During Ford's presidency, foreign policy was characterized in procedural terms by the increased role Congress began to play, and by the corresponding curb on the powers of the President. In the Republican presidential primary campaign of 1976, Ford defeated former California Governor Ronald Reagan for the Republican nomination. He narrowly lost the presidential election to the Democratic challenger, former Georgia Governor Jimmy Carter. The future president was never formally adopted and did not legally change his name until December 3, 1935; he also used a more conventional spelling of his middle name. Ford was known to his colleagues in the House as a 'Congressman's Congressman'.In the early 1950s, Ford declined offers to run for either the Senate or the Michigan governorship.
presidential lost the presidential election
presidential lost the presidential election