1956: Nixon versus Kennedy

[Sir Mohamed]

Due to poor health, Eisenhower declines to run for reelection and Richard Nixon clinches the GOP nomination. Rising star, Senator Jack Kennedy, upsets the establishment and becomes the Dem candidate. Who wins? Discuss with maps.

[Huey Long is a Republican]

Nixon wins easily. In 1956, JFK wouldn't have the same stardom he had in 1960. He had been a Senator for only 4 years at the time and in Congress for only nine years. Meanwhile, Nixon had a lot more appeal, seeing as he was VP to the Very Popular Ike. Even if Ike retired, 1956 was the height of Ike's approval and it's hard to see Nixon NOT having Ike campaign for him.

385 for Nixon
127 for Kennedy
19 for Sparkman, maybe

[Orthogonian Society Treasurer]

Vice President Richard M. Nixon (Republican-CA)/Fmr. Secretary of the Navy Robert Anderson (Republican-TX) - 404 EV
Senator John F. Kennedy (Democratic-MA)/Senator Richard Russell Jr. (Democratic-GA) -108 EV
Unpledged (various) - 19 EV

Nixon secures Eisenhower's endorsement by adding the General's old favourite, Robert Anderson, to the ticket. Ike campaigns hard for the ticket, and the electorate's reluctance to return to Democratic governance after only four years secures a term for Nixon.

[MillennialModerate]

This is one of the few scenarios I could possibly see JFK losing because he wasn’t as known as he was in 1960 obviously. However at the time a majority of the country was Leaning Democratic. It would be a true tossup. IKE was extremely popular but Nixon was not and there was even talk that he left off the ticket in ‘56. I’ll give the nod to JFK because I’m bias to JFK for one and for two he is a brilliant campaigner and if they had Debates - I think he uses them to his advantage the way he did in ‘60.

JFK keeps the South solid Democratic, wins the Northeast/Mid-Atlantic including PA & NY.

JFK holds off Nixon, winning 274 EV.

[Politician]