Awhile back I had a thread about a hypothetical Ford 1980 campaign. I still find the idea intriguing, but since I'm not sure whether simply posting in that thread would violate this site's conception of necromancy, I have decided to post a new thread. The following scenario is probably wildly implausible and I apologize for that.
The first point of divergence is that former Governor Ronald Reagan is killed in some sort of accident in 1979. With Reagan out of the race the Republican Party is left initially without a clear front runner. former President Gerald Ford enters into the race, winning the Republican nomination. Ford defeats Jimmy Carter in a 1976 rematch.
Starting January 20th 1981 Gerald Ford is President once again, and will be for the next four years. What does the second Ford administration look like? And how does it compare to Reagan's first term?