Sold – Ford Will Not Challenge Ronald Reagan For the 1980 Republican Presidential Nomination

In 1976, former California Governor Ronald Reagan thought he not only could challenge the sitting president, Gerald Ford, but beat him and win the Republican nomination. His hunch was that because politics is like athletics, the public and the media would relish a contest between a president and an exciting, charismatic candidate like Reagan. At first, it even appeared to be a winnable contest for the challenger. Because Reagan’s supporters were so well organized, the primaries between the two men were hard-fought and relatively even. By the start of the Republican Convention in August 1976, the race for the nomination appeared too close to call. However, the power of the presidency and the establishment was still strong, and Ford defeated Reagan by a narrow margin on the first ballot at the 1976 Republican National Convention in Kansas City.

In 1980, Reagan was the odds-on favorite to win his party’s nomination, and in January was far ahead in the polls. Many in the Republican Party were worried that a right wing candidate like Reagan would harm the party and both its short and long term prospects. The strongest of the “moderate” candidates was George Bush, and he was considered a mediocre campaigner at best. When Reagan crushed him in the New Hampshire primary on February 26, Reagan’s opponents began to call for former President Ford to throw his hat into the ring. About March 1, Ford sent up a trial ballon. During the first half of March, pressure on Ford mounted as Reagan rang up primary victory after victory. However, wary of taking on the skillful Reagan again, and respectful of his growing lead, Ford thought better of getting involved and announced on March 17, that in the interest of party unity, he would not challenge Reagan. Here he explains why to one of his supporters.   

Typed Letter Signed on his letterhead, March 27, 1980, to California Congressman Robert Wilson, who had been working to promote Ford’s candidacy.  "During the last three weeks the possibility of a Ford candidacy created a great deal of excitement and an even greater amount of hard work. You were one of the people caught up in the near impossible task of responding to phone calls and correspondence, coordinating activities and providing counsel and advice. I want you to know how personally grateful I am for your effort on my behalf. My decision…was the most difficult of my life. I hope you can understand how deliberately and thoroughly every facet of a possibility of a candidacy was considered. As I said in my statement, ‘…I believe our country is in very deep trouble.’ ‘…I have determined that I can best help that cause by not being a candidate for President…’. Betty and I are very satisfied with our decision and feel it to be the best course of action at this time…".