The Presidential Election of 1976 (Bicentennial Divergence)

Introduction:

The state of the United States in 1976 was, to say the least, poor. Following Richard Nixon's mesmerizing landslide re-election in 1972, times seemed good for the ruling Republicans, a fact that was alas, not to be. Following the shocking revelations in the aftermath of Watergate, President Nixon resigned, leading to the sudden ascension of Vice President Gerald Ford to the Presidency. This fact, coupled with a souring economy saw Republicans suffer heavily in the 1974 midterms, a fate not made any better by the disastrous exit of the U.S Military from South Vietnam.