JFK/Nixon in 64

[MillennialModerate]

Probably the most talked about “what if” our there. JFK in 64.

But post of the scenarios involve Goldwater. What does everyone think of a Nixon-JFK rematch?

This would likely be with a majority of the South flipping. I think Nixon’s damaged by his 62 loss in California but what if he doesn’t run for Governor and is still seen as a VP who narrowly lost?

Thoughts?

[Sir Mohamed]

Is Goldwater VP candidate, or how is it to understand he should be involved?

Anyway, Nixon would obviously lose by a much wider margin than he did in 1960. Btw, the scenario would be even more intersting with Nixon as sitting prez.

[MIKESOWELL]

I can't see Nixon doing this in real life, but if he did run in a rematch, I'd see him losing pretty badly. I'd imagine Kennedy would have dropped Johnson for Terry Sanford while Nixon would run with Goldwater perhaps. I see a Kennedy landslide of at least 375 electoral votes and maybe 54 to 45 percent in the popular vote.

[MillennialModerate]

JFK wins in 60, JFK/Nixon rematch in 64

President John F Kennedy • 397
Former VP Richard Nixon • 141


—————

Nixon wins in 60, JFK/Nixon Rematch in 64

Senator John F Kennedy • 277
President Richard Nixon • 261

[morgankingsley]

Nixon made it very clear he had no desire to even try something like this

[Amenhotep Bakari-Sellers]

Robert Kennedy warned John not to go to TX, due to fact Cali was on the verge of flipping, Kennedy almost won Cali against Nixon in 1960


John Kennedy 280 maybe Johnson gets killed instead
Nixon/Romney Sr 250 ish

[538Electoral]

JFK landslide.

[brucejoel99]

JFK lives but proves to be unpopular in the South because of his stance on civil rights. He also decides to downplay the role of America in Vietnam, which is seen by many as sign of weakness in the face of communism.

The GOP, sensing a possible victory, begins a Draft Nixon movement, hoping that he'll be able to unify the two wings of the party. Seeing the possibility for redemption after his loss in 1960, he runs & gets the nomination.

During the election, Nixon furthers the argument that Kennedy was too young & too weak against communism to be President. He also has people push the idea that JFK stole the election in 1960.

Because of this, Nixon is narrowly elected President.

[Fuzzy Bear]

If JFK had signed the Civil Rights Bill, Nixon would have supported it.  Nixon was not Goldwater.  

What WOULD have happened was George Wallace and Strom Thurmond running as Dixiecrats, possibly even as the official Democratic nominees in at least some Southern states.

John F. Kennedy/Lyndon B. Johnson (D) 224 EV
Richard M. Nixon/James V. Rhodes (R) 211 EV
George C. Wallace/Strom Thurmond (Dixiecrat) 103 EV

This election would have gone to the House of Representatives, and THAT would have been interesting.  It may have gone to the Senate.

[morgankingsley]

If JFK had signed the Civil Rights Bill, Nixon would have supported it.  Nixon was not Goldwater.  

What WOULD have happened was George Wallace and Strom Thurmond running as Dixiecrats, possibly even as the official Democratic nominees in at least some Southern states.

John F. Kennedy/Lyndon B. Johnson (D) 224 EV
Richard M. Nixon/James V. Rhodes (R) 211 EV
George C. Wallace/Strom Thurmond (Dixiecrat) 103 EV

This election would have gone to the House of Representatives, and THAT would have been interesting.  It may have gone to the Senate.

Do you think Thurmond would not switch parties in this?

[President Punxsutawney Phil]

If JFK had signed the Civil Rights Bill, Nixon would have supported it.  Nixon was not Goldwater. 

What WOULD have happened was George Wallace and Strom Thurmond running as Dixiecrats, possibly even as the official Democratic nominees in at least some Southern states.

John F. Kennedy/Lyndon B. Johnson (D) 224 EV
Richard M. Nixon/James V. Rhodes (R) 211 EV
George C. Wallace/Strom Thurmond (Dixiecrat) 103 EV

This election would have gone to the House of Representatives, and THAT would have been interesting.  It may have gone to the Senate.

Do you think Thurmond would not switch parties in this?

quite likely he doesn't, I think. The GOP would seem to be a less...attractive political home I guess.