1960 : Nixon vs HHH

[UWS]

What if Hubert Humphrey is the Democratic nominee and faces Richard Nixon?

[Sir Mohamed]

As HHH lacked JFK's charisma and Johnson's political skills, I think Nixon would have won. JFK was probably the only Dem that could have won (not sure about Johnson, but anyone else would have lost).


✓ Vice President Richard Nixon (R-CA)/Ambassador Henry Cabot Lodge (R-MA): 287 EVs.; 49.7%
Senator Hubert Humphrey (D-MN)/Senator Stuart Symington (D-MO): 218 EVs.; 47.2%
Senator Harry F. Byrd (D-VA)/Senator Strom Thurmond (D-SC): 32 EVs.; 2.5%

[Agonized-Statism]

Vice President Richard Nixon (R-CA) / Ambassador Henry Cabot Lodge (R-MA)
Senator Hubert Humphrey (D-MN) / Senator Lyndon Johnson (D-TX) ✓
Senator Harry Byrd (D-VA) / Senator Strom Thurmond (D-SC)

[johnpressman]

UWS, If that means "Upper West Side Of Manhattan" we have much in common.  As for Humphrey vs Nixon in 1960, it is a nonstarter.  HHH only ran in the primaries as a stalking-horse for LBJ. His speech on Civil Rights before the Democratic Convention of 1948 caused the Dixiecrats under Strom Thurmond of SC to walk out and leave the Party. This would still be fresh in the memory of the  Southern delegates who would block his nomination, threatening to leave the convention and start a Third Party once again.

Remember, several slates of "Uncommitted Electors" in the Southern states were on the ballot in 1960, beating the Kennedy and Johnson slates in MS and Al. JFK picked Johnson in order to hold the South! If somehow, Humphrey won the nomination in 1960, he would not have been able to put together the needed 270 Electoral votes against Nixon AND a much more vibrant Third Party challenge!