Changes

Staff accused President Ford of having "deviated from the conservative mold and had surrounded himself with liberal advisors."<ref>Billy Hathorn, "Mayor Ernest Angelo, Jr., of Midland and the 96-0 Reagan Sweep of Texas, May 1, 1976," ''West Texas Historical Association Yearbook'' Vol. 86 (2010), p. 81.</ref> Staff said that "Ford has deviated more and more from Republican party principles while Reagan stands up for those principles. ... I don't know if it's as much Ford's fault as it is the advisors he has surrounded himself with."<ref name=calhoun/>

Staff accused President Ford of having "deviated from the conservative mold and had surrounded himself with liberal advisors."<ref>Billy Hathorn, "Mayor Ernest Angelo, Jr., of Midland and the 96-0 Reagan Sweep of Texas, May 1, 1976," ''West Texas Historical Association Yearbook'' Vol. 86 (2010), p. 81.</ref> Staff said that "Ford has deviated more and more from Republican party principles while Reagan stands up for those principles. ... I don't know if it's as much Ford's fault as it is the advisors he has surrounded himself with."<ref name=calhoun/>

In 1976, Staff was named the co-chairman of the Reagan primary campaign for the North Texas region, as the former governor of [[California]] challenged President Ford, the favorite of establishment Republicans, including Senator Tower. The two other co-chairmen, Ernest Angelo and Ray Barnhart organized West Texas and South Texas, respectively, in preparation for the presidental primary.<ref>Hathorn, ''Mayor Ernest Angelo," pp. 77, 81.</ref> Reagan also gained the support of state Senator Betty Andujar, a Republican from Fort Worth. The Reaganites gathered ten times the number of signatures needed to put the Reagan delegate choices on the primary ballot.<ref>Photo caption, ''Dallas Morning News'', February 3, 1976, p. 6A.</ref>

In 1976, Staff was named the co-chairman of the Reagan primary campaign for the North Texas region, as the former governor of [[California]] challenged President Ford, the favorite of establishment Republicans, including Senator Tower. The two other co-chairmen, Ernest Angelo and Ray Barnhart organized West Texas and South Texas, respectively, in preparation for the presidental primary.<ref>Hathorn, ''Mayor Ernest Angelo," pp. 77, 81.</ref> Reagan also gained the support of state Senator Betty Andujar (1912-1997), a Republican from Fort Worth. The Reaganites gathered ten times the number of signatures needed to put the Reagan delegate choices on the primary ballot.<ref>Photo caption, ''Dallas Morning News'', February 3, 1976, p. 6A.</ref>

    

    

Staff and John N. Leedom (1921-2011), a [[business]]man and later a Republican member of the Texas State Senate from Dallas and Rockwall counties, headed the Reagan delegate candidates in U.S. House District 3, represented by James Collins. One of the four Ford delegate choices in District 3 was future U.S. Representative and the mayor of Dallas, Steve Bartlett. Leedom led the primary in Dallas with 41,911 votes; Staff followed with 39,030 ballots, and Bartlett trailed with 21,580. Staff recalls the 1976 primary race as a battle between the "establishment" Ford forces and the grassroots insurgents, whom she calls "the volunteers," mostly women. At the time Staff was a member of the large First Baptist Church in downtown Dallas, whose pastor was the nationally known Wallie Amos Criswell (1909-2002). Staff spoke before various groups with the Reagan message. Years later, she recalled the Reagan volunteers as the most dedicated that she had ever encountered in the political arena.<ref>Hathorn, "Mayor Ernest Angelo," p. 82.</ref>

Staff and John N. Leedom (1921-2011), a [[business]]man and later a Republican member of the Texas State Senate from Dallas and Rockwall counties, headed the Reagan delegate candidates in U.S. House District 3, represented by James Collins. One of the four Ford delegate choices in District 3 was future U.S. Representative and the mayor of Dallas, Steve Bartlett. Leedom led the primary in Dallas with 41,911 votes; Staff followed with 39,030 ballots, and Bartlett trailed with 21,580. Staff recalls the 1976 primary race as a battle between the "establishment" Ford forces and the grassroots insurgents, whom she calls "the volunteers," mostly women. At the time Staff was a member of the large First Baptist Church in downtown Dallas, whose pastor was the nationally known Wallie Amos Criswell (1909-2002). Staff spoke before various groups with the Reagan message. Years later, she recalled the Reagan volunteers as the most dedicated that she had ever encountered in the political arena.<ref>Hathorn, "Mayor Ernest Angelo," p. 82.</ref>