I don't believe RFK had a chance of winning the nomination.
He was despised on too many fronts.
Don't forget he worked for Roy Cohen on the HUAC......if I am not mistaken.
He also worked against organized crime....
Cries of 'carpet bagger' were common in NY....
Our culture is much more degraded now and people will accept the likes of her capetbagging heinous without the grief that RFK received.
It will always be an interesting question about RFK's potential future. When he was killed, he had just won the California primary. McCarthy voters regarded him as a "johnny come lately" to the anti-war movement. However, if the McCarthy and Kennedy voters had united, RFK would have had a good chance at the nomination.
I agree that Kennedy was viewed as a carpetbagger and opportunist, but he still had the Kennedy machine and money behind him.