Ford, Reagan, and the 1976 Republican Primary

This book reinterprets the 1976 Republican primary election as the decisive moment in the transformation of modern US politics. Focusing on the contest between Gerald Ford and Ronald Reagan, it offers the first sustained, archivally grounded analysis of how party reform, conservative mobilisation, and post-Watergate political constraints reshaped the Republican Party. Drawing on research in presidential libraries and campaign records, it reconstructs the nomination battle from within, examining strategy, delegate politics, and grassroots organisation. The book integrates electoral and diplomatic history to show how intra-party conflict influenced US foreign policy during the Cold War. Introducing a 'contingent settlement' framework, the author explains how insurgent campaigns have the potential to reconfigure party coalitions, and offers comparative insight into later challenges such as Buchanan (1992) and Trump (2016). This book will be of interest to scholars and students of American political history, presidential studies, and modern conservatism.