An underdiscussed part of the 1968 election is how Wallace almost achieved his plan. His plan to throw it into the contingent election and use the south's voting block to roll back civil rights. It would have happened if he won TN, SC, and NC. He was only 217,436 votes (0.30% of the total) away

Strom decided to back Nixon which gave RN the bump he needed in SC.

this is what prompted the last serious effort to try to get rid of the electoral college

I did not know this and I’m grateful to have learned it today!