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If Nixon had taken office as the proper victor in 1961, it would’ve altered the dynamics for the GOP for the decade. Since Goldwater would not have challenged Nixon as an incumbent in 1964, there would’ve been no massive GOP losses that year (conversely, there also would’ve been no Southern breakthrough at that time, either). 1966, as a 6-year election, would’ve probably been bad for the GOP (similar, but hopefully not as bad as 1958 was), but Reagan might’ve lost challenging Pat Brown that year (and had he lost, would’ve never been a Presidential contender).

Indeed, the 1968 standard-bearer for the GOP would’ve been Vice-President Henry Cabot Lodge, Jr. Had JFK still been in the Senate, he would’ve been the nominee in 1968 and probably would’ve beaten Lodge (as he had in 1952) as Conservatives would’ve been very unhappy (even having Goldwater as the VP running mate to try to assuage them).

if Nixon had gone all out to have gotten an early and decisive win in Vietnam

He might never have gotten deeply involved there.

Eisenhower had stayed clear of direct military involvement in Vietnam (refusing to bomb to help the French at Dienbienphu). His administration installed Diem, but Ike never intended going to war there. In fact, when Kennedy got elected and got briefed by an outgoing Ike, Ike didn't mention Vietnam, talking about Laos when it came to SE Asia.

It was Kennedy who began the direct military escalation in Vietnam (with the US advisers flying combat missions in Vietnamese-marked planes), and it was Kennedy who overthrew Diem and left the place in chaos. If you wanted out of Vietnam, as liberals now claim JFK did, you don't knock off Diem.

There is absolutely no reason to think that Reagan would have lost in 1966. Brown was badly damaged goods, only pulling 52% of the primary vote for his third term, and Reagan destroyed him in a massive landslide, 1968, here we come.

""Reagan won in a landslide; his nearly 1 million vote plurality surprised even his staunchest supporters. He dramatically unseated Brown with 58% to 42%.""

Lodge was a weak candidate at any time and had been last driven from elective victory in 1953, he was never going to be the nominee, and who knows what JFK's health would have been in 1968, or if he would even had been alive.

The big question by then would’ve been if Nixon had gone all out to have gotten an early and decisive win in Vietnam

That is a big part of the point, Navy Commander and vice president for General Eisenhower, Richard Nixon, would not have gotten us into a Vietnam war.

The big question by then would’ve been if Nixon had gone all out to have gotten an early and decisive win in Vietnam and reclaiming Cuba (and executing Castro and Guevera for crimes against humanity). It certainly would’ve been a helluva dynamic alteration going into the ‘70s.

Also no Carter and likely no Islamic revolution in Iran. Probably even would have slowed the growth of radical Islamic terrorism as a whole.