It's entirely possible that he'd get started in MA politics at the same time as one of the Bush boys.

And I could see the Bush family going out of their way to curb stomp him. For all of the genteel persona they looked to present they could be quite nasty when they saw fit and I don't think they would appreciate a challenge from the son of another Republican scion. IMO they would do their best to send Mitt packing to Michigan or even Utah.
 
The problem is that if Bush were elected senator from CT, he would probably have too liberal a record to be Reagan's running mate in 1980. Reagan was willing to accept a moderately conservative GHW Bush from Texas; a more liberal GHW Bush from CT would be another matter. I think we would be more likely to see a Reagan-Howard Baker ticket in 1980.

So, yes, I could see a Connecticut Republican GHW Bush being to the left of Texas Republican GHW Bush. (BTW, the attack on supply-side as "voodoo economics" was more from an old-fashioned conservative "balance the budget" standpoint than from a "progressive" one.)

I agree that this increases Baker's chances of being Reagan's running mate in 1988. Might we see a Howard Baker Presidency from 1989-1993?
 
Here's a question I'm throwing out there, since it would affect me - if the Bushes remain in New England, could it be possible for one of them to pull a Patrick Kennedy and start getting involved in Rhode Island politics?
 
Here's a question I'm throwing out there, since it would affect me - if the Bushes remain in New England, could it be possible for one of them to pull a Patrick Kennedy and start getting involved in Rhode Island politics?

Probably...
 
who probally is the most conservative of the lot so I don't see him doing that well in Little RI.

Well his politics would definitely be changed by being a New England Republican. I could see him potentially getting elected to the Governorship in a good year or maybe some state office besides Senator. But I don't really see him launching a national political career as a RI Republican...
 
The Bushes are excellent in surpressing their personel opinions in favour of the party line. "W" did so many times as President and Governor. He was very good at hiding it. Poppy, not so much.
This is a guy who detested segregation and racism, yet as a Congressnman opposed Civil rights.
If he was still in NE, he probably does better. Since he does not have to pretend to be more conservative than he was.
 
Could the Bushes have turned into Dems?

Probably not. The most liberal Bush in politics, HW's father Prescott, was still a typical Wall Street Republican and his descendants were consistently conservative (albeit moderately so) on most issues.

So in this ATL the Bushes definitely don't become Dems. But it's very possible they'd be to the left of the national GOP and this could prevent the Bushes from ever reaching the White House (though IMO it's still possible for HW Bush to become Reagan's VP in 1980).
 
There's no assurance that they'll stay in New England forever after just because one generation does. The Romneys and the Kennedies - and the Clintons for that matter - have ranged pretty wide.
 
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