35% for Carter in 1976 seems a little low, considering he actually won the state. Maybe I don't understand demographics entirely, but are there really enough minorities in Mississippi to let Carter win the state with only 35% of the "white" vote?
Yes. Mississippi's "Negro" population was reportedly 37 percent by the 1970 census. As Carter almost certainly won at least ninety percent of black voters in the state, less than 40 percent of whites was sizable enough for a victory.
I would guess he won "at least 90%" vs. Reagan (in 1980), but I would not be surprised if Ford kept Carter in the 80s in 1976.
