Paul V McNutt
Banned
In 1969, South Dakota Senator Karl E Mundt suffered a massive stroke. He did not resign but never returned to the Senate for the remaining three years of his term. What if we give him some debilitating health problems ten years earlier. He is slowed down but still runs for reelection in 1960. His health is an issue that his opponent Congressman George McGovern can successfully use against him. OTL Mundt won 52 % to 47% so I can easily see McGovern winning. OTL McGovern won his second term in 1968 even though Nixon carried South Dakota by 12 points, so i think he can win reelection in 1966, even though it was a Republican year. That means ITTL McGovern when he is asked to run against Johnson in the 1968 primaries, he does not have to worry about his reelection, so he can say yes. When I did a paper on Robert Kennedy most of my sources said that one of his reasons for running was his attitude toward Gene McCarthy. Favorable books said he had little confidence in McCarthy. Unfavorable one said he didn't like McCarthy, Kennedy had a close relationship with McGovern, so I could see him not running in 1968. McGovern would still lose the nomination to Humphrey. I don't think he would sulk like McCarthy did, If he campaigns for Humphrey during the entire election season that helps party unity and Humphrey could win. That means Kennedy would run in 1976. If he wins the nomination he is the candidate of the president's party in bad economic times and he does not win the Southern support that Carter did. I see him probably losing. If Nixon wins, he runs in 1972. If he wins the nomination he has to run against the president who is winding down the Vietnam War and has made peace with the Soviets and the Chinese.