President McGovern vs. Ronald Reagan 1976

[emcee0]

George McGovern loses the popular vote to Nixon but there is a tie in the electoral college and is elected President by the House. Faces the same scandals that Nixon faced in real life but stays in office for term.
How would he do if Reagan got the nomination in '76, would it be a 50 state blowout - DC for Ronnie?

[Maxwell]

McGovern wasn't a corrupt man though. Say what you will about McGovern on a policy standpoint, but he was an honorable man. It doesn't seem realistic that he would go through the same thing as Nixon considering they were entirely different people in so many ways. But yes, even if McGovern was fairly popular as a President, he would probably lose to Reagan because he's was just a bit too out there for the public, and there would still be harsh feelings because of the popular vote loss.

[Atlas Has Shrugged]

Why would McGovern suffer through the scandal of Nixon breaking the law to beat him?

[sentinel]

How would McGovern suffer through Watergate --something that McGovern had nothing to do with? That makes no sense

[Incipimus iterum]

And there is no way Ronald Reagan win's the District of Columbia.

[Peter the Lefty]

Quite frankly, the only way McGovern would've stood a chance in 72 is if Watergate had broken.

[dudeabides]

Ronald Reagan / Bob Dole 59% 524 EV
George McGovernor / Sergeant Shriver 41% 14 EV

[bballrox4717]

Quite frankly, the only way McGovern would've stood a chance in 72 is if Watergate had broken.

I would love to see a timeline where Watergate breaks during the campaign, Nixon goes down in flames, and a McGovern win. It would be too late for a serious third party candidate.

[MRX]

Think someone wrote a TL about that scenario in an Alternate History book.

[Dr. Cynic]

Why does McGovern face those scandals? He was scrupulously honest for a politician. In fact, very few could possibly have been as dishonest as Nixon.

Also, does George send people to break into RNC headquarters? Because, why would he break into his own party's headquarters?

[justfollowingtheelections]

Quite frankly, the only way McGovern would've stood a chance in 72 is if Watergate had broken.

I would love to see a timeline where Watergate breaks during the campaign, Nixon goes down in flames, and a McGovern win. It would be too late for a serious third party candidate.

Watergate breaks in October.  Nixon denies the accusations and many of his supporters believe him.  The election is very close and McGovern wins with 270 electoral votes.

[bballrox4717]

Quite frankly, the only way McGovern would've stood a chance in 72 is if Watergate had broken.

I would love to see a timeline where Watergate breaks during the campaign, Nixon goes down in flames, and a McGovern win. It would be too late for a serious third party candidate.

Watergate breaks in October.  Nixon denies the accusations and many of his supporters believe him.  The election is very close and McGovern wins with 271 electoral votes.

In that scenario I see Nixon winning with California going to the GOP.

 I was really thinking a major breakdown, like one of the men involved with the burglary just revealing everything about Watergate in say July or so. I'm talking an utter s**tshow a month before the election where it's too late to remove Nixon or Agnew from the ticket and McGovern wins convincingly.

I want to write this so badly lol but that's for another time.

[justfollowingtheelections]

Quite frankly, the only way McGovern would've stood a chance in 72 is if Watergate had broken.

I would love to see a timeline where Watergate breaks during the campaign, Nixon goes down in flames, and a McGovern win. It would be too late for a serious third party candidate.

Watergate breaks in October.  Nixon denies the accusations and many of his supporters believe him.  The election is very close and McGovern wins with 270 electoral votes.

In that scenario I see Nixon winning with California going to the GOP.

 I was really thinking a major breakdown, like one of the men involved with the burglary just revealing everything about Watergate in say July or so. I'm talking an utter s**tshow a month before the election where it's too late to remove Nixon or Agnew from the ticket and McGovern wins convincingly.

I want to write this so badly lol but that's for another time.

I just gave McGovern the states where the percent differential between him and Nixon was the smallest and stopped when he would have enough electoral votes to win.  Actually the % differential in Delaware was smaller than it was in Maine, but if he wins Maine he's up to 273 and he doesn't need Delaware anymore.  I only made that map so that someone could work on a timeline.  Alternatively you could let Nixon win in Maine and McGovern win in Delaware, the vote goes to the House which elects McGovern.  But seeing how badly he did in the South, I am not so sure he would have won the House vote (unless Nixon has admitted his crimes by January).