Liberal Democracy

Liberal Democracy
The Free State

Tuesday, August 28, 2012

CBS News: 1976 Republican Party Convention


Source:CBS News- covering the 1976 Republican Party convention, at Kemper Arena in Kansas City, Missouri.

"1976 GOP Convention. Lot of drama."

From Mike Gardner

I think what this was about is that President Gerald Ford (Republican, Michigan) had a slight lead on delegates, but enough to win the nomination for President, if the Republican Convention just voted. But what Ronald Reagan's campaign was trying to do was to get more delegates and try to switch votes from Ford to Reagan and win the nomination that way. 

President Ford got off to a great start in 1976 as far as winning Republican delegates, putting him in strong shape to win the nomination. And then Governor Reagan came on late to make this nomination fight not just close, but close enough to essentially split the Republican Party between establishment Conservatives and Progressives Republicans for Ford and populist Republicans for Reagan.