| | ''Main Article: [[United States presidential election, 1976]]'' | | ''Main Article: [[United States presidential election, 1976]]'' |
| − | Carter had decided well before his term as Governor ended to run for the Presidency in 1976. His campaign, which began in early 1975, stressed Washington's defects such as the [[Watergate affair]] in 1974. He campaigned on a widespread call for [[change]]. In the Democrat primary, Carter was able to defeat [[George Wallace]] in the southern primaries and established himself as a person who could win the south and reestablish Democrat control of the [[White House]]. He won the primary because of his inspiring and well organized campaign. <ref>The American Vision, pg. 966</ref> Running against President [[Gerald Ford]] in the general election, Carter had little experience in national politics, however he used that to his benefit by promising to restore honesty and morality to [[government]]. On election day, Carter edged out Ford with 50 percent of the vote to 48 percent. | + | Carter had decided well before his term as Governor ended to run for the Presidency in 1976. His campaign, which began in early 1975, stressed Washington's defects such as the [[Watergate affair]] in 1974. He campaigned on a widespread call for [[change]]. In the Democrat primary, Carter was able to defeat [[George Wallace]] in the southern primaries and established himself as a person who could win the south and reestablish Democrat control of the [[White House]]. He won the primary because of his inspiring and well organized campaign. <ref>The American Vision, pg. 966</ref> Running against President [[Gerald Ford]] in the general election, Carter had little experience in national politics, however he used that to his benefit by promising to restore honesty and morality to [[government]]. On election day, Carter edged out Ford with 50 percent of the vote to 48 percent. |