The race between Ford and Carter was one of the closest in American history. The deciding states sat on a knifes edge. If only a few thousand people had changed their votes (or not voted, or showed up to vote) in Ohio, Mississippi, and South Dakota, the electoral college would have been deadlocked 269-269.
James Carter (D) - 269
Gerald Ford (R) - 268
Faithless Elector (I) - 1*
The constitution dictates the election would be decided in the house, where the representatives vote in state delegations. Too the best of my knowledge, the out going congress (
94th) would be the one to vote. The democrats held a large majority, but the Republicans held enough seats to prevent the decision from being a purely partisan one. So, what kind of deals do you think would be struck to decide the outcome of the race?
How would the American people feel about this. The 1976 election came on the heels of Watergate and after years of exhaustion in Vietnam. People felt jaded and wanted a change for the better. Instead, politicians are deciding the fate of the nation in smoky rooms in DC. Might this serve to radicalize the American political scene?
*In Washington, One Ford Elector cast his vote for Ronald Reagan (President) and Robert Dole (Vice President).