Ford did quite well in the northeast. He carried 4 of 6 New England states (CT, ME, NH, VT). Carried NJ and only lost NY by a margin of 52-48% (in fact, NY & TX's margins were nearly identical for Carter, as he carried both). These are percentages the GOP would kill for up there today.
I believe that Ford’s strong 1976 showing in the northeast was, in part, caused by a negative reacion to Jimmy Carter’s southern accent and background.
Yes, he did. But Ford was from the great lakes region. New Englanders will accept GOP candidates from the upper midwest (Michigan, Wisconsin, Illinois, etc.) They won't take GOP candidates from the deep south.
The feeling is mutual, southerners simply will not vote for New Englanders (although JFK managed to steal a few states by putting a Texan on the ticket and rigging the votes, and winning ballots that just said "Straight Democratic Ticket" in the south). Southerners will occassionally elect a communist RAT to office in a southern state, but only if he's appeals to the locals.
The old southern-new England coalition the RATs put together during the days of Woody Wilson and FDR is long gone.
I truly believe an unapologetic conservative could win the electoral votes of states like Maine, New Hampshire, and Conn. in today's world, but it won't be guys like George W. Bush, George Allen, or Fred Thompson.
Maybe if we end up with the Hilderbeast as President the GOP might wise up and nominate Don Calerci or Tim Pawlenty for President in 2012, who knows?