The United States presidential election, 1976, was a democratic election held in the United States to decide the nation's next president. The incumbent president, Robert Kennedy, left office after honoring a campaign pledge during the 1972 election season to only have one term as president. Kennedy had won in an utter landslide in 1972. The Socialists nominated George McGovern, Kennedy's Vice President, of South Dakota to fill his shoes. McGovern was perceived to be more extremist than Kennedy.