1976: Church vs. Reagan (no Watergate)

[President Johnson]

Watergate does not happen (or is not exposed), Nixon serves out his term. Despite the out-going president's support, Rockefeller narrowly loses the nomination battle to the Gipper. Democrats nominate Senator Frank Church. Who wins?

[Pericles]

Reagan narrowly, winning the South, and uses his charisma to win. Church tries to tar him as too extreme, but the GOP is united under Reagan(the nomination battle is presumably smoother than OTL's contested convention) and there isn't the anchor of Watergate dragging them down.

Reagan/Baker-Republican: 275 EV 48.96%
Church/Jackson-Democratic: 263 EV 49.35%

If Oregon goes D it's 269-269 and the House elects Church. Perhaps Oregon is really close, like 0.01% Reagan.

[Kingpoleon]

270: Senator Frank Church/Representative Morris Udall - 47.8%
252: Fmr. Governor Ronald Reagan/House Minority Leader Gerald Ford - 46.9%
17: Senator John Sparkman/Representative John Rarick - 5.0%
Others - 0.3%

[Orthogonian Society Treasurer]

It would a romp for Reagan, 395-143. In a world without Watergate, Church's outsider status would have held little appeal.


 

[Mr. Smith]

Reagan is still considered too conservative. No Watergate = no distrust in Government = no "small government" woo-meisters. Church's insider status on the other hand along with New Dealy goodness wins him big, if at the cost of The South. The selection of Terry Sanford does mitigate the loss slightly.

Church/Sanford
Reagan/Schweiker

[Sir Mohamed]

Reagan was still seen as too radical by the general electorate in 1976. He would have lost against a respected politician like Church.

✓ Senator Frank Church (D-ID)/Former Governor Jimmy Carter (D-GA): 302 EVs. (51.5%)
Former Governor Ronald Reagan (R-CA)/Vice President Gerald Ford (R-MI): 236 EVs.; 47.3%