The 1968 Republican Nominee: George Romney

[Turbo Flame]

How would the Governor of Michigan George Romney do against Hubert Humphrey? Would he win bigger or smaller like Richard Nixon? Who would be his running mate?

[Alben Barkley]

Wallace wins more Southern states, but Romney does better in the North. Close border states like MO and KY might flip to Humphrey. My guess is something like this:

[Adjective-Statement]

Vice President Hubert Humphrey (D-MN) / Senator Edmund Muskie (D-ME)
Governor George Romney (R-MI) / Senator Howard Baker (R-TN) ✓
Fmr. Governor George Wallace (AI-AL) / General Curtis LeMay (AI-CA)

That's a tough one. Romney might try a Southern Strategy with John Tower or another conservative as a running mate, but more likely it's a moderate ticket. The House votes Romney into power.

[Alben Barkley]

Vice President Hubert Humphrey (D-MN) / Senator Edmund Muskie (D-ME)
Governor George Romney (R-MI) / Senator Howard Baker (R-TN) ✓
Fmr. Governor George Wallace (AI-AL) / General Curtis LeMay (AI-CA)

That's a tough one. Romney might try a Southern Strategy with John Tower or another conservative as a running mate, but more likely it's a moderate ticket. The House votes Romney into power.

I don't see Wallace winning Florida, he was a distant third there despite dominating in the panhandle. Nixon handily won the vote of South Florida which by then was already heavily made up of Northern transplants, and I bet Romney would have done about as well.

Maryland and Connecticut were also so close as it was that I bet they flip with Romney as the nominee. Maine wasn't as close but still I think Romney would have had stronger appeal to the old Yankee Republicans than Nixon in 1968.