A major reason for Jimmy Carter's winning the presidency in 1976 was?

Question

answers:
1) his outstanding record in national politics.
2) the public's distrust of the Washington establishment after Watergate.
3) support for the pardon of Richard M. Nixon.
4) the fact that he was the incumbent.

Answer 1

2.

He was not widely known in national politics.
He was running against the person who pardoned Nixon.
He was not the incumbent (Gerald Ford was)

Answer 2

2 At the time of the election, the country was in a bit of upheaval as the result of watergate. It did not trust individuals who had lived in the DC circle. There were a couple more reasons for his winning. He had done a decent job as governor of Georgia. He claimed to be a very religious person and lived by Christian dogma. Also, the country was not happy with Ford pardoning Nixon (although it was probably best for the country that he did so)