Was 1976 being as close as it was more stunning than 2020 being as close as it was

[The Right Honourable Martin Brian Mulroney PC CC GOQ]

In the discussion about 1976, people always remember that Ford pardoned Nixon, wasn't very popular, and made that gaffe. What people often don't realize is that 1976 was also a year of economic growth. The GDP grew by 5.4% that year, and naturally, Ford got a lot of credit for that. This was also a period of Republican ascendance. The Southern Strategy obviously wouldn't work very well against a guy like Carter, but the fast-growing suburbs of the northeast, midwest, and California were the other bedrock of GOP support that created an era of Republican dominance of the White House from Nixon through HW.

Really, the fundamentals should have been there for a Republican presidential win in 1976, but after Watergate, people wanted to punish the GOP, and the Democrats nominating a religious southerner sealed the deal. But against a Northern Democrat, Ford probably would have won, irrespective of Watergate.

[The Right Honourable Martin Brian Mulroney PC CC GOQ]

In the discussion about 1976, people always remember that Ford pardoned Nixon, wasn't very popular, and made that gaffe. What people often don't realize is that 1976 was also a year of economic growth. The GDP grew by 5.4% that year, and naturally, Ford got a lot of credit for that. This was also a period of Republican ascendance. The Southern Strategy obviously wouldn't work very well against a guy like Carter, but the fast-growing suburbs of the northeast, midwest, and California were the other bedrock of GOP support that created an era of Republican dominance of the White House from Nixon through HW.

Really, the fundamentals should have been there for a Republican presidential win in 1976, but after Watergate, people wanted to punish the GOP, and the Democrats nominating a religious southerner sealed the deal. But against a Northern Democrat, Ford probably would have won, irrespective of Watergate.

Unemployment was still 7.8% in November 1976 while it was 6.7% in November of 2020 and was rapidly going down by then as well.

https://www.multpl.com/unemployment/table/by-month

Also Inflation was much higher in November of 1976 than November of 2020 as well

True, but voters in 1976 wouldn't have been comparing to 2020.1974/75 were recession years, but 1976 saw the US coming out of the recession while inflation was going down.