1960: LBJ vs. Rockefeller

[Sir Mohamed]

How would turn this out? LBJ's running mate is JFK, Rocky's Henry Cabot Lodge.

[NeverAgain]

Something like this.

[Mr. Smith]

Firstly, I'm pretty sure Rocky would chose someone like William Knowland to get regional balance and get someone decently conservative to try and retain the West.

With that said, it'd probably look like:

[Kingpoleon]

259 - 259 - 13

I think Rocky picks someone like McKeldin or Knowland or Bricker, too. Johnson, knowing him, would go with Stuart Symington to try and pick up heavy campaigning from Truman.

[johnpressman]

There is no way Rocky would or could have picked Lodge for VP in 1960. They are from the same part of the US and the same wing of the GOP.  Sen. Knowland of CA was out of office in 1960.  More likely Rocky would have to pick a Midwestern moderate for VP, someone like Thruston Morton of KY or Gerald Ford of MI, both being among Nixon's final VP choices.

This is a tough one as both candidates have serious flaws that prevented them from gaining their respective parties' nominations in 1960.  Eisenhower disliked Rocky and probably would have sat on his hands during the campaign as would have most conservative Republicans.  I just can't see many Southern, Western or Midwestern working people voting for someone named "Rockefeller" in 1960.  As hard as it would be for a Southerner to win the Presidency in 1960, I think more voters would identify with Johnson over Rocky. LBJ pulls out a close one.

[🐒Gods of Prosperity🔱🐲💸]

a close LBJ win:

LBJ-TX/JFK-MA 273 - Rocky-NY/Ford-MI 264