WI: Nixon picks Romney as VP instead of Ford

In OTL George Romney really wanted to be POTUS but he never succeeded at that. He worked in HUD under Nixon during his first term before leaving the cabinet. What if Nixon had chosen Romney to replace Agnew instead of Ford? Obviously this means that Romney becomes president after Nixon steps down. How do you think Romney would have managed as President during the remainder of Nixon's term?
 
This decision would be made in 1974, right? Has his suggestion that the US military brainwashes people been forgotten by then? I realize that probably wasn't an issue when he served in HUD, but the public might attach a little more significance to it if he's next-in-line for the presidency.
 
Nixon and Romney did not get along at all, with Romney's racial liberalism being a constant annoyance. The surprising thing is that Romney actually made it through Nixon's first term. There is just no way Nixon is going to choose Romney to replace Agnew.

Paradoxically, though, there is no reason *Ford* might not have chosen Romney as VP! There is nothing in the Constitution that prohibits the President and Vice President from being from the same state. All it says is that *electors* cannot vote for both presidential and vice-presidential candidates from the same state as themselves. If Romney agrees he won't be a candidate in 1976, there seems no reason there couldn't be a Ford-Romney administration from 1974 to 1976. True, Ford's choice of Romney would annoy some conservatives, but they didn't like Rocky any better...
 
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Nixon and Romney did not get along at all, with Romney's racial liberalism being a constant annoyance. The surprising thing is that Romney actually made it through Nixon's first term. There is just no way Nixon is going to choose Romney to replace Agnew.

Paradoxically, though, there is no reason *Ford*might not have chosen Romney as VP! There is nothing in the Constitution that prohibits the President and Vice President from being from the same state. All it says is that *electors* cannot vote for both presidential and vice-presidential candidate as themselves. If Romney agrees he won't be a candidate in 1976, there seems no reason there couldn't be a Ford-Romney administration from 1974 to 1976. True, Ford's choice of Romney would annoy some conservatives, but they didn't like Rocky any better...

Sometimes I wonder why Romney didn't choose to be a democrat when he ran for office
 
Sometimes I wonder why Romney didn't choose to be a democrat when he ran for office

When Romney entered politics in Michigan, the tradition of moderate Republicanism in the Midwest still quite robust. Moderate Republicans tended to be pro-civil-rights. Their complaint about the Democrats was that they were too dominated by unions (especially in a state like Michigan) and urban machines (and southern segregationists!) not that they were too "pro-black."
 
When Gerry Ford was asked to be the Vise President he was the minority leader in the House and well liked by the Members and they all knew that he would be president very soon
 
When Romney entered politics in Michigan, the tradition of moderate Republicanism in the Midwest still quite robust. Moderate Republicans tended to be pro-civil-rights. Their complaint about the Democrats was that they were too dominated by unions (especially in a state like Michigan) and urban machines (and southern segregationists!) not that they were too "pro-black."

Midwest Republicans were also distinctly Republicans. It was distinct from Liberalism as found in the Democratic party, for reasons that have been mentioned. For Nelson Rockefeller, you can argue for why he shoulda, coulda, woulda become a Democrat. For someone like Romney, that is not the case.
 
Honestly, for this scenario, you would need Romney not to alienate Nixon in the position of Sec HUD. When Romney spoke of integrating the suburbs, he alienated the Blue Collar Nixon supporters and drew the rebuke of Nixon himself. But Romney is Romney. He's an All American Optimist, and his vision steamrolls through the concerns of public relations....often right into a ditch.
 
Honestly, for this scenario, you would need Romney not to alienate Nixon in the position of Sec HUD. When Romney spoke of integrating the suburbs, he alienated the Blue Collar Nixon supporters and drew the rebuke of Nixon himself. But Romney is Romney. He's an All American Optimist, and his vision steamrolls through the concerns of public relations....often right into a ditch.

So we would need Romney to keep his mouth shut until he was actually president
 
Because he wasn't a New Deal Liberal.


When Romney entered politics in Michigan, the tradition of moderate Republicanism in the Midwest still quite robust. Moderate Republicans tended to be pro-civil-rights. Their complaint about the Democrats was that they were too dominated by unions (especially in a state like Michigan) and urban machines (and southern segregationists!) not that they were too "pro-black."

Midwest Republicans were also distinctly Republicans. It was distinct from Liberalism as found in the Democratic party, for reasons that have been mentioned. For Nelson Rockefeller, you can argue for why he shoulda, coulda, woulda become a Democrat. For someone like Romney, that is not the case.

From what I read, he asked his family whether he should run for office as a Democrat or as a Republican.
 
Well, let's say Nixon ended up having to choose Romney due to being forced in a corner.

I'm wondering whether Romney would pardon Nixon or be one of the ones against him
 
To begin with if Nixon appoint Romney after Agnew leaves office then the Democrat controlled Congress has control over who would be appointed. Nixon wanted to appoint Connelly but the Democrats would never approve him Another Possibility was Reagan but the Democrats would appose him because they feared that he would win in 1976.
 
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To begin with if Nixon appoint Romney after Agney leaves office then the Democrat controlled Congress has control over who would be appointed. Nixon wanted to appoint Connelly but the Democrats would never approve him Another Possibility was Reagan but the Democrats would appose him because they feared that he would win in 1976.

Was this intentional? Regardless, I demand we refer to him as this from now on.
 
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