On July 3, 1975, Senator Ted Kennedy announced he would be running for the Democratic Nomination for President of the United States. His family name and image as a strong progressive made him the front runner in the primaries, in which he easily defeated Alabama Governor George Wallace. At his famous convention speech, he sent a clear message to the Democratic Party when he said "Segregation is over. We must embrace all people, for we are all Americans." Kennedy chose little known Georgia Governor Jimmy Carter as his Vice President, believing that he would help him keep Southern support. In the 1976 election, the Kennedy Carter ticket defeated the Reagan/Dole ticket with 312 electoral votes to 236, with a popular vote lead of 52% to 47%.