How different would things have been if Laney did go with the original idea and nominate him? He certainly would have won Arkansas, maybe even Georgia, which would have given him six states. I feel like he would have done worse than Thurmond in the states Thurmond won, but much better in those two states mentioned above, and come much closer to winning the other five than Thurmond did. What would you say? Would he win more states than I think, less states, and how much closer or more spread out would the other states be to give him a higher or lower popular vote share than Thurmond?
The States Rights Democratic Party carried no states.
Thurmond and Wright won the states where they were named the Democratic Party's candidates for AL, MS, LA, and SC. Their loss in other states had to do with those states choosing to name their Democratic electors for Truman and Barkley. Georgia, coming off a "three Governors" controversy, saw a need to stick with the national Democratic Party, plus they had the most influential Southern Senator in Richard Russell. In the end, their electors were named for Truman and Barkley.
The Border South stayed with the National ticket because they were concerned about Republican gains in the mountain areas of their states.
I still feel as if at minimum Arkansas would have picked laney instead of Truman for 9 more electoral votes. Maybe still Georgia due to the fact he was supposed to be the nominee and people would have been more willing to ballot him than Thurmond. I concede you are probably right on the other states, but I could still see him picking up 5 or 10 percent in those states. But Arkansas I have no doubt about
