Which party would Nelson Rockefeller be part of today

[OSR stands with Israel]

I would say Democratic if Rockefeller was actually a liberal because I would definitely say he would be to the left of Michael Bloomberg, and even some Democrats such as Manchin(also Clinton's Presidency in the 90s was to the right of his tenure as Governor of NY).


If he was a Liberal for Convenience due to his political career mainly taking place in  the 1960s which was easily the most liberal decade ever and during the peak of the New Deal Era I would say he would remain a Republican today and be very similar to Mitt Romney.

[ηєω ƒяσηтιєя]

He'd probably be a Democrat.

[Take your vitamins and say your prayers, Brother!]

He'd be a Democrat.  He became more conservative toward the end of his career, but that was more of a sop to the Republican Party as it was becoming, and because toward the end of his career as Governor, he began to have national ambitions again.  

I have little doubt that Rockefeller was planning a 1976 run when Nixon resigned and Ford became President.

[Mr. Smith]

If Zell never changed in Georgia, why would he?

[ProudModerate2]

He'd probably be a Democrat.

[Take your vitamins and say your prayers, Brother!]

If Zell never changed in Georgia, why would he?

Zell retired; he was an old man when he did.  He's 85 now. 

If Zell were 30-40 years younger and Lt. Gov of GA, Miller would be switching parties and running as a Republican.  Zell Miller has never been the conservative he's been made out to be, but he's conservative for a Democrat, and nowadays, he'd be unacceptable as a pro-life Democrat, even in GA. 

If Nelson Rockefeller were running for Governor for the first time today, he'd be running as a Democrat.  Rockefeller was always a social liberal, and if he were running today, he'd probably be OK with the social liberalism of today.  He signed NY's liberal abortion law prior to Roe v. Wade, and he did so at a time when digging into the Democrats' share of the Catholic vote was vital to win in NY.   

[IceSpear]

/gets popcorn and waits for RINO Tom

[Alabama_Indy10]

If Zell never changed in Georgia, why would he?

Zell retired; he was an old man when he did.  He's 85 now. 

If Zell were 30-40 years younger and Lt. Gov of GA, Miller would be switching parties and running as a Republican.  Zell Miller has never been the conservative he's been made out to be, but he's conservative for a Democrat, and nowadays, he'd be unacceptable as a pro-life Democrat, even in GA. 

If Nelson Rockefeller were running for Governor for the first time today, he'd be running as a Democrat.  Rockefeller was always a social liberal, and if he were running today, he'd probably be OK with the social liberalism of today.  He signed NY's liberal abortion law prior to Roe v. Wade, and he did so at a time when digging into the Democrats' share of the Catholic vote was vital to win in NY.   

Zell died earlier this year.

[Take your vitamins and say your prayers, Brother!]

If Zell never changed in Georgia, why would he?

Zell retired; he was an old man when he did.  He's 85 now. 

If Zell were 30-40 years younger and Lt. Gov of GA, Miller would be switching parties and running as a Republican.  Zell Miller has never been the conservative he's been made out to be, but he's conservative for a Democrat, and nowadays, he'd be unacceptable as a pro-life Democrat, even in GA. 

If Nelson Rockefeller were running for Governor for the first time today, he'd be running as a Democrat.  Rockefeller was always a social liberal, and if he were running today, he'd probably be OK with the social liberalism of today.  He signed NY's liberal abortion law prior to Roe v. Wade, and he did so at a time when digging into the Democrats' share of the Catholic vote was vital to win in NY.   

Zell died earlier this year.

I missed that.

He had a bi-partisan contingent at his funeral.  Bush 43, Clinton, and Carter. Republican US Senator Johnny Isakson and Former GA Lt. Gov Pierre Howard, a Democrat, were in attendance.

He was Lester Maddox's Chief of Staff and the more liberal challenger to Sen. Herman Talmadge in the 1980 Democratic Primary.  That took a bit of flexibility.

[Alabama_Indy10]

If Zell never changed in Georgia, why would he?

Zell retired; he was an old man when he did.  He's 85 now. 

