WI: Nixon never comes out of Retirement

What if Richard Nixon's 1962 "last press conference" really was his last press conference (as a politician, at least)? Who takes his place as Republican nominee in 1968? How is American political history by his never re-entering politics?
 

claybaskit

Gone Fishin'
One of these 3.

1.Ronald Reagan

2. George Romney

3.Nelson Rockefeller

or someone comes out of the blue.
 
President George Romney or President Nelson Rockefeller from 1969-1977 is most likely the case. I doubt the GOP nominates Reagan in '68, especially just four years after Goldwater got trounced. Politics is probably less cynical and people likely have more faith in Government without Watergate, so even if someone like Reagan were to get elected in this TL, I doubt he could successfully convince enough people that "Government is the Problem" without Watergate already creating that mistrust in the first place. With that said, the Political Landscape will still shift rightward at some point, it just might happen later than the '80s.
 
A guess at a list:

Lyndon Johnson (1963-1969)
George Romney (1969-1977)
Howard Baker (1977-1981)

Henry Jackson (1981-1989)
John Chafee (1989-1997)
Al Gore (1997-2001)
John McCain (2001-2005)
Joe Biden (2005-2013)
Susan Collins (2013-)
 
President George Romney or President Nelson Rockefeller from 1969-1977 is most likely the case. I doubt the GOP nominates Reagan in '68, especially just four years after Goldwater got trounced. Politics is probably less cynical and people likely have more faith in Government without Watergate, so even if someone like Reagan were to get elected in this TL, I doubt he could successfully convince enough people that "Government is the Problem" without Watergate already creating that mistrust in the first place. With that said, the Political Landscape will still shift rightward at some point, it just might happen later than the '80s.
Is it possible that with Romney or Rocky leading the ticket, more OTL Republicans would vote Wallace causing no one to reach 270?
 
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