Changes

In the general election, Busbee was a runaway winner, 646,777 (69.1 percent) to Thompson's 289,113 (30.9 percent). Thompson ran nearly 10 percentage points below Carter's 1970 Republican opponent, the late [[Hal Suit]], a former Atlanta-area [[broadcaster]] who had opposed [[capital punishment]]. Thompson had considered filing as a [[write-in candidate]] in the 1970 general election against both Carter and Suit, whom he considered a liberal Republican, but did not follow through. His undermining of Suit's candidacy subsequently led to hostility to Thompson within the party's largely Atlanta-centered Republican establishment.<ref>''Macon Telegraph'', October 2, 1970, p. A1</ref>

In the general election, Busbee was a runaway winner, 646,777 (69.1 percent) to Thompson's 289,113 (30.9 percent). Thompson ran nearly 10 percentage points below Carter's 1970 Republican opponent, the late [[Hal Suit]], a former Atlanta-area [[broadcaster]] who had opposed [[capital punishment]]. Thompson had considered filing as a [[write-in candidate]] in the 1970 general election against both Carter and Suit, whom he considered a liberal Republican, but did not follow through. His undermining of Suit's candidacy subsequently led to hostility to Thompson within the party's largely Atlanta-centered Republican establishment.<ref>''Macon Telegraph'', October 2, 1970, p. A1</ref>

Thompson claimed that the Republican leadership which repudiated him was more concerned with control of the party apparatus than in electing a governor. The GOP hierarchy, while it could not win many elections, could still influence federal grants and appointments. Thompson said that he could "never fit into that organization" and because he was "threatening the power structure", the leadership turned on him.<ref>Moore, Thesis, p. 125</ref> [[Newt Gingrich]], the future [[Speaker of the United States House of Representatives]] who made his maiden but unsuccessful congressional race in 1974, supported Thompson and hailed the nominee for refusing to adhere to the wishes of the "big shots" in the party. Still, many observers thought that Thompson's intraparty conflicts made him appear unstable and unwilling to accommodate minor differences.<ref>Selby McCash, "Macon Mayor v. The "Big Shots'," ''Macon Telegraph and News'', October 27, 1974, p. C1</ref> The party schism was discussed in [[Washington, D.C.]] All state gubernatorial nominees except Thompson were invited to the [[White House]] for a meeting with new President [[Gerald R. Ford, Jr.]]<ref>Sam Hopkins, "Thompson Not Invited by Ford", ''Atlanta Constitution,'' September 25, 1974, p. A8.</ref>

Thompson claimed that the Republican leadership which repudiated him was more concerned with control of the party apparatus than in electing a governor. The GOP hierarchy, while it could not win many elections, could still influence federal grants and appointments. Thompson said that he could "never fit into that organization" and because he was "threatening the power structure", the leadership turned on him.<ref>Moore, Thesis, p. 125</ref> [[Newt Gingrich]], the future [[Speaker of the United States House of Representatives]] who made his maiden but unsuccessful congressional race in 1974, supported Thompson and hailed the nominee for refusing to adhere to the wishes of the "big shots" in the party. Still, many observers thought that Thompson's intraparty conflicts made him appear unstable and unwilling to accommodate minor differences.<ref>Selby McCash, "Macon Mayor v. The "Big Shots'," ''Macon Telegraph and News'', October 27, 1974, p. C1</ref> The party schism was discussed in [[Washington, D.C.]] All state gubernatorial nominees except Thompson were invited to the [[White House]] for a meeting with new President [[Gerald Ford|Gerald R. Ford, Jr.]]<ref>Sam Hopkins, "Thompson Not Invited by Ford", ''Atlanta Constitution,'' September 25, 1974, p. A8.</ref>

On election night, disgruntled Thompson supporters attacked chairman Shaw at the candidate's state headquarters in Atlanta. Shaw, who denied that he had ever undermined Thompson's candidacy and had indeed voted for him, sustained a deep gash in his forehead. Thompson said that he would "reconstruct" the GOP, vowed to tour the state to revive the party's sagging fortunes, but he never did so. Thompson did work to replace Shaw as chairman with [[Mack Mattingly]], who six years later in 1980 would win election to the U.S. Senate from Georgia in the same election in which the state voted once again for Jimmy Carter as president, rather than the national winner, Ronald Reagan.<ref>Selby McCash, "Revamp of Party Vowed by Mayor," ''Macon Telegraph,'' November 6, 1974, p. A1; McCash, "Thompson Plans," p. 1; Moore, Thesis, p. 128.</ref>

On election night, disgruntled Thompson supporters attacked chairman Shaw at the candidate's state headquarters in Atlanta. Shaw, who denied that he had ever undermined Thompson's candidacy and had indeed voted for him, sustained a deep gash in his forehead. Thompson said that he would "reconstruct" the GOP, vowed to tour the state to revive the party's sagging fortunes, but he never did so. Thompson did work to replace Shaw as chairman with [[Mack Mattingly]], who six years later in 1980 would win election to the U.S. Senate from Georgia in the same election in which the state voted once again for Jimmy Carter as president, rather than the national winner, Ronald Reagan.<ref>Selby McCash, "Revamp of Party Vowed by Mayor," ''Macon Telegraph,'' November 6, 1974, p. A1; McCash, "Thompson Plans," p. 1; Moore, Thesis, p. 128.</ref>