How Jesse Helms Gave us Reagan

A lot has been written about Jesse Helms' senate career these last couple of days, but it should also be noted that without Helms we quite possibly would never have had a President Reagan.
In 1976, Jesse Helms first helped persuade Reagan to seek the presidency, and then engineered a stunning come from behind victory for Reagan in North Carolina. This was Reagan's first victory over Ford, and it probably kept Reagan from dropping out of the race. What is more, the win led to more wins and gave Reagan the momentum to go all the way to the convention, nearly wresting the GOP nomination away from sitting President Gerald Ford.
Because of Helms' support, Reagan left the '76 campaign with the momentum and clout that would propel him to win the nomination in '80. The truth is, we owe a debt of gratitude to Helms for everything Reagan was able to accomplish. Without Helms' support in '76, we likely wouldn't have gotten Reagan in '80.