Given that Ford almost overcome 30 point deficit in summer, I'm sure he would have won if the campaign went on for another week. Too bad, he would have done a better job than Carter.
To be fair, 1976 was probably a poisoned chalice, & Carter was definitely dealt a bad hand: runaway inflation, soaring interest rates, fallout from the Arab oil embargo, the taking of hostages in Iran, etc.
Yeah, 1980, 1932, and 1896 were all likely unwinnable for the incumbent.
1976 would've been in this category of elections to if the Democrats nominated someone stronger than Carter. Ford not only had the fallout from the pardon, but also had a weak economy and high inflation.