If Zell were 30-40 years younger and Lt. Gov of GA, Miller would be switching parties and running as a Republican.  Zell Miller has never been the conservative he's been made out to be, but he's conservative for a Democrat, and nowadays, he'd be unacceptable as a pro-life Democrat, even in GA. 

If Nelson Rockefeller were running for Governor for the first time today, he'd be running as a Democrat.  Rockefeller was always a social liberal, and if he were running today, he'd probably be OK with the social liberalism of today.  He signed NY's liberal abortion law prior to Roe v. Wade, and he did so at a time when digging into the Democrats' share of the Catholic vote was vital to win in NY.   

Zell died earlier this year.

I missed that.

He had a bi-partisan contingent at his funeral.  Bush 43, Clinton, and Carter. Republican US Senator Johnny Isakson and Former GA Lt. Gov Pierre Howard, a Democrat, were in attendance.

He was Lester Maddox's Chief of Staff and the more liberal challenger to Sen. Herman Talmadge in the 1980 Democratic Primary.  That took a bit of flexibility.

Indeed.. I was a big fan of Miller

[HisGrace]

He was barely a Republican even then. I don't really think his views are substantially different from establishment Dems today. Maybe a little harder line on crime/drugs when he was governor of New York, but then again Clinton was plenty tough on crime when he was president.

[Robert California]

I don’t know why anyone would need to make somersaults to day that Rockefeller would remain in the GOP.

[Sumner 1868]

He'd be smeared as hard-left by the DNC today. Obama was much further right then Rockefeller ever was.

[ON Progressive]

/gets popcorn and waits for RINO Tom

[SNJ1985]

He would be a Democrat, but not a particularly left-wing one. He would be like Andrew Cuomo.

[OSR stands with Israel]

/gets popcorn and waits for RINO Tom

Theres a huge difference between Rockefeller and Republicans like Dirksen

[Take your vitamins and say your prayers, Brother!]

He would be a Democrat, but not a particularly left-wing one. He would be like Andrew Cuomo.

He'd be a neoliberal Democrat with no friends and supporters on Atlas.

[falling apart like the ashes of American flags]

He would be a Democrat, but not a particularly left-wing one. He would be like Andrew Cuomo.

He'd be a neoliberal Democrat with no friends and supporters on Atlas.

My God. I'm actually in full agreement with Thomas from NJ and Fuzzy Bear!

[Where's the Epstein Client List?]

He could pretty easily be a Corporate DLC Democrat in the style of Mark Warner or most establishment NYC politicians. He'd be the sort of person who would have fundraisers hosted by Jamie Dimon.

[Sir Mohamed]

Didn't the dude support universal healthcare and was pro civil rights? That should answer the question. Same with Senator Jacob Javits.

[Reaganfan]

If I were a moderator on this forum, I'd move this to the HISTORY sub-forum.

[pbrower2a]

The Rockefeller Republicans who still voted Republican as late as 1988  have become Democrats as a constituency. I can imagine him condemning Donald Trump at every turn.

Did he and Donald Trump ever meet?

[andjey]

He'd probably be a Democrat.

[You Don’t Mess With The Zohran]

Democrat or Bloomberg-esque Independent. He's probably the only President/Vice-President in the modern era (i.e. post-New Deal) that would be in a different party today to what he actually was.

[RINO Tom]

/gets popcorn and waits for RINO Tom

As some others have mentioned, I think it would depend entirely on where he was in his career "today," as almost all party switches have something to do with this.  If he's simply retired, I doubt he takes the time to publicly proclaim himself a Democrat after being on a national GOP ticket and serving as a Republican governor for years.  However, if he's actively trying to run for office - especially in New York - then I think a switch out of convenience might be probable.  In short, if he is still seeking office in New York, I think he probably makes a switch, using Trump as an excuse/"final straw" type of thing; but, if he is no longer seeking higher office, I think he jumps on the opportunity for national media attention to be a high-profile Never Trumper (and you can't get that attention to yourself if you are a Democrat or Independent, as you simply blend in with all of the other people who disapprove of Trump).