WI Reagan as the GOP Nominee, 1968?

Chapman · Sep 25, 2017

What if Ronald Reagan had managed to beat out Richard Nixon for the Republican Nomination in the 1968 election? Who would be a likely running mate for him? Would he stand a chance at winning, or would his closeness to Barry Goldwater sink his campaign in the General Election? And if he did win, what would America look like with a much earlier Reagan Presidency?

catalfalque · Sep 25, 2017

Nixon?

TheGuyWhoHeartsHistory · Sep 25, 2017

His running mate would depend on whether he wants to capture moderate votes or conservative votes.

Chapman · Sep 25, 2017

@catalfalque I considered that, but I wonder if Nixon would really be willing to serve as VP again, especially after losing the primary to Reagan.

TheGuyWhoHeartsHistory said:
His running mate would depend on whether he wants to capture moderate votes or conservative votes.

True, my bad for not specifying in my original post. Let's assume he's looking to grab more conservative voters.

Mad Bad Rabbit · Sep 25, 2017

George Romney ?

https://www.alternatehistory.com/fo...s-katarn-edition.421710/page-25#post-15363534

Masteroftheuniverse · Sep 25, 2017

TheGuyWhoHeartsHistory said:
His running mate would depend on whether he wants to capture moderate votes or conservative votes.

According to those who worked on his campaign, they were intending to work hard to avoid him being seen as an extremist like Goldwater. Therefore Charles Percy was their first choice for VP and Edward Brooke was also a serious suggestion in the hope that he might help with the black vote.

Chapman · Sep 25, 2017

Masteroftheuniverse said:
According to those who worked on his campaign, they were intending to work hard to avoid him being seen as an extremist like Goldwater. Therefore Charles Percy was their first choice for VP and Edward Brooke was also a serious suggestion in the hope that he might help with the black vote.

Interesting, do you think having Edward Brooke as his running mate would help him or hurt him more in this period?

catalfalque · Sep 25, 2017

Masteroftheuniverse said:
According to those who worked on his campaign, they were intending to work hard to avoid him being seen as an extremist like Goldwater. Therefore Charles Percy was their first choice for VP and Edward Brooke was also a serious suggestion in the hope that he might help with the black vote.

I was thinking it would probably be someone I'd never heard of. In lieu of that Nixon seemed most likely

Oppo · Sep 25, 2017

The POD for this is pretty simple, Strom Thurmond doesn’t give Nixon those Southern delegates. They then vote for Reagan, who wins a contested convention.

Mr_Fanboy · Sep 25, 2017

I believe there was interest in Reagan's camp in picking Edward Brooke as his running mate.

daveg1967 · Sep 25, 2017

Reagan was almost Nixon's VP selection.
If Reagan wins the nomination, he has the conservative vote. He needs a moderate to balance the ticket.
Edward Brooke from MA, Chuck Percy from IL. Gerald Ford from MI.

CaliGuy · Sep 25, 2017

MikeTheLeftie98 said:
What if Ronald Reagan had managed to beat out Richard Nixon for the Republican Nomination in the 1968 election? Who would be a likely running mate for him? Would he stand a chance at winning, or would his closeness to Barry Goldwater sink his campaign in the General Election? And if he did win, what would America look like with a much earlier Reagan Presidency?

Nixon might be a good VP pick for Reagan--if he wants his old job back, that is.

However, overall, I don't think that the American people would be ready for Reaganite Conservatism back in 1968. Indeed, even when he ran against Carter, Reagan didn't do too well in the polls and only opened a huge lead near the end once he asked Americans if they were better off than they were four years ago.

Thus, in this TL, I suspect that we see a Humphrey win in 1968--perhaps following a battle in the U.S. House of Representatives due to no candidate getting the necessary 270+ electoral votes to win outright.

woweed · Sep 25, 2017

He loses. 1968 America was much more Left-Wing then 1980 America. The New Deal's legacy was still strong, and while some people may have wanted the government smaller, no one wanted it drowned in a bathtub. Hekc, even Nixion foudned the EPA! Also, I doubt Reagan could win over former-Dem support with the Vietnam issue the way Nixon did IOTL, and Nixon only won by a very thin margin to begin with. I'm guessing Reagan will lose. Maybe you'll see brokered convention. Maybe.

potatogod34 · Sep 25, 2017

You want Reagan in '68? Read "Icarus Falls" on this website. It's good, really good.

Oppo · Sep 26, 2017

CaliGuy said:
Nixon might be a good VP pick for Reagan--if he wants his old job back, that is.

However, overall, I don't think that the American people would be ready for Reaganite Conservatism back in 1968. Indeed, even when he ran against Carter, Reagan didn't do too well in the polls and only opened a huge lead near the end once he asked Americans if they were better off than they were four years ago.

Thus, in this TL, I suspect that we see a Humphrey win in 1968--perhaps following a battle in the U.S. House of Representatives due to no candidate getting the necessary 270+ electoral votes to win outright.

If it goes to the House, Wallace likely makes a deal with Reagan and gets his electors to vote for Reagan instead. However, I still think HHH gets a majority.

Derek Jackson · Sep 26, 2017

Reagan will be hit hard for opposition to medicare. I think he does worse than Nixon. We have President Humphrey

David T · Sep 26, 2017

MikeTheLeftie98 said:
What if Ronald Reagan had managed to beat out Richard Nixon for the Republican Nomination in the 1968 election? Who would be a likely running mate for him? Would he stand a chance at winning, or would his closeness to Barry Goldwater sink his campaign in the General Election? And if he did win, what would America look like with a much earlier Reagan Presidency?

"[William] Rusher and his...comrade Clif White aimed to secure the presidency for Reagan at the GOP convention by forging a tacit alliance with Rockefeller's supporters to stop Nixon on the first and second ballots. 'At the third ballot,' according to the notes of one Ripon member at the meeting with Rusher, 'Rockefeller and Nixon forces part company. Reagan, with Clif White as broker, 'aims at Reagan-Percy ticket with Nixon as Secretary of State and Rockefeller (with a sneer from Rusher) as 'the man who put it all together.' If Percy wouldn't take the vice-presidency, they would look for another moderate. 'If I could be convinced that Ed Brooke could deliver a portion of the Negro vote, we would take him.'' Rusher felt that the California governor would have no chance if he were perceived as the 1968 version of Goldwater, so at Miami he would 'do everything possible to appear moderate, humane, and compassionate...He must start appearing progressive, responsible, and ecumenical in a hurry.'"
https://books.google.com/books?id=ZlRpAgAAQBAJ&pg=PA241

Reagan was used to working with a moderate running mate; Robert Finch after all was California's Lieutenant Governor. (And in 1976 Reagan would go with Schweiker for VP. In fact, John Sears' first choice for running mate in 1976 was Nelson Rockefeller! When asked what the reaction of Helms and other conservatives would be, Sears replied "They would have come off the ceiling in a day or two.") But I really doubt he will choose Brooke; if he wants a Massachusetts moderate, Volpe (who could appeal to Italain-Americans) would be a safer choice.