George Wallace's 1976 victory was a pivotal moment in United States politics. It took an odd culmination of events for it to happen.
The Republicans that year were split between President Rockefeller's Independent Liberal bid and Governor Ronald Reagan's Conservative Republican candidacy.
Wallace meanwhile, after having gotten 22% with George Chandler in 1968 and coming second in the electoral college that year, proceeding to come second in the electoral college in 1972 (though he only won two states...), having won the Democratic primary plurality after having been shot and nearly-paralyzed in 1972, and winning the primary in 1976 due to a combination of a split opposition, no southern opponent, and expanding his base of southern whites and northern hardhats to include law and order ethnics following his alliance with Philadelphia Mayor Frank Rizzo. It was a nightmarish moment for liberals and forward-looking folks within and outside the Democratic party, although President Rockefeller thought it would play to his advantage.
Maybe if Gerald Ford hadn't been assassinated we'd have avoided the Republican Party split in 1976. Even if Reagan had beat him, I don't think Ford would have had the Chutzpah to try an independent run (not to mention he lacked the personal animosity with the new GOP leadership).
The Republicans that year were split between President Rockefeller's Independent Liberal bid and Governor Ronald Reagan's Conservative Republican candidacy.
Wallace meanwhile, after having gotten 22% with George Chandler in 1968 and coming second in the electoral college that year, proceeding to come second in the electoral college in 1972 (though he only won two states...), having won the Democratic primary plurality after having been shot and nearly-paralyzed in 1972, and winning the primary in 1976 due to a combination of a split opposition, no southern opponent, and expanding his base of southern whites and northern hardhats to include law and order ethnics following his alliance with Philadelphia Mayor Frank Rizzo. It was a nightmarish moment for liberals and forward-looking folks within and outside the Democratic party, although President Rockefeller thought it would play to his advantage.
Maybe if Gerald Ford hadn't been assassinated we'd have avoided the Republican Party split in 1976. Even if Reagan had beat him, I don't think Ford would have had the Chutzpah to try an independent run (not to mention he lacked the personal animosity with the new GOP leadership).