In January, 1976, Democrats and Republicans in Iowa gathered to cast their votes in the nations first caucus, the Iowa caucus. For the Democrats, Georgia Governor Jimmy Carter had been gaining steam, but lately his campaign has slowed down. For the Republicans, former California Governor Ronald Reagan was gaining on President Gerald Ford.
In a surprise victory, Indiana Senator Birch Bayh gained 31.4% of the votes while Jimmy Carter garnered 23.7% of the vote. For the Republicans, Ford pulled out a narrow victory over Ronald Reagan. Bayh had gained necessary momentum going into New Hampshire, considered in 1976 to be the first important primary necessary to win a nomination.
Iowa caucus results, Democrats
Birch Bayh 31.4% Jimmy Carter 23.7%
Mo Udall 12.3%
Iowa caucus results, Republicans
Gerald Ford 47.8% Ronald Reagan 45.1%In New Hampshire, Ronald Reagan upset President Ford with 49.8% of the vote while Ford had 47.4% of the vote with the remaining 2.8% going to other candidates or undecided. In the Democratic New Hampshire primary, Bayh won another victory with 28.4% of the vote. Arizona Representative Mo Udall came in second with 25.7% and Jimmy Carter in third with 15.3%.
New Hampshire primary results, Democrats
Birch Bayh - 28.4% Mo Udall - 25.7%
Jimmy Carter - 15.3%.
New Hampshire primary results, Republicans
Ronald Reagan 49.8% Gerald Ford 47.4%On March 2nd, the Massachusetts and Vermont primaries were held for both parties. In a surprise upset, Washington Senator Scoop Jackson won the Massachusetts with 35.6% of the vote, with Bayh coming in second with 21.2% and Carter in third with 11.9%. For the Republicans, Ford won another narrow victory over Ronald Reagan.
Massachusetts primary results, Democrats
Scoop Jackson 35.6% Birch Bayh 21.2%Jimmy Carter 11.9%
Massachusetts primary results, Republicans
Gerald Ford 48.6% Ronald Reagan 47.9%In Vermont, Bayh won an easy victory over Scoop Jackson who came in second with Mo Udall coming in third. Ford won another close victory.
Vermont primary results, Democrats
Birch Bayh 37.8% Scoop Jackson 23.4%Mo Udall 12.5%
Vermont primary results, Republicans
Gerald Ford 48.6% Ronald Reagan 47.9%A week later, the two parties once again met to decide the fate of the United States, this time in the first southern primary in Florida. Democrat George Wallace was a strong candidate and very few of the other candidates, save for Jimmy Carter, put anything major into Florida. Florida was another hard fought campaign for the Republicans, with Reagan coming out on top and he was begging to pull away from Ford.
Florida primary results, Democrats
George Wallace 39.6%Jimmy Carter 19.7%
Birch Bayh 11.5%Florida primary results, Republicans
Ronald Reagan 50.3%Gerald Ford 47.6%Democratic Party Primaries, March 9[/b]
Republican Party Primaries, March 9[/b]