What are you talking about?
Back then people didn’t even vote in primaries.
The delegates were chosen by state reps in the Smokey back room.
Then, after the candidates were Selected* the general election started
See the 1976 Republcan Convention for a modern era equivalent of 1880.
Neither Ford nor Reagan had enough delegates from primaries and caucuses to win the nomination outright.
It took rides on Air Force One and political maneuvering by both camps to finally produce a Ford victory 53 to 47.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/1976_Republican_National_Convention