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1980 United States presidential election

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Template:Short description Template:For Template:Use American English Template:Use mdy dates Template:Infobox election Presidential elections were held in the United States on November 4, 1980. The Republican ticket of former California governor Ronald Reagan and former Director of Central Intelligence George H. W. Bush, defeated the Democratic ticket of incumbent President Jimmy Carter and Vice President Walter Mondale and the Independent ticket of Congressman John B. Anderson and former Ambassador to Mexico Patrick Lucey in a landslide victory. Because of the rise of conservatism after Reagan's victory, many historians consider the election a political realignment. This is the most recent election in which a Democratic president lost reelection.

Carter's unpopularity, his poor relations with Democratic leaders, and the poor economic conditions under his administration encouraged an unsuccessful intra-party challenge from Massachusetts Senator Ted Kennedy. Meanwhile, the Republican primaries were contested between Reagan, former Central Intelligence Agency director George H. W. Bush, Illinois Representative John B. Anderson, and several other candidates. All of Reagan's opponents had dropped out by the end of the primaries, and the Republicans nominated a ticket consisting of Reagan and Bush. Anderson entered the general election as an independent candidate with former Wisconsin governor Patrick Lucey as his running mate.

Reagan campaigned for increased defense spending, supply-side economic policies, and a balanced budget. His campaign was aided by Democratic dissatisfaction with Carter, the Iran hostage crisis, and a worsening economy marred by stagflation. Carter attacked Reagan as a dangerous right-wing extremist, and warned that Reagan would cut Medicare and Social Security. The Carter campaign was aided early on by the rally 'round the flag effect from the hostage crisis; as the crisis lasted to election day, it became a detriment.<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref>

Reagan won the election in a landslide with 489 Electoral College votes to Carter's 49, and 50.7% of the popular vote to Carter's 41.0%. Anderson won 6.6% of the popular vote and no electoral votes. This was the second consecutive election in which an incumbent president was defeated and the first election since 1888 in which an incumbent Democratic president was defeated.

BackgroundEdit

Template:Further Throughout the 1970s, the United States underwent a wrenching period of stagflation (low economic growth, high inflation, and interest rates), and intermittent energy crises.<ref name="'70s 292">Template:Cite book</ref> By October 1978, Iran—a major oil supplier to the United States at the time—was experiencing a major uprising that severely damaged its oil infrastructure and greatly weakened its capability to produce oil.<ref name=uppafb>Template:Cite magazine</ref> In January 1979, shortly after Iran's leader Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi fled the country, Iranian opposition figure Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini ended his 14-year exile in France and returned to Iran to establish an Islamic Republic, largely hostile to American interests and influence in the country.<ref name=uppafb /> In the spring and summer of 1979, inflation was on the rise and various parts of the United States were experiencing energy shortages.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Carter was widely blamed for the return of the long gas lines in the summer of 1979 that were last seen just after the 1973 Yom Kippur War. He planned on delivering his fifth major speech on energy, but he felt that the American people were no longer listening. Carter left for the presidential retreat of Camp David. "For more than a week, a veil of secrecy enveloped the proceedings. Dozens of prominent Democratic Party leaders—members of Congress, governors, labor leaders, academics and clergy—were summoned to the mountaintop retreat to confer with the beleaguered president." His pollster, Pat Caddell, told him that the American people simply faced a crisis of confidence because of the assassinations of John F. Kennedy, Robert F. Kennedy and Martin Luther King Jr.; the Vietnam War; and Watergate.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> On July 15, 1979, Carter gave a nationally televised address in which he identified what he believed to be a "crisis of confidence" among the American people. This came to be known as his "Malaise speech", although Carter never used the word in the speech.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Many expected Senator Ted Kennedy to successfully challenge Carter in the upcoming Democratic primary. Kennedy's official announcement was scheduled for early November. A television interview with Roger Mudd of CBS a few days before the announcement went badly, however. Kennedy gave an "incoherent and repetitive"<ref name="bg-series-4">Template:Cite news</ref> answer to the question of why he was running, and the polls, which showed him leading Carter by 58–25 in August now had him ahead 49–39.<ref>Time Magazine, 11/12/79</ref> Kennedy was also politically scarred by the 1969 Chappaquiddick incident;<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref name=chappaquiddick21980 /> the controversy had been a major reason for Kennedy's decision to not run for president in 1972 and 1976.<ref name=chappaquiddick21980>Template:Cite news</ref>

Meanwhile, Carter was given an opportunity for political redemption when the Khomeini regime again gained public attention and allowed the taking of 52 American hostages by a group of Islamist students and militants at the U.S. embassy in Tehran on November 4, 1979. Carter's calm approach towards the handling of this crisis resulted in his approval ratings jump in the 60-percent range in some polls, due to a "rally round the flag" effect.<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref>

By the beginning of the election campaign, the prolonged Iran hostage crisis had sharpened public perceptions of a national crisis.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> On April 25, 1980, Carter's ability to use the hostage crisis to regain public acceptance eroded when his high risk attempt to rescue the hostages ended in disaster when eight servicemen were killed. The unsuccessful rescue attempt drew further skepticism towards his leadership skills.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Following the failed rescue attempt, Carter took overwhelming blame for the Iran hostage crisis, in which the followers of the Ayatollah Khomeini burned American flags and chanted anti-American slogans, paraded the captured American hostages in public, and burned Carter in effigy. Carter's critics saw him as an inept leader who had failed to solve the worsening economic problems at home. His supporters defended the president as a decent, well-intentioned man being unfairly criticized for problems that had been escalating for years.<ref name="christian science">Template:Cite news</ref>

When the Soviet Union invaded Afghanistan in late 1979, Carter seized international leadership in rallying opposition. He cut off American grain sales, which hurt Soviet consumers and annoyed American farmers. In terms of prestige, the Soviets were deeply hurt by the large-scale boycott of their 1980 Summer Olympics. Furthermore, Carter began secret support of the rebel forces in Afghanistan that successfully tied down the Soviet army for a decade. The effect was to end détente and reopen the Cold War.<ref>Gaddis Smith, Morality, Reason and Power: American Diplomacy in the Carter Years (1986) pp 224–228.</ref><ref>Odd Arne Westad, ed. "The Fall of Détente." in Soviet-American Relations during the Carter Years (Scandinavian University Press, 1997).</ref>

NominationsEdit

Republican PartyEdit

{{#invoke:Labelled list hatnote|labelledList|Main article|Main articles|Main page|Main pages}} Template:Ronald Reagan series Template:George H. W. Bush series

Republican Party (United States)
1980 Republican Party ticket
[[Ronald Reagan|Template:Ifsubst style="color:white">Ronald Reagan]] [[George H. W. Bush|Template:Ifsubst style="color:white">George H. W. Bush]]
for President for Vice President
File:Official Portrait of President Reagan 1981.jpg
File:George H. W. Bush vice presidential portrait.jpg
33rd
Governor of California
(1967–1975) 		11th
Director of Central Intelligence
(1976–1977)
Campaign
File:Reagan Bush Logo 2.svg

Other major candidatesEdit

The following candidates were frequently interviewed by major broadcast networks and cable news channels, were listed in publicly published national polls, or had held a public office. Reagan received 7,709,793 votes in the primaries.

colspan="5" style="text-align:center; width:1000px; font-size:120%; color:white; background:Template:Party color;"|Candidates in this section are sorted by date of withdrawal from the nomination race
George H. W. Bush John B. Anderson Phil Crane Bob Dole
File:George H. W. Bush official CIA portrait.jpg
File:John B. Anderson in New Jersey (cropped).jpg
File:Congressman Phil Crane.jpg
File:Bob Dole in 1982.jpg
Former Director of
Central Intelligence
(1976–1977) 		Representative from
Illinois's 16th district
(1961–1981) 		Representative from
Illinois's 12th district
(1973–1993) 		Senator from Kansas
(1969–1996)
File:George Bush 1980 alternate poster.png
File:John Anderson presidential campaign, 1980 1.png
File:Phil Crane presidential campaign, 1980.png
File:Bobdole80.gif
Campaign Campaign Campaign Campaign
Template:Abbr: May 26, 1980
Template:Abbr: June 14, 1980
3,070,033 votes 		Template:Abbr: April 24, 1980
1,572,174 votes 		Template:Abbr: April 17, 1980
Template:Abbr: April 17, 1980
97,793 votes 		Template:Abbr: March 15, 1980
Template:Abbr: March 30, 1980
7,204 votes
John Connally Howard Baker Larry Pressler Lowell P. Weicker Jr.
File:John Connally in 1980 (cropped).jpg
File:Senator Howard Baker 1979.jpg
File:Larry Pressler.jpg
File:Lweicker.jpg
Former Secretary of
the Treasury from Texas
(1971–1972) 		Senator from Tennessee
(1967–1985) 		Senator from South Dakota
(1979–1997) 		Senator from Connecticut
(1971–1989)
File:John Connally presidential campaign, 1980.png
File:Howard Baker presidential campaign, 1980 (logo).png
File:Larry Pressler presidential campaign