WI: No President Eisenhower?

As per the title. Suppose that, for whatever reason, Eisenhower decides not to run for the Presidency at all in 1952. What happens? Who do the Republicans nominate? What long-term effects might this have?
 
As per the title. Suppose that, for whatever reason, Eisenhower decides not to run for the Presidency at all in 1952. What happens? Who do the Republicans nominate? What long-term effects might this have?

Consensus is Taft gets in, hilarity ensues.

Wider butterflies could happen though - if not Ike, Bradley or someone like him might be approached by the 'stop Taft' clique.
 
It depends on who wins in 1952, Stevenson would have a far better chance against Robert Taft (who would almost certainly get the nomination) due to his isolationist views, conservative record and his lack of charisma compared to Ike. It could go either way, although if Taft does win he will die of cancer a few months into his term, whoever he chooses as VP would be incredibly important.
 
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I assume with Corruption Korea and Communism Taft wins, but with a much narrower margin than Ike. Taft would certainly still die on July 31, 1953, if not sooner. His vice president, a moderate from the east coast would take over. I remember reading on this site that the then governor of New Jerey would have been Taft's running mate. I am assume he governs like Eisenhower did, but he could quite likely had more enthusiasm fot civil rights. I also assume in the boom times of 1956, he wins another term. I don't who he would have picked as a running mate or if the constitution would have been amended to allow him to fill the vacent vice president's office. I also don't know if his vice president would have been the Republican candidate in 1960. In likelyhood Richard Nixon is not the candidate. So you probably do not have GOP nominee that does not campaign in all 50 states and wears makeup if there is a debate. This could butterfly away John Kennedy's presidencey.
 
Stevenson would beat Taft. The New Deal coalition was very strong then. Ike was no threat. But Taft was a different story. The question then. Who takes over for the GOP? I can see Henry Cabot Lodge beating JFK in the Senate race since Eisenhower is not running. Lodge spent more time helping Ike than he did running his own race. Then Lodge runs against Stevenson in 56. A moderate like Lodge could win in 56. So what does Joe SR. do when JFK gets beat for the Senate?
 
wouldn't the republican or the democrats would try to find a war hero for the nomination due to the increase of patriotism after the war
 
Another standard bearer of the GOP's moderate wing would have emerged; most likely someone like Earl Warren or even Thomas Dewey (again). Taft would certainly have had a better chance against either of those, though.
 
wouldn't the republican or the democrats would try to find a war hero for the nomination due to the increase of patriotism after the war

It should be remembered that the 1952 election was fought during an extremely unpopular war (Korea) and was 7 years after 1945, which is considerably longer than WWII actually lasted (at least from the US perspective). Ike was selected for more complex reasons than that.
 
Robert Taft, who probably wins. His VP selection is everything. Could be Driscoll, Knowland, McCarthy, Nixon...
 
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