1968 Richard Nixon continued the G.O.P.’s courting of Southern whites, taking advantage of racial resentment (the so-called Southern strategy). But Mr. Nixon didn’t win most of Goldwater’s Southern states from 1964. George Wallace, running a segregationist campaign, did, capturing five Southern states as an independent candidate.

Mr. Nixon overperformed in the Electoral College (winning, 301-191) relative to his narrow victory in the popular vote over Hubert Humphrey (by less than one percentage point). In the election’s aftermath, Congress considered whether the Electoral College should be replaced by the popular vote, with President Nixon supporting the idea initially. The effort, probably the most serious attempt to end the Electoral College system, was defeated mainly by Southern politicians from smaller states concerned about losing influence.