1960: Prescott Bush the Republican nominee

[darklordoftech]

How would Prescott do against Kennedy?

[brucejoel99]

He narrowly defeats JFK after the two split the Northeast.

[Sir Mohamed]

Bush does better in New England the Northwest Atlantic, picking up CT and NJ, but with no Nixon, Kennedy narrowly takes CA, which was pretty close even with Nixon's homestate advantage.

✓ Senator John F. Kennedy (D-MA)/Senator Lyndon B. Johnson (D-TX): 317 EVs.; 49.9%
Senator Prescott Bush (R-CT)/Treasury Secretary Robert B. Anderson (R-TX): 212 EVs.; 48.4%
Unpledged electors (Dixiecrat): 8 EVs.; 0.5%

[Fuzzy Bear]

Prescott Bush would have been CREAMED!

John F. Kennedy/Lyndon B. Johnson (D) 435 EV
Prescott Bush/Frank Carlson (R) 110 EV

The 1958 election was a "wave" election that was a response to an economic downturn.  Large numbers of prominent GOP officeholders found themselves defeated.  Sen. John Bricker (R-Ohio), Sen. William Knowland (R-CA), Sen. Edward Jenner (R-IN), and a slew of Representatives were swept from office.  The GOP was already a numerical minority, but after 1958, a good deal of it's base for 1960 was gone. 

Prescott Bush was a largely unknown Senator in 1960; he was a prominent insider, but largely invisible to the general public.  The only reason Nixon did so well was because he was Ike's VP.  The Southern states would have all swung to Kennedy because their local political leaders did not see a Goldwater to jump to, and they preferred the power of being insiders in the party they had committed to.  There would have been no Dixiecrat revolt in Mississippi and Harry Byrd would have ensured that Virginia carried for JFK.

[UWS]

IMO, Nixon was the GOP’s best hope to win the 1960 election.

[johnpressman]

In 1960, the Republican Party was in bad shape.  Eisenhower's popularity stemmed from his service as a military leader.  This set him apart and away from politics and the GOP.  The stage was set for a Democratic victory in 1960.  It was only Ike's endorsement of Nixon, coupled with his high visibility that enabled him to run close to JFK.

The Cold War and the threat of nuclear holocaust were forefront in most American minds in 1960.  Many trusted Nixon to keep the peace, counting on his experience as Ike's VP for the past 8 years.

No other Republican, Rockefeller included, could have run a closer race with JFK in 1960.  Nixon was the GOP's best and only hope to win the Presidency that year.