Let's say George H.W. Bush accepts his uncle's offer of a Walt Street job and stays in Connecticut. Does he still enter politics? If so, he could run to succeed his father in 1962. He could win. Horace Seely-Brown, Jr. almost did. However, either as Senator or Representative from Connecticut, he would probably be too liberal for Reagan to pick him as running mate in 1980. Howard Baker would be the most likely alternative.
I'll just toss out their that Reagan was pretty good at understanding that there did have to be some degree of compromise in the party with the Eastern Establishment, he pick Richard Schweiker as his nominee-to-be at the '76 convention. And while that wound up being damaging to him, Connecticut Bush could easily be a more acceptable option in 1976 or 1980.
Schweiker was much more centrist before 1976 then after.Schweiker wasn't that liberal on social issues. He was pro-life, pro-gun and pro-school prayer. A Connecticut Bush would almost certainly be pro-choice.
Schweiker was much more centrist before 1976 then after.
One reason Bush Snr moved to Texas was, according to a biographer, to become his own man and not be in the shadow of his father & grandfather (while also keeping their connections). If he stays in Connecticut, he might end up a lesser man or perceived as such. He'd be just Prescott's son and have less of his own achievements to climb up any political ladder. He's probably not going to be running the CIA.
There's also a big change if he never goes to Texas: he doesn't co-found the Zapata Petroleum Corporation. Bush helped get the money it needed to start, so it likely doesn't in this timeline.
Hmm, that could make a nice 'seems like nothing's different until' vignette.I'll just toss out their that Reagan was pretty good at understanding that there did have to be some degree of compromise in the party with the Eastern Establishment, he pick Richard Schweiker as his nominee-to-be at the '76 convention. And while that wound up being damaging to him, Connecticut Bush could easily be a more acceptable option in 1976 or 1980.
I think his biggest political problem wouldn't be being seen as Prescott's son but that as a Connecticut Republican, he would probably too liberal for the national Republican Parry eventually.
Could he be the continuity Rockefeller nominee after Nelson has his heart attack? I'm not totally au fait on internal Republican politics so this is just spitballing
Yes but there's no guarantee in 1962, 1964 or even 1968 that things were going to go in that increasingly right wing direction in the GOP.By that point, there was no chance of a Rockefeller Republican being nominated. Note how Reagan almost defeated Ford in 1976 despite Ford being President and, as a moderate conservative, being considerably to the right of Rockefeller.
Not necessarily, but by the late 60s it was pretty clear that the Republicans would be moving to the right in the coming decades.Yes but there's no guarantee in 1962, 1964 or even 1968 that things were going to go in that increasingly right wing direction in the GOP.
Not really any more then the Democrats were shifting that way though. It doesn't really become clear until 1976, and even then it might not have happened.Not necessarily, but by the late 60s it was pretty clear that the Republicans would be moving to the right in the coming decades.
