though by a considerably smaller margin than either of his first two victories. Despite his personal scandals, he had very high approval ratings at the end of his term
- George W. Bush: who knows. He might have tried, and I'm pretty sure he would have won the Republican nomination, but he would have been defeated in a 46-state blowout
 
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Well, you answered your own question in the OP. Unless you mean ATL POTUSes. Clinton is most likely, Bush II would do better than you think (220-240) but still lose. Nixon, without Watergate, can easily win a third term in 1976, esp if he passes CHIP. Then we have a Democrat in 1980 such as Scoop Jackson or EMK. We never see the Bush dynasty unless Nixon picks him for Veep in either 1968 or 1972. IMO, either don't pass it or limit it to three terms (what FDR served).
 
I knew this had been covered before, but I'd forgotten just how many times. Here are some old threads with the same/similar discussion.

WI: Eisenhower gets third term
Captain Brooks

Five term presidents? (
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1 2)
ArKhan

John F Kennedy's five terms in office.
ArKhan

22nd Amendment: president can't serve more than three terms
W. T. Sherman

A Third Term For Eisenhower?
the Apple Man

US presidencies without 22th Amendment (
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1 2)
Dr. Nodelescu

AH Challenge: Three Term Vice President.
OperationGreen

George W. Bush without Amendment XXII
Dr. Nodelescu

A Different 22nd Amendment
OperationGreen

WI No 22nd Amendment?
NapoleonXIV

Two term limit unconstitutional? (
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1 2)
Fenwick

Prez term limit question.......
ZakoMac

No 22nd Amendment
DMA

WI Bill Clinton was allowed a third term? (
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1 2)
Gamingboy

no XXII amendment to USA constitution
Straha

No 22nd Amendment
wakie
 
If Reagan had won the GOP nom in '76, he'd have been a strong candidate for three terms in a world without a 22nd.

Reagan didn't have the taint of pardoning Nixon, plus I think he'd have easily carried Ohio, Texas, and Missouri plus Pennsylvannia, inparticular if he got the VP candidate he had selected, (which, ironically, caused the floor fight that cost him the nom...big reason my father, to this day, despises Jesse Helms) Sen. Richard Schweiker, sealing the '76 Election where Ford failed.
 
- Ike is doubtful, as while he was seen as a popular and successful president, the economy was in recession in 1960, and he would have been 70 at the start of his new term, so age would have been an issue
I would argue it was more his health, rather than his age per say due to the state of his heart and intestines.
 
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