1968 Richard Nixon picks Governor George Romney for Vice President

[Lincoln Republican]

In 1968

Former Vice President Richard Nixon wins the Republican Presidential nomination and he decides to pick nomination rival and proven executive Governor George Romney of Michigan for Vice President.

The Democrats nominate Vice President Hubert Humphrey for President and he picks Senator Edmund Muskie of Maine for Vice President.

Former Alabama Governor George Wallace and General Curtis LeMay of Ohio are the nominees of the American Independent Party.

How does this election turn out?

Please discuss using maps if you choose.

Republican Ticket
Former Vice President Richard Nixon (CA)
Governor George Romney (MI)

Democratic Ticket
Vice President Hubert Humphrey (MN)
Senator Edmund Muskie (ME)

American Independent Party Ticket
Former Governor George Wallace (AL)
General Curtis LeMay (OH)

[Kaine for Senate '18]

Nixon wins, 291-170-77.

[Lincoln Republican]

Here is my own take on this scenario.

Romney flips Michigan into the Nixon column.

All the other states remain the same as in the real election.

Instead of Nixon 302, Humphrey 191, Wallace 45, with Romney as Nixon's running mate, the results are

Nixon/Romney                  323
Humphrey/Muskie             170
Wallace/LeMay                   45

Romney serves as a very capable and energetic Vice President for 6 years, then is sworn in as the thirty eighth President of the United States on August 9, 1974, upon the resignation of Richard Nixon.

[Robespierre's Jaw]

Richard Nixon/George Romney (R): 322 EV
Hubert Humphrey/Edmund Muskie (D): 170 EV
George Wallace/Curtis LeMay (AI): 46 EV

The 1968 Presidential Election results are the same in RL, however with Governor George Romney of Michigan on the Republican ticket with Richard Nixon, Governor Romney brings Michigan into the Nixon collumn and adds and extra 21 EV's to the RL Republican total.

Although Winfield stated that Vice President Romney would succeed President Nixon upon his resignation due to the Watergate Scandal in August 1974, I highly doubt that Vice President Romney would serve a second term as Vice President of the United States. I can imagine Vice President Romney stepping aside like he did in RL as Secretary of Housing and Urban Development. Thus I could imagine President Nixon selecting Secretary of the Treasury John Connally as Vice President at the 1972 Republican National Convention in Miami Beach and Connally succeeding Nixon as President in August 1974.

[Lincoln Republican]

Conor, although I respect your point of view regarding Romney and the Vice Presidency, I do not agree with your assessment that Romney would have stepped down as Vice President after Nixon's first term.

Serving as Vice President is far different from serving as a cabinet secretary.  It would be highly unusual for a Vice President to step down after one term.  Even most Presidents are reluctant to drop a Vice President after the first term.  Even George H.W. Bush had misgivings about having Dan Quayle on the ticket for a second time, but left him on the ticket, as it would have been disruptive.

Richard Nixon himself wanted to drop Spiro Agnew from the ticket after his first term, and repalce him with John Connally, however, decided against it as, again, it would have been disruptive.

I realize what you are saying is that Romney stepped down himself from the Vice Presidency.  However, this would be as well  a very highly unusual step for an incumbent Vice President to take. 

In my scenario, as I said in my statement about my election results, Romney served as a capable and energetic Vice President.  My view is that Romney would have stayed on the ticket, Nixon and Romney would have romped to a landslide second term, as Nixon did in real life, and that Romney would have succeeded Nixon in 1974 as President. 

In 1972, Romney was a very robust and energetic 65.  Romney lived until 1995, and remained active right up until the end of his life.

In 1976, however, at the age of 69, Romney would likely have opted not to seek a full term as President.

This, of course, opens up a whole new field of speculation, i.e. who President Romney picks to serve as Vice President in 1974 and who would be on the Republican ticket in 1976.