FiveThirtyEight Elections Short Film Series Continues with THE CONTESTED CONVENTION

Once upon a time, the Republican Party was tearing itself apart on the eve of its convention. The year was 1976, and the choices to run for president were the accidental incumbent, Gerald Ford, and a former actor from California, Ronald Reagan. Following strict animosity between moderates and conservatives, Ford prevailed-only to lose to Jimmy Carter in the general election.

That's the story revisited in THE CONTESTED CONVENTION the latest short from FiveThirtyEight and ESPN Films' series FiveThirtyEight Elections, debuting today. Directed by Stephanie Wang-Breal, the film returns to the raucous assembly in Kansas City, Mo., with the help of archival footage and interviews with experts and witnesses from both sides, including Vice President Dick Cheney, a member of Ford's campaign at the time, Ed Meese from Reagan's side, Reagan biographer Craig Shirley, FiveThirtyEight's managing editor David Firestone and senior political writer Harry Enten. To watch: http://53eig.ht/29SoqHp

"The Contested Convention" is the third short from the series, which delves into some of the most iconic moments in recent U.S. election history. The series premiered on February 4 with "Dean Scream."

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