Helms was an early supporter of Reagan, endorsing him for the 1976 Republican nomination even before Reagan formally announced. Helms was instrumental in bringing out conservative votes for Reagan in the North Carolina primary, and Reagan's victory, after a string of losses against incumbent Gerald Ford, revived the campaign and enabled Reagan to continue challenging Ford all the way to the convention. Helms' support helped Reagan secure the nomination in 1980, and the two remained close political allies thru Reagan's two terms as president.