300: Ford/Christopher(41.4%)
122: McGovern/Kennedy(33.3%)
116: Reagan/Thurmond(24.8%)
Others: 0.5%
Reagan campaigned mostly in the South and West, narrowly losing Utah, Arizona, and California. Former Mayor George Christopher, despite not holding office in twelve years, proved himself an able campaigner, especially in criticizing the other two candidates in the West. Keynote Speaker Howard Baker, despite being on the right-wing side of the moderate wing, proclaimed the Republican Party "Has the biggest tent. We have nominated a moderate, Former President Gerald Ford, and a liberal, Former Mayor George Christopher. However, one of the biggest supporters of the ticket is Robert Dole, a conservative. After over a decade of lies and corruption and division in the Johnson-Nixon era, we nominate an honest man of an honest party with the biggest tent. No one ideology is always right, but this Republican Party, the Party of Lincoln, Eisenhower and Ford, has no room in its tent for the bigotry of Mr. Thurmond. While the state parties may endorse them, we cannot support the segregationists of Mr. Reagan's base nor the socialists of Mr. McGovern's base."
Ford wins by mentioning his tax cuts, raising spending slightly, and the improving economy. In the debates, he waits until the other two attack each other and then joins in on denouncing their extremism. At the second and final debate, on October 30, Reagan says, "It's not that I support segregationists. It's that I am supported by them and I respect them and their views far more than my opponents' views." After McGovern interrupts for a similar statement about socialism, Ford cuts in on both of their defenses. "There you two go again: having a dfferent position to a national audience than to the Deep South or certain college campuses. You two are very similar in the way Johnson and Nixon were similar. They were centre-left and center-right, corrupt, and liars. You two are far-left and far-right, pandering, changing chameleons. When you two change to fit your background, you show both of you will continue the Johnson-Nixon era and the Johnson-Nixon way!"
