1976 United States presidential election | Carter vs. Ford, campaigns, results and map

The Democratic campaign

With a political career that included only four years as an unheralded state senator and a single term as from Georgia governor (state law barred him from running for a second term), Carter didn’t have much luck at first. Political observers pointed out that after resigning as governor in January 1975, he had no apparent political base, no organization, no electoral representation, and little or no money to finance his campaign. But Carter had carefully planned his campaign for two years before his announcement. Its executive secretary, Hamilton Jordan (who would become his campaign manager) drafted the first installment of Carter’s campaign plan before the 1972 presidential election. In this and subsequent installments, Carter’s campaign plan manifest The policy weaknesses were duly noted, but he and his aides preferred to dwell on its strengths. His experience as a late-blooming naval officer, peanut farmer, agribusinessman, and state politician, as well as his extraordinary ability to campaign on issues such as “love” and “confidence”, perfectly suited the mood of a public which, thanks to Watergate and Vietnam Warhad become tired and cynical towards Washington officials and politics in general.

Additionally, recent presidential elections have shown that it would be difficult, if not impossible, for a Democrat to win the presidency without the support of elders.Solid South» who played such an important role in Franklin D.RooseveltIt is New situation coalition of the 1930s and 1940s. It was thought that Carter, a “new southerner,” could appeal to both whites and African Americans and possibly bring the South back into the Democratic fold. He would have to overcome some prejudices that Northern liberals might have, as well as fears about his fundamentalist, born-again Christian and Southern Baptist faith. But these didn’t seem to be insurmountable obstacles.

Carter planned to participate in all 31 presidential primaries held in 1976 (in fact, he participated in 30, failing to qualify a slate of delegates in West Virginia). He correctly assumed that the record number of primaries – plus federally imposed limitations on campaign spending and fundraising campaign finance of 1974 – would lead his best-known Democratic opponents to cherry-pick state primaries in order to save resources. Carter’s decision to contest the nomination anywhere reflected his knowledge that as a relative unknown he needed as much exposure as possible and that the Democratic Party’s new rules would give him a proportionate share of delegates, even in states where he wouldn’t have finished first.

Carter’s plan served him well. First victories in January Iowa caucuses and that of February New Hampshire primary, the results of his effective one-on-one campaigning techniques and his penchant for meticulous organization, put it on the cover of Time And News week and established him as an early favorite. He continued to overcome Alabama Governor. George Wallacean “old southerner” making what many considered his final bid for national office, in Florida and North Carolina and in all other Southern primaries except Wallace’s home state. Carter won a surprisingly strong victory in Illinois and narrowly defeated his primary liberal opponent, Rep. Morris K. Udall of ArizonaIn Wisconsin. As of April 27 Pennsylvania primary, only two other serious candidates remained in the running, Udall and Sen. Henry M. Jackson of Washington. Carter decisively defeated them both in Pennsylvania, forcing Jackson out of the race and forcing Sen. Hubert H. Humphrey of Minnesotawho had been waiting in the wings in the hope that the active candidates would eliminate each other, decided not to run himself.

Carter’s campaign for the nomination certainly did not go without setbacks. He lost to Jackson in Massachusetts and new York and was repeatedly embarrassed in May by two chimerical latecomers in the race, Gov. Edmond (“Jerry”) Brown, Jr.of California and the senator. Frankish Church of Idaho. Yet Carter continued to pile up delegates, state after state, even though he didn’t finish first. On the last day of the primaries, June 8, his nomination had become inevitable.

Summons In New York City in July, delegates to Democratic National Convention managed to suppress any nervousness they felt about Carter’s “outsider” status and nominated him on the first ballot. They approved a platform consistent with his generally moderate to liberal views and praised his choice of a true liberal, Senator. Walter Mondale of Minnesota, as his vice-presidential running mate. Most delegates appeared impressed by Carter’s fundamentally liberal acceptance speech, which he would later describe as “populist” in its tone.

The Republican campaign

Meanwhile, Ford, the “accidental president” who had been named vice president in 1973 after Spiro AgnewAfter Nixon resigned and assumed the presidency the following year, when Nixon resigned, he had a much more difficult time in the Republican primaries. Despite victories in New Hampshire, Massachusetts and Florida. Ford failed to force its conservative challenger, former governor of California Ronald Reaganout of the race. Reagan then defeated Ford in North Carolina and beat him in Texas, Indianaand California, as well as Georgia and several other Southern states. Ford responded with victories in Illinois, New York, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin and Michigan. Suddenly the Republican Partywho generally prided himself on his decorumhad a civil war on its hands, while the usually rebellious Democrats were heading toward their most peaceful Congress in at least 12 years.

Despite the struggle between Ford and Reagan during the primaries and immediately afterward, the Republicans nominated Ford on the first ballot at their convention in August. In an effort to strengthen its fragile base in the Midwest and the agricultural belt, the president surprised many delegates by choosing the senator. Bob Dolé of Kansasknown as a tough and impactful activist, for being his running mate. Ford’s acceptance speech, in which he challenged Carter to a series of televised debates, was probably the best of his career.