Who would/should be the 2000 GOP nominee if Bush didn't run?

[Pericles]

TTL, Ann Richards beats George W Bush in the 1994 Texas gubernatorial election and Bush gets a career in baseball. She is re-elected in 1998. Jeb Bush still loses in 1994 IOTL and while he wins in 1998 he cannot run in 2000. Who would be the GOP nominee in 2000? McCain is the go to answer, but he lacked establishment support and conservative support, feuding with Jerry Falwell and Pat Robertson is the wrong way to win a Republican primary and while he won New Hampshire he never really came very close to victory. Elizabeth Dole is the other go-to but that is just because she also ran and because she is a woman and while she may do better she is a bit of a cliche IMO. What about somebody who didn't run? John Engler, an Upper Midwest Governor who won an upset victory in 1990, could be what the GOP is looking for-a conservative swing-state governor separate from the unpopular congressional wing of the party. George Pataki is Governor of New York, a big blue state, and he beat Mario Cuomo in 1994, though he may be an empty suit and too liberal. Christine Todd Whitman is a woman and another blue stater. I put in a wide field for the poll of many possible candidates, who do you think would be the GOP nominee TTL? Who would be the most interesting? Most plausible? It's possible I will make a TL on this subject.

[Progressive]

I think it would be McCain but I'd love to see Liddy Dole

[Lechasseur]

I think had Bush not ran the GOP nominee in 2000 would (and should) have been either John Ashcroft or Frank Keating (in the poll I went for Ashcroft).

[MeanBeanMachine]

Definitely John McCain

[RC (a la Frémont)]

Not Dan Quayle.

[OSR stands with Israel]

I believe these would be the main candidates(People who would have won states) if Dubya didnt run: John McCain,  Tom Ridge, Orin Hatch

[Pericles]

I have started a TL on this at AH.com.
https://www.alternatehistory.com/forum/threads/an-open-field-2000-beyond-without-w.413052/#post-14485236