1976: Ford vs Carter vs Cronkite

[BigVic]

CBS news anchor Walter Cronkite enters the race in 1975 as a third party candidate. Despite having zero political or military experience he is a renowned and respected journalist facing off against Ford and Carter  as an alternative third party candidate.

Who wins? Discuss with maps

[Alben Barkley]

Cronkite, who respected the office and country and was humble enough to not think he should run with no experience or that journalists should get too involved in politics, never would have done this.

That said, if he does, he gets a significant amount of votes but probably wins no states as he’s still a third party candidate. He probably takes more votes from Carter among anti-Nixon “integrity” voters in the North, though doesn’t make much of a dent in Carter’s popularity in the South. This could allow Ford to narrowly win.

[Sir Mohamed]

Cronkite, who respected the office and country and was humble enough to not think he should run with no experience or that journalists should get too involved in politics, never would have done this.

That said, if he does, he gets a significant amount of votes but probably wins no states as he’s still a third party candidate. He probably takes more votes from Carter among anti-Nixon “integrity” voters in the North, though doesn’t make much of a dent in Carter’s popularity in the South. This could allow Ford to narrowly win.

Yup. Pretty much this.

If I had to guess:




✓ President Gerald Ford (R-MI)/Senator Robert Dole (R-KS): 280 EVs.; 47.1%
Former Governor Jimmy Carter (D-GA)/Senator Walter Mondale (D-MN): 258 EVs.; 46.4%
News Anchor Walter Conkrite (I-??)/Former Senator Eugene McCarthy (I-MN): 0 EVs.; 4.4%