1976 United States Presidential Election (Nixon Retires)

The **1976 United States presidential election** was the 48th quadrennial presidential election. It was held on Tuesday, November 2, 1976. The Democratic ticket of Incumbent Massachusetts Senator Ted Kennedy and former Georgia Governor Jimmy Carter defeated the Republican ticket of Incumbent President Ronald Reagan and Vice President Bob Dole.

Nelson Rockefeller won the Presidential Election of 1972, but on August 9, 1974, was assassinated. With this, his Vice President, Reagan would be sworn in. On March 7, 1975, Reagan would nominate then-Kansas Senator Dole to be his Vice President. During his term, Reagan represented the conservative wing of the Republican party, sparking resentment from the moderate wing, as Rockefeller's moderate policies were what made him popular.

Because of Reagan's hardline conservative stance, efforts were made from moderates to stop Reagan winning the GOP nomination in 1976, the most popular of these coming from Speaker of the House and Michigan Representative Gerald Ford, who Reagan would outlast in the primaries to win the GOP nomination. On the Democratic side, Kennedy declined to run in 1972, still trying to recover from a near death experience from the Chappaquiddick incident, which almost resulted in the death of a passenger, Mary Jo Kopechne. In 1976, Kennedy ran with his only real competition coming from Georgia Governor Jimmy Carter, who Kennedy would beat in the primaries, and name as his running mate.

Because of Reagan's unpopularity with the American people at this time, Kennedy would easily defeat him, taking back the south, which had voted for Rockefeller in both of his elections.

The main issues in this election were the fall of South Vietnam, the poor economy under Reaganomics, and the assassination of Rockefeller two years earlier.

## Primaries:

### Republican Party:

Despite unpopularity from the American people and with some of his party, Reagan felt he could win in '76. He would narrowly edge out House Speaker Gerald Ford to win the nomination for the Republicans, and would keep on Bob Dole as his running mate, despite urges from the party to replace him with Ford.

 Ronald Reagan

### Democratic Primaries:

Despite early challenges from former Georgia Governor Jimmy Carter, Senator Kennedy would eventually go on problemless in the primaries, and won the nomination, naming Carter as his running mate in the process.

 Ted Kennedy

## Campaign/Issues Unique to the Election:

### Republican Campaign:

Reagan promised massive changes off of his inconsistent first term, and making improvements of Reaganomics, the American people listened little to these promises, as they were frustrated with Reagan's botching of the economy since he was President.

### Democratic Campaign:

Kennedy would attack Reagan of all the problems that made his Presidency terrible, while calling him a step backwards from Rockefeller. He promised to get rid of Reaganomics, and try to unify a split America that had grown off of Reagan.

### The Fall of South Vietnam:

Despite declaring that war efforts in Vietnam would be crucial, Reagan would continue returning troops home, at the wish of Rockefeller, without the help of the Americans, the rebel forces fell, and communism unsurfaced Vietnam. Kennedy called the actions of Reagan misguided at best, and absolute stupidity at worst. He knew Americans would not return to Vietnam, and blamed conditions that Reagan placed on the troops to get home fast or be left behind.

### The Economy under Reaganomics:

Ronald Reagan had promoted economic policies that supported the reduction of taxes and the promotion of unrestricted free-market activity. During this time, the economy was falling apart despite it being great under Rockefeller. Kennedy called Reaganomics, "The Biggest Disaster in American History," and declared Reagan's idea a failure.

### Nelson Rockefeller's Assassination:

President Reagan's predecessor was Nelson Rockefeller. While delivering a speech in Phoenix, Arizona, he was assassinated by white supremacist Robert Carrigan. Carrigan explained his motives were because of Reagan expanding on the Civil Rights Act of 1964, made by Lyndon Johnson. After his assassination, Reagan showed his more conservative nature than Rockefeller, Kennedy said Rockefeller would loathe Reagan's Presidency, and claimed Reagan was the complete opposite of Rockefeller's moderate ideals, and that he would never be able to fully unite America under him.

## Results and Aftermath:

With his popularity, and Reagan's even larger unpopularity, Kennedy easily won the election. Reagan would soon move away from politics for a while before becoming a major supporter of George Bush's campaign when he won in 1984.

Kennedy would be sworn in on January 20, 1977. He would be re-elected in 1980, before leaving the White House in 1985.