RFK nominated in 1968

[GoTfan]

Say that RFK survives his assassination attempt. He wins the Democratic nomination over Humphrey at the Convention and is running against the Nixon/Agnew ticket. Who does he select for VP and how does he do?

[Kingpoleon]

272: Richard Nixon/Charles Percy - 43.4%
219: Robert Kennedy/Terry Sanford - 42.6%
47: Ross Barnett/George Wallace - 12.8%
Others - 1.2%

[blacknwhiterose]

He'd pick a veteran Democrat from the South/Midwest/West who shared his views on civil rights while gaining some appeal to the white working class.  Terry Sanford, as mentioned above, probably best fits that mold.

That said, I think a Nixon victory was inevitable in '68, and something tells me a young RFK would not have lined up so well against Nixon, given the mood of the country.  RFK even changed his tune a bit throughout the primaries, trying to appeal to conservative Dems who were turned off by his liberalism.  I give him North Carolina, thanks to Sanford, but Texas, Maine, and Washington to Nixon.

   

[Mr. Smith]

RFK doesn't have Humphrey's baggage and is just nearly as charismatic as Jack...Nixon is severely disadvantaged.

Kennedy (D-NY)/Sanford (D-NC)
Nixon (R-CA)/Agnew (R-MD)
Wallace (AI- AL)/ LeMay (AI-CA)

[johnpressman]

Having been very active in politics in 1968, I am amazed at how many people believe that, if RFK hadn't been killed, he would have been the Democratic nominee in 1968 and would have beaten Nixon that November.  I say, no way!

President Johnson controlled the Democratic Party and had secured a majority of the delegates to the convention for Humphrey. There were many fewer primaries in 1968 and Kennedy and McCarthy's mission was to convince enough delegates to go back on their pledged support for Vice President Humphrey.

Should somehow RFK had won the nomination, he would have a sitting President, in control of the party machinery, working to assure his defeat.  No way would RFK win Texas and that pretty much is the ballgame.  If anything, I would see an increase in the vote for Wallace as many Southerners hated RFK, more than they did Humphrey.

[frostyfreeze]

Robert Kennedy if he had lived would probably ge the nomination in 76..i like the idea of  Charles Percy being Nixon v.p.,

[President Underwood]

I think RFK could win in '68, depending on how LBJ felt. On one hand, by mot accounts, LBJ hated the Kennedy family, and even if he didn't hate the whole family, he definitely didn't like RFK. However, he might have preferred RFK to Nixon, simply by virtue of the fact that RFK was a democrat.

So, assuming RFK runs with LBJ's blessing, or at least without his direct interference, he could beat out Nixon, though it is probably equally likely he would lose. IF LBJ decided he'd rather have Nixon, RFK would stand no chance, and probably wouldn't even be nominated.