Board Thread:Questions and Answers/@comment-10975360-20140613150705/@comment-10975360-20140620173211

i dont think so, in 1996 powells personal views were largely unknown, the anti-abortion movement was not as powerful as most people make out, so his pro-choice views would not be particularly contraversial.

I dont see why he would not win the nomination, republicans (hell, any americans) love a general, particularly one like powell. Reagan considered him a likely future president when he was national security advisor.

If powell announced im pretty sure he would win, after all ike won in 1952. He would probably be endorsed by Bush (who in 1995-1996 would be pretty popular, as the economy would be booming as in otl).

He would have faced conservative opposition, true, but i still think he could win. Yes the republican party base moved a lot to the right in the early 1990's, but i still think his war record would help him win. He would have the support of the establishment. Apart from Goldwater and Reagan, every republican party nominee has broadly had the backing of the establishment, and has been a figure on the moderate wing of the party (still far to the right by european standards though).

Kemp would be a good choice as veep, bringing economic's (powells weakest issue) to the campaign and helping to turn out conservatives in november.