1960: Lyndon Johnson vs. Richard Nixon

[DevotedDemocrat]

Let's say the table was turned and the DNC nominated LBJ in 1960 and he chose Kennedy as his running mate, could an LBJ/Kennedy ticket have beaten Nixon/Lodge in 1960?

[True Federalist (진정한 연방 주의자)]

Johnson would likely have gained Mississippi and all of Alabama, but he would probably have lost Hawaii, Illinois, Missouri, New Jersey, and New Mexico. That would mean a Nixon victory unless Daley did even more electoral fraud in this election than in he did in the real one.  If Daley, did, it's possible LBJ wins Illinois and the nation.

[DevotedDemocrat]

Johnson would likely have gained Mississippi and all of Alabama, but he would probably have lost Hawaii, Illinois, Missouri, New Jersey, and New Mexico. That would mean a Nixon victory unless Daley did even more electoral fraud in this election than in he did in the real one.  If Daley, did, it's possible LBJ wins Illinois and the nation.

Would having Kennedy on the ticket have helped him in any of these states, though? Can't rule out the Kennedy factor even as VP....

Fun fact, but Joe Kennedy wanted an LBJ/JFK ticket in '56.

[True Federalist (진정한 연방 주의자)]

The LBJ of 1960 is not that good a fit for Northern Democrats.  They would still be recalling his opposition to the Civil Rights Act of 1957 and know nothing of his future support of civil rights.   If anything, I was conservative, as it would have been quite possible for LBJ to lose Minnesota as well.  Maybe Johnson could have also picked up Florida, but its 10 EV would not have affected the election.

[Michaelf7777777]

My take on this alternate election scenario is as follows

Lyndon Johnson/ John Kennedy - 272 EV's
Richard Nixon/ Henry Cabot Lodge - 265 EV's

[sdu754]

I think Nixon would have won for the following reasons

1) Kennedy won largely on Looks and charisma, Johnson didn't have that advantage over Nixon
2) LBJs record on civil rights was bad at this point, so he wouldn't have gotten the black vote that JFK did, as well as many northerners might have reluctant to vote for LBJ as well

I also don't think LBJ would have chosen Kennedy, becsause he saw him as a lightwieght and didn't like him.

[lincolnwall]

I think Nixon would have won for the following reasons

1) Kennedy won largely on Looks and charisma, Johnson didn't have that advantage over Nixon
2) LBJs record on civil rights was bad at this point, so he wouldn't have gotten the black vote that JFK did, as well as many northerners might have reluctant to vote for LBJ as well

I also don't think LBJ would have chosen Kennedy, becsause he saw him as a lightwieght and didn't like him.

I would add to that the fact that voter fraud allowed Kennedy to win both Illinois and Texas (on top of the advantage LBJ had there), which if they had gone to Nixon he would have won the EV.

[sdu754]

I think Nixon would have won for the following reasons

1) Kennedy won largely on Looks and charisma, Johnson didn't have that advantage over Nixon
2) LBJs record on civil rights was bad at this point, so he wouldn't have gotten the black vote that JFK did, as well as many northerners might have reluctant to vote for LBJ as well

I also don't think LBJ would have chosen Kennedy, becsause he saw him as a lightwieght and didn't like him.

I think Nixon would have won Illinois against Johnson, but I believe Johnson would have carried Texas if he were at the top of the ticket. I'm thinking that Johnson would have been much weaker in northern & midwest states.
I would add to that the fact that voter fraud allowed Kennedy to win both Illinois and Texas (on top of the advantage LBJ had there), which if they had gone to Nixon he would have won the EV.