1976 Democratic Party vice presidential candidate selection

Last updated
1976 Democratic vice presidential nomination
  1972 July 15, 1976 (1976-07-15) 1980  
  Walter Mondale 1977 vice presidential portrait (cropped2).jpg
Nominee Walter Mondale
Home state Minnesota

Previous Vice Presidential nominee

Sargent Shriver

Vice Presidential nominee

Walter Mondale

This article lists those who were potential candidates for the Democratic nomination for vice president of the United States in the 1976 election. Former Georgia Governor Jimmy Carter won the 1976 Democratic nomination for president of the United States, and chose Minnesota Senator Walter Mondale as his running mate. According to Joel Goldstein, a legal professor and the author of several works on the vice presidency, 1976 marked the beginning of the modern vice presidential selection process, with candidates undergoing extensive vetting. [1] Carter believed that his running mate might be a valuable asset to his presidential campaign, and Mondale became a significant element. [2] The choice of Mondale helped Carter, a Southern "outsider" with little experience in Washington, rally the Democratic base to his candidacy. [3] The Carter–Mondale ticket defeated the FordDole ticket in the 1976 election.

Contents

Potential running mates

Finalists

[4] [5]

Others

[6] [7] [8] [9]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Vice President of the United States</span> Second-highest constitutional office in the United States

The vice president of the United States (VPOTUS) is the second-highest officer in the executive branch of the U.S. federal government, after the president of the United States, and ranks first in the presidential line of succession. The vice president is also an officer in the legislative branch, as the president of the Senate. In this capacity, the vice president is empowered to preside over the United States Senate, but may not vote except to cast a tie-breaking vote. The vice president is indirectly elected together with the president to a four-year term of office by the people of the United States through the Electoral College. Since the passage of the Twenty-fifth Amendment to the US Constitution, the vice president may also be appointed by the president to fill a vacancy, via majority confirmation by both the Senate and the House.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1976 United States presidential election</span> 48th quadrennial U.S. presidential election

The 1976 United States presidential election was the 48th quadrennial presidential election, held on Tuesday, November 2, 1976. Democrat Jimmy Carter, former Governor of Georgia, defeated incumbent Republican president Gerald Ford in a narrow victory. This was the first presidential election since 1932 in which the incumbent was defeated, as well as the only Democratic victory of the six presidential elections between 1968 and 1988.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1984 United States presidential election</span> 50th quadrennial U.S. presidential election

The 1984 United States presidential election was the 50th quadrennial presidential election held on Tuesday, November 6, 1984. Incumbent Republican president Ronald Reagan was re-elected to a second term defeating Democratic former vice president Walter Mondale in a landslide victory.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Walter Mondale</span> Vice president of the United States from 1977 to 1981

Walter Frederick "Fritz" Mondale was an American lawyer and politician who served as the 42nd vice president of the United States from 1977 to 1981 under President Jimmy Carter. A U.S. senator from Minnesota from 1964 to 1976, he was the Democratic Party's nominee in the 1984 presidential election, but lost to incumbent Ronald Reagan in an Electoral College and popular vote landslide.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1980 Democratic National Convention</span> U.S. political event held in Madison Square Garden in New York City

The 1980 Democratic National Convention nominated President Jimmy Carter and Vice President Walter Mondale for reelection. The convention was held in Madison Square Garden in New York City from August 11 to August 14, 1980.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1976 Democratic National Convention</span> Political convention

The 1976 Democratic National Convention met at Madison Square Garden in New York City, from July 12 to July 15, 1976. The assembled United States Democratic Party delegates at the convention nominated former Governor Jimmy Carter of Georgia for president and Senator Walter Mondale of Minnesota for vice president. John Glenn and Barbara Jordan gave the keynote addresses. Jordan's keynote address made her the first African-American woman to deliver the keynote address at a Democratic National Convention. The convention was the first in New York City since the 103-ballot 1924 convention.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Joan Mondale</span> Second Lady of the United States from 1977 to 1981

Joan Mondale was the second lady of the United States from 1977 until 1981 as the wife of Walter Mondale, the 42nd vice president of the United States. She was an artist and author and served on the boards of several organizations. For her promotion of the arts, she was affectionately dubbed Joan of Art.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1976 Democratic Party presidential primaries</span> Primary election process

From January 27 to June 8, 1976, voters of the Democratic Party chose its nominee for president in the 1976 United States presidential election. Former Georgia governor Jimmy Carter was selected as the nominee through a series of primary elections and caucuses culminating in the 1976 Democratic National Convention held from July 12 to July 15, 1976, in New York City.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1976 United States presidential election in Vermont</span> Election in Vermont

The 1976 United States presidential election in Vermont took place on November 2, 1976, as part of the 1976 United States presidential election which was held throughout all 50 states and the District of Columbia. Voters chose three representatives, or electors to the Electoral College, who voted for president and vice president.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1976 United States presidential election in New York</span>

The 1976 United States presidential election in New York took place on November 2, 1976. All 50 states and The District of Columbia, were part of the 1976 United States presidential election. Voters chose 41 electors to the Electoral College, which voted for President and Vice President. New York was won by Democratic Georgia Governor Jimmy Carter, in a narrow victory against incumbent Republican President Gerald Ford, who failed to gain the presidency through formal election that year. Carter was running with Minnesota Senator Walter Mondale, and President Ford had selected Kansas Senator Bob Dole. The presidential election of 1976 was a very partisan election in New York, with more than 99% of the electorate voting for either Carter or Ford.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1976 United States presidential election in Massachusetts</span> Election in Massachusetts

The 1976 United States presidential election in Massachusetts took place on November 2, 1976, as part of the 1976 United States presidential election, which was held throughout all 50 states and D.C. Voters chose 14 representatives, or electors to the Electoral College, who voted for president and vice president.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1984 United States presidential election in Colorado</span> Election in Colorado

The 1984 United States presidential election in Colorado took place on November 6, 1984. All 50 states and the District of Columbia, were part of the 1984 United States presidential election. State voters chose eight electors to the Electoral College, which selected the president and vice president of the United States. Colorado was won by incumbent United States President Ronald Reagan of California, who was running against former Vice President Walter Mondale of Minnesota. Reagan ran for a second time with incumbent Vice President and former C.I.A. Director George H. W. Bush of Texas, and Mondale ran with Representative Geraldine Ferraro of New York, the first major female candidate for the vice presidency.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1976 United States presidential election in Connecticut</span> Election in Connecticut

The 1976 United States presidential election in Connecticut took place on November 2, 1976. All 50 states and The District of Columbia, were part of the 1976 United States presidential election. Connecticut voters chose eight electors to the Electoral College, who voted for president and vice president.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1984 Democratic Party vice presidential candidate selection</span>

This article lists those who were potential candidates for the Democratic nomination for vice president of the United States in the 1984 election. Former Vice President Walter Mondale won the 1984 Democratic nomination for president of the United States, and chose New York Representative Geraldine Ferraro as his running mate. Ferraro was the first woman to be a part of a national ticket for a major party. Mondale chose Ferraro in hopes of energizing the base and winning the votes of women, but also because he viewed her as a solid legislator who had won the approval of Speaker Tip O'Neill. The Mondale–Ferraro ticket ultimately lost to the Reagan–Bush ticket. This is the last time the Democratic vice presidential nominee was not the incumbent vice president or a senator, and, not counting the times when the incumbent president was running for re-election, the last time the Democratic vice presidential nominee was not a senator.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1972 Democratic Party vice presidential candidate selection</span> Democratic Party vice president candidate selection in 1972

This article lists those who were potential candidates for the Democratic nomination for Vice President of the United States in the 1972 election. Coming into the 1972 Democratic National Convention, South Dakota Senator George McGovern had the delegate lead, but did not have the presidential nomination locked up. After winning the Democratic nomination for president on July 13, McGovern looked for a running mate. McGovern's first choice for vice president was Ted Kennedy, but Kennedy refused to join the ticket; Minnesota Senator Walter Mondale, Wisconsin Senator Gaylord Nelson, and Connecticut Senator Abraham A. Ribicoff also declined. McGovern offered the position to Missouri Senator Thomas Eagleton, who appealed to labor groups and Catholics, two groups that McGovern had alienated during the primary campaign. The ticket of McGovern and Eagleton was nominated by the 1972 Democratic National Convention. Following the convention, it was revealed that Eagleton had received treatment for depression in the 1960s. Though McGovern considered keeping Eagleton on the ticket, he ultimately chose to replace Eagleton with former ambassador Sargent Shriver. The McGovern–Shriver ticket lost the presidential election to the Nixon–Agnew ticket. After the controversy surrounding Eagleton, future campaigns spent much more time vetting vice presidential candidates.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1980 Republican Party vice presidential candidate selection</span>

This article lists those who were potential candidates for the Republican nomination for Vice President of the United States in the 1980 election. Former California Governor Ronald Reagan won the 1980 Republican nomination for President of the United States, and chose former CIA Director George H. W. Bush as his running mate.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1976 Republican Party vice presidential candidate selection</span>

This article lists those who were potential candidates for the Republican nomination for Vice President of the United States in the 1976 election. At the 1976 Republican National Convention, incumbent President Gerald Ford narrowly won the presidential nomination over former California Governor Ronald Reagan. Ford had decided not to choose Vice President Nelson Rockefeller as his running mate, due to Rockefeller's unpopularity with the right wing of the Republican Party. He instead chose Senator Bob Dole of Kansas. Dole was acceptable to the conservative wing of the party, and Ford hoped that Dole would help the ticket win the western states and the agricultural vote. The Ford–Dole ticket lost the general election to the Carter–Mondale ticket. Though he would not win the presidential nomination, Reagan announced before the convention that he would pick Senator Richard Schweiker of Pennsylvania as his running mate. Dole went on to become Senate Republican leader, and the Republican presidential nominee in 1996, losing the general election to incumbent President Bill Clinton.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1960 Republican Party vice presidential candidate selection</span>

This article lists those who were potential candidates for the Republican nomination for Vice President of the United States in the 1960 election. After winning the Republican presidential nomination at the 1960 Republican National Convention, Vice President Richard Nixon needed to choose a running mate. President Dwight D. Eisenhower strongly supported UN Ambassador Henry Cabot Lodge Jr. Though Lodge lacked charisma as a campaigner, his foreign policy experience and stature as ambassador made him an appealing candidate. However, Lodge was unpopular with the Republican right, who did not want a Northeastern moderate on the ticket. Nixon also strongly considered conservative Minnesota Representative Walter Judd and moderate Kentucky Senator Thruston Morton. After a closed session with Republican Party leaders, Nixon announced his choice of Lodge. The Republican convention ratified Nixon's choice of Lodge. The Nixon–Lodge ticket lost the 1960 election to the Democratic ticket of Kennedy–Johnson.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1976 United States presidential election in Arkansas</span> Election in Arkansas

The 1976 United States presidential election in Arkansas took place on November 2, 1976, as part of the wider 1976 United States presidential election. State voters chose six electors to represent them in the Electoral College.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jimmy Carter 1976 presidential campaign</span> 1976 presidential campaign of Jimmy Carter

The 1976 presidential campaign of Jimmy Carter resulted in the election of Jimmy Carter and his running mate Walter Mondale as president and vice president of the United States, defeating incumbent Republican President Gerald Ford and his running mate Bob Dole. Carter, a Democrat and former governor of Georgia, launched his presidential bid in December 1974, as the Constitution of Georgia barred him from running for a second term as governor. In the wake of the Watergate scandal, the declining popularity of President Ford due to his pardon of Nixon, and the severe recession of 1974–75, many Democrats were sure of victory in the 1976 presidential election. As a result, 17 Democrats ran for their party's nomination in 1976. Carter's opponents mocked his candidacy by saying "Jimmy, who?", for his being relatively unknown outside Georgia. In response, Carter began saying "My name is Jimmy Carter, and I'm running for president." Carter extensively campaigned in the primaries, and in the end received 39.19% of his party's primary votes.

References

  1. Brucker, Lauren (2 May 2012). "Five Questions with Joel Goldstein, J.D." Saint Louis University. Archived from the original on 7 October 2015. Retrieved 5 October 2015.
  2. Goldstein, Joel (24 August 2014). "President Carter's vice-presidential legacy". The Hill. Retrieved 5 October 2015.
  3. "Biography: Walter F. Mondale". PBS. PBS. Retrieved 5 October 2015.
  4. Goldstein, Joel (26 July 2012). "Yogi Berra and Veepstakes". University of Virginia Center for Politics. Retrieved 5 October 2015.
  5. Goldstein, Joel (26 July 2012). "Yogi Berra and Veepstakes". University of Virginia Center for Politics. Retrieved 5 October 2015.
  6. Baumgartner, Jody (1 January 2006). The American Vice Presidency Reconsidered. Greenwood Publishing Group. p. 66. ISBN   9780275988906 . Retrieved 5 October 2015.
  7. Baumgartner, Jody (1 January 2006). The American Vice Presidency Reconsidered. Greenwood Publishing Group. p. 66. ISBN   9780275988906 . Retrieved 5 October 2015.
  8. Baumgartner, Jody (1 January 2006). The American Vice Presidency Reconsidered. Greenwood Publishing Group. p. 66. ISBN   9780275988906 . Retrieved 5 October 2015.
  9. Baumgartner, Jody (1 January 2006). The American Vice Presidency Reconsidered. Greenwood Publishing Group. p. 66. ISBN   9780275988906 . Retrieved 5 October 2015.