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In 1975 and 1979, Carmichael ran for governor against the Democratic nominees, Charles Clifton "Cliff" Finch (1927-1986) of Batesville and William Forrest Winter (born 1923), having polled 45.1 and 38.9 percent of the vote, respectively. In the race against Finch, who openly appealed for black support but sounded similar to [[George Wallace]] of neighboring [[Alabama]], Carmichael ran as a [[Moderate Republican]]. He promised economic development, the end of the cheap export of the state's natural resources, a new state constitution, ratification of the proposed [[Equal Rights Amendment]] to the [[United States Constitution]], reduced punishment for possession of [[marijuana]], and even the licensing of handguns.<ref name=cdanielson/>​

In 1975 and 1979, Carmichael ran for governor against the Democratic nominees, Charles Clifton "Cliff" Finch (1927-1986) of Batesville and William Forrest Winter (born 1923), having polled 45.1 and 38.9 percent of the vote, respectively. In the race against Finch, who openly appealed for black support but sounded similar to [[George Wallace]] of neighboring [[Alabama]], Carmichael ran as a [[Moderate Republican]]. He promised economic development, the end of the cheap export of the state's natural resources, a new state constitution, ratification of the proposed [[Equal Rights Amendment]] to the [[United States Constitution]], reduced punishment for possession of [[marijuana]], and even the licensing of handguns.<ref name=cdanielson/>​

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Carmichael often appealed for African-American support before the more [[conservative]] faction gained control of the fledgling Mississippi [[Republican Party|GOP]]. In 1976, Carmichael supported the nomination of Nixon's successor, U.S. President [[Gerald  Ford]], rather than Ford's challenger, former Governor [[Ronald Reagan]] of [[California]]. This campaign brought Carmichael and the state party chairman Clarke Thomas Reed (born 1928)  in conflict with the Republican finance chairman W. D. "Billy" Mounger (1926-2000), an oilman and a Reagan partisan who had criticized Nixon's snub of Carmichael in 1972 to placate James Eastland and had supported Carmichael in the 1975 gubernatorial race despite reservations over the more [[liberal]] parts of the party platform. Mounger grew so disillusioned with Carmichael, whom he expected to defeat Cliff  Finch, that he wrote a letter on election night renouncing any links to the candidate. Mounger specifically disagreed with Carmichael's support of the Equal Rights Amendment, handgun registration, and a new constitution as evidence of "ineptitude."<ref name=cdanielson>{{cite web|url=http://www.academia.edu/2630532/_Right_Turn_The_Republican_Party_and_African-American_Politics_in_Post-1965_Mississippi|author=Chris Danielson|title=Right Turn? The Republican Party and African-American Politics in Post-1965 Mississippi|publisher=academia.edu|accessdate=May 5, 2014}}</ref>​

Carmichael often appealed for African-American support before the more [[conservative]] faction gained control of the fledgling Mississippi [[Republican Party|GOP]]. In 1976, Carmichael supported the nomination of Nixon's successor, U.S. President [[Gerald  Ford]], rather than former Governor [[Ronald Reagan]] of [[California]]. This campaign brought Carmichael and the state party chairman Clarke Thomas Reed (born 1928)  in conflict with the Republican finance chairman W. D. "Billy" Mounger (1926-2000), an oilman and a Reagan partisan who had criticized Nixon's snub of Carmichael in 1972 to placate James Eastland and had supported Carmichael in the 1975 gubernatorial race despite reservations over the more [[liberal]] parts of the party platform. Mounger grew so disillusioned with Carmichael, whom he expected to defeat Cliff  Finch, that he wrote a letter on election night renouncing any links to the candidate. Mounger specifically disagreed with Carmichael's support of the Equal Rights Amendment, handgun registration, and a new constitution as evidence of "ineptitude."<ref name=cdanielson>{{cite web|url=http://www.academia.edu/2630532/_Right_Turn_The_Republican_Party_and_African-American_Politics_in_Post-1965_Mississippi|author=Chris Danielson|title=Right Turn? The Republican Party and African-American Politics in Post-1965 Mississippi|publisher=academia.edu|accessdate=May 5, 2014}}</ref>​

Former U.S. Representative Prentiss Walker (1917-1998), who had opposed Carmichael as an Independent in the 1972 U.S. Senate race, wrote a column in ''The Clarion-Ledger,'' the major newspaper in Jackson, which called Carmichael "a real discredit to all the true Republican principles."<ref name=cdanielson/> Walker said that Carmichael if elected would revise the constitution "under the direction of Senators [[Edward Brooke]] and [[Jacob Javits]], two liberal Republicans from [[Massachusetts]] and [[New York]], respectively.<ref name=cdanielson/>​

Former U.S. Representative Prentiss Walker (1917-1998), who had opposed Carmichael as an Independent in the 1972 U.S. Senate race, wrote a column in ''The Clarion-Ledger,'' the major newspaper in Jackson, which called Carmichael "a real discredit to all the true Republican principles."<ref name=cdanielson/> Walker said that Carmichael if elected would revise the constitution "under the direction of Senators [[Edward Brooke]] and [[Jacob Javits]], two liberal Republicans from [[Massachusetts]] and [[New York]], respectively.<ref name=cdanielson/>​