1992: Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. (D-GA) vs. President George H.W. Bush (R-TX)

[Alben Barkley]

Let’s say MLK survives the assassin’s bullet in Memphis 1968, and in the following years remains a powerful figure in the Civil Rights movement and a key figure in the African-American wing of the Democratic Party. He is even increasingly seen nationally as something of a moderating influence on the Civil Rights movement, as he criticizes the more radical “Black Power” separatists and Black Panthers, etc. Otherwise things proceed more or less the same for the next 24 years, but MLK’s endorsement is key to fellow Georgia Democrat Jimmy Carter’s nomination in 1976 (as his father’s was in real life).

As for his politics, he distances himself from labels such as “socialist” and increasingly criticizes the Soviet Union, but maintains his opposition to the Vietnam War and fiercely speaks out against the policies and corruption of Richard Nixon during and after his presidency. He first runs in 1988 in place of Jesse Jackson, on a campaign similarly devoted to racial equality as well as increased economic equality for workers of all colors. He narrowly loses the nomination to Dukakis, but is poised for a comeback in 1992 as Democrats seek to motivate the black vote and try a bold step to unseat Bush, who at first is seen as almost invulnerable (largely clearing the lane for MLK).

At 63 years old, does he have a chance in hell of becoming the first black president 26 years before we would have one in our timeline?

[Chips]

Possible MLK win.

[Del Tachi]

Being assassinated is probably the best thing that could have happened for MLK's legacy; assuming he lives and is electorally inclined at all he would probably top-out at the John Lewis or Maynard Jackson level.

By 1968, King was actually in the process of launching new anti-poverty and global human rights initiatives.  Maybe he gets to be Carter's U.N. Ambassador or something (instead of Andy Young.)  However, it is still a bridge too far to suggest that his politics would be palatable to a 1990s Democrat electorate. 

[Amenhotep Bakari-Sellers]

King didn't want to be Prez, he knew the dangers of Assassinations but he would have been instrumental in D's on the second ballot to get Bobbie Kennedy Elected Prez or gotten Teddy Kennedy to be Prez in 1980 over Carter and Reagan

[NewYorkExpress]

MLK, if he survived to 2008, might end up running then (though that would be problematic, as he'd be 79 on Election Day). Still, Obama would defer to him, and I think he'd beat Hillary in a Democratic Primary, just as Obama did in 2008 IRL.

1992, however? His best hope would be to have been Dukakis (or someone else's) running mate in 1988, otherwise he isn't winning the nomination. The south was still too racist, and southern voters were still key in the Democratic Primaries.