The Carter Transition Chapter 33:ii [Image source:

Incumbent President Gerald R. Ford won the Republican nomination in 1976, narrowly defeating more-conservative former-Governor Ronald W. Reagan of California.

President Ford would ultimately lose the general- election to former-Governor Jimmy Carter of Georgia.

Jimmy Carter campaigned as an outsider, capitalizing on Americans’ distrust of politicians following the Watergate scandal. [Image source:

Carter’s stand against racial discrimination garnered him the support of civil rights leaders. [Image source: om/2007_01_01_archive.html]

Carter gained the support of most factions of the old Democratic coalition,... [Image source: and-Walter-F-Mondale-on-the-platform-at]

... which resulted in a narrow margin of victory over President Ford in the popular vote. [Image source:

Carter was a graduate of the United States Naval Academy, rising to the rank of captain, commanding a nuclear- powered ballistic missile submarine.

After retiring from the Navy, Carter became a successful peanut farmer in Plains, Gorgia. [Image source: mid= &epmid=1&partner=Google]

Carter’s entry into state- politics in 1962 culminated in his election as the governor of Georgia in 1970.

As president, Carter appointed significantly more women and minorities to important government positions than any previous administration.

[Image source: Carter began to lose support from his own party when he attempted to rein-in inflation by supporting spending cuts.

Being a “Washington outsider” had its disadvantages: most of his close advisors were Georgians with little knowledge of how crucial it was for the President to work with Congress.

Hints of scandal soon began to call-into- question the integrity of the Carter Administration. [Image source:

Carter’s irreverent brother Billy also emerged as an embarrassing “side-show”. [Image source:

Carter cultivated a “down home” style, often eschewing many of the ceremonial details of White House life.