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Yes, there would’ve been a very good chance of that happening. Ford would not have been successful in turning around the country during that period (especially as a RINO) from ‘77 to ‘81, and with the radical moonbat-led post-Watergate Congresses, ‘78 would’ve likely doubled the losses we incurred in ‘74, and quite possibly could’ve pushed the GOP down to numbers unseen since the Depression (in an anti-Ford/GOP climate, our Senate numbers were 39 going into the ‘78 election, and we could’ve lost 11 seats, among them being potentially Ted Stevens (AK), Jim McClure (ID), Chuck Percy (IL), the open KS seat (which went to Nancy Kassebaum), Pete Domenici (NM), Jesse Helms (NC), Mark Hatfield (OR), Strom Thurmond (SC), Howard Baker (TN), John Tower (TX) & the VA open seat (which went to John Warner) - some of whom won in ‘78 with underwhelming margins, and 8 seats we did win by beating incumbent Dems or capturing their open seats would’ve likely been lost (Bill Armstrong (CO); Roger Jepsen (IA); Bill Cohen (ME); Rudy Boschwitz & Dave Durenberger (MN); Thad Cochran (MS); Gordon Humphreys (NH); Larry Pressler (SD)). So add that up and we could’ve had 28 GOP Senators (including RINOs) in 1978 and perhaps as few as 100-120 (out of 435) Republicans in the House (we only had 143 in ‘77-’78). The party would’ve been powerless as a functioning opposition.

The ‘80 Dem ticket probably would’ve been Ted Kennedy-George Wallace (kid you not) and the GOP ticket probably Vice-President Bob Dole and George HW Bush (Reagan might not have even run). Kennedy-Wallace would’ve won, and Reagan would never have become President. Of course, then the 1984 ticket of ex-Ford Defense Sec Dick Cheney and DE Gov Pete du Pont would’ve likely won over Ted. (Cheney edging out in the GOP Presidential primary now-freshman TX Gov. George HW Bush, the upset ‘82 winner over Dem Gov. John Hill, the first GOP Governor since Reconstruction). There’s some alternate history for you. ;-)