Is Mitt Romney the Next Richard Nixon?

Romney has the potential to become 2016’s version of Richard Nixon.

After losing a presidential bid and a governor’s race in California to incumbent Governor Pat Brown, Richard Nixon’s future as a politician was bleak. Fast-forward to 1968 and Nixon emerged to win the Republican nomination and would go on to beat Democratic presidential nominee, Hubert Humphrey with 55.9% of the Electoral Vote.

Like Richard Nixon, Mitt Romney has found himself on the losing end of elections. In true Nixon fashion, Romney refuses to give up. After his defeat in 2012, many Romney supporters wrote off the potential of another presidential run, that is until recently.

Earlier last week former presidential candidate, Mitt Romney admitted he was mulling over a 2016 presidential run. If Romney decides to run, this will be his third attempt at the Oval office. Romney, the former Governor of Massachusetts, ran for the presidential nomination in 2008 and was awarded the Republican presidential nomination in 2012. The reactions to Romney’s announcement has ranged in excitement to concern.

As with Nixon’s presidential dreams of 1968, Romney has to prove he has what it takes to win in 2016. Nixon was a polarizing candidate from the onset, people either loved him or hated him, and he would tip the scales in his favor when it came to time to turn out the vote. For Romney this is an uphill battle, in 2012, he struggled to  energize the base and turn out voters on Election day. Being the former Governor of Massachusetts, there is no question Romney has the necessary qualifications and leadership skills to lead America. However the question is in 2016, can he excite people enough to vote for him?

If history is any indicator, Romney has a good shot at cinching a win next November. The lead in to the 2106 presidential election mimics 1968 in many ways. When Nixon ran for president America saw an outgoing president with low approval ratings and Republicans controlled Congress. Fast-forward to 2015, and the playing field is similar in nature; Republicans have taken control of Congress for the first time in 8 years, President Obama’s approval ratings are less than ideal for a second term president. Much like Nixon saw in 1968, Americans are not fully satisfied with the job the president is doing. If history is any indicator, Romney has a good opportunity to run and win. In other words, should Romney decide to run,the presidency would be his to lose.