President Gerald Ford of Michigan / Senator Bob Dole of Kansas 48.232.038, 48.3% PV, 275 EVSenator Lloyd Bentsen of Texas / Governor Jerry Brown of California 49.957.043, 50.0% PV, 264 EVA very 2000 like election; for most of the evening it all hinged on Florida (40.000 vote margin but much closer earlier on) and Iowa (which the networks refused to call despite a 52-45 split).
Like Gore Bentsen lost his homestate. Had he won either his own homestate or Brown's he'd have won the presidency.
Rhode Island had a 3.000 votes margin for Ford and was the closest state.