(POD could be maintenance, it was a close friend of the family’s plane and it’s hard to stop him flying on it except fixing it or an earlier crash without Litton. However the plane apparently had quality care, so it’s just damn bad luck they didn’t catch it.)
Jerry Litton won the Democratic primary
without the St Louis Dem base of the state because of one opponent’s geographical strength, which is not easy lol, no wonder he was considered an underdog. He’s up against the popular Attorney General John Danforth, rising Republican star who won against a rather weaker Dem IOTL by a decent margin. But yeah, Litton is just plain better than Danforth at the whole thing and Danforth doesn’t have the (back then it was real) incumbency bonus he’ll use to survive some tough times ahead IOTL. That and Litton spent a million dollars just on the primary….
Assuming Litton is the only change from OTL ‘76 I suspect he wins the 1984 nomination after a blow-out ‘82 Senate victory (if he wants it). Whether or not he beats Reagan, well, at the least
Dialogue with Litton proved he was the vanishingly rare Dem who even vaguely understood the modern media landscape of the day so who knows, nearly a decade of butterflies out—certainly his organizing/campaigning skills plus conservative Missouri Dem is pretty darn useful in the era.
Dude went from single digit name recognition in February 1976 on announcement to a twenty point victory in the primary with a forty-five per cent vote share against two major opponents. Like try and stop him, lol.
Edit:
Two Democrats Vie in Missouri For Party Nomination to Senate
New York Times said:
A million‐dollar campaign by Representative Jerry Litton appears to have narrowed the wide lead once held by Representative James W. Symington
[…]
A statewide poll published last Sunday by The Kansas City Star showed Mr. Symington barely holding his lead of 29.6 to 28.5 percent over Mr. Litton. Mr. Hearnes had 18.8 percent. Twenty‐one percent were undecided.
God willing, what might have been…
By Robert L. Slater
The St. Joseph News-Press said:
Jerry Litton had that thing about him. Charisma. Energy. Self-confidence. Unequaled communication skills. A “burning in his gut” to make a difference.
He seemed equally at ease talking to a banker in a $1,000 suit and a rancher with manure on his boots.
The Missourian Many Thought Would Be President
KCUR 89.3 podcast hosted by Steve Kraske, with guests Kristi Wyatt & Steven Jacques