office, such as governor, starting with the 1974 election, four years instead of two years. Additionally, the governor and lieutenant governor would henceforth run as a single ticket, not as separate campaigns. Post-Watergate decline (1974–1978) 1974 election cycle U.S. Senate: Bob Dole experienced a close race from challenger Democrat and two-term Congressman Bill Roy. Senator Dole, for the first time in Kansas politics, made abortion a central campaign issue, using it to win over Wichita. Bill Roy campaigned intensely around Kansas City linking Dole to Nixon, Watergate, and Ford's pardon of Nixon. U.S. Congress: Republican incumbent Keith Sebelius won re-election in the 1st District; Democratic incumbent Martha Keys was elected in the 2nd District, beating John C. Petersen; incumbent Larry Winn won re-election in the 3rd District; Republican incumbent Garner Shriver was re-elected in the 4th District, and incumbent Joe Skubitz was re-elected in the 5th District. Kansas Statewide: The 1974 statewide office elections were the first for the new 4-year terms. Republican Bob Bennett won the governorship, after winning a close 3-way primary he defeated Democrat and former attorney general, Vern Miller. Republican Shelby Smith was elected lieutenant governor; Elwill Shanahan was re-elected as Secretary of State; and William Fletcher was re-elected as insurance commissioner. Kansas Senate: No election. After Robert Bennett resigned from the Senate to become governor, Richard Rodgers served as Senate President for the 1975 session, then was confirmed as a U.S. District Court Judge, and Ross Doyen became Senate President for the 1976 session. Kansas House: Republicans won 72 seats, a net loss of eight seats. Pete McGill was re-elected Speaker State Party: In 1975, the State Committee elected Jack Ranson as chair. Huck Boyd was re-elected as national committeeman. 1976 election cycle The 1976 was one of the worst election cycles for Kansas Republicans since the depression due to the fallout from Watergate and a general anti-incumbent mood with the voters. The Republicans lost control of the Kansas House and a Congressional seat. President: Republican candidate Gerald Ford carried Kansas, but lost nationally to Democrat Jimmy Carter. The Republican vice-presidential candidate was Kansas Senator Bob Dole. The national Republican convention was held in Kansas City, MO. U.S. Senate: There was no U.S. Senate Election. U.S. Congress: Republican incumbent Keith Sebelius was re-elected in the 1st District; incumbent Larry Winn won re-election in the 3rd District; and incumbent Joe Skubitz was re-elected for the eighth