In the 1976 presidential election , Ford was challenged by Ronald Reagan , a leader of the conservative wing of the Republican Party . After a contentious series of primaries , Ford won his party 's nomination at the 1976 Republican National Convention . In the general election , Carter defeated Ford by a narrow margin in the popular and electoral vote . In polls of historians and political scientists , Ford is generally ranked highest for his moral authority and lowest for his vision and ability to set an agenda
1976 Republican National Convention
1976 Republican National Convention
Presidency of Gerald Ford