1968: Barry Goldwater vs Eugene McCarthy

[Pericles]

Goldwater loses the nomination in 1964 after a brokered convention in which Scranton is nominated, LBJ still beats Scranton in a landslide. Here is the 1964 map.

Lyndon Baines Johnson/Hubert Humphrey-Democratic: 429 EV50.05%
William Warren Scranton/George Romney-Republican: 76 EV 41.36%
George Wallace/Ross Barnett-American Independent: 39 EV 8.14%
Afterwards, conservatives argue the contest was rigged. The McGovern-Fraser commision comes from the right, and four years earlier. Goldwater runs again and with the nation in a more conservative mood after the turbulence of the 1960s, he is able to score an upset over frontrunner Richard Nixon and win the nomination. On the Democratic side it is Kennedy vs McCarthy, while Humphrey does compete in the primaries he flops, and when Kennedy is killed McCarthy wins the nomination. The right seizes control of the GOP and the left seizes control of the Democratic Party. Who will win, and what will the map be?

[Kingpoleon]

262: Barry Goldwater/Ronald Reagan - 43.3%
259: Eugene McCarthy/Birch Bayh - 44.8%
17: George Wallace/Strom Thurmond - 10.7%
Others - 1.2%

Ross Barnett's endorsement of Goldwater helps throw the South to Goldwater. Barnett and Happy Chandler are the main reasons WV, MD, and KY went to Goldwater.

I think that McCarthy/Bayh get two terms, Bayh gets defeated in a primary by Ted Kennedy or someone, and Ted Kennedy loses to, let's say, Howard Baker or Clifford Case.