What if Sam Nunn had never retired?

[Adlai Stevenson]

I was reading about the former Democratic Senator from Georgia Sam Nunn the other day.  He was a conservative, an expert on national defence and popular in his home state.  After winning 54%-46% during the Nixon landslide year of 1972, he was re-elected 83%-17% in 1978 and by 80%-20% in 1984; in 1990 he was unopposed.  He retired in 1996.  Given how Republican Georgia is now, what would have happened if Nunn had run for re-election in 1996 and 2002?  He would be 70 next year, not relatively old for the Senate, but I assume he would still be able to win election in Georgia, if not by the same margins he once did.  It just occurred to me - its not much of a question really. 

[bullmoose88]

Barring any major gaffes (or over stressing of any liberal views), he probably would have held on...

(kinda like Fritz Hollings?)

[Jaggerjack]

Would he have switched parties?

[Sam Spade]

2002 would have been tough with a good opponent, but he probably would have won.

[HardRCafé]

He would have lost narrowly to Saxby Chambliss and blamed Roy Barnes.

[WalterMitty]

He would have lost narrowly to Saxby Chambliss and blamed Roy Barnes.

that is pretty much correct.

i like sam nunn alright.  but i realize that he was a son of a bitch.  he wasnt a nice guy.

[Ebowed]

Would he have switched parties?

I don't think he was that conservative, for a white southern Democrat.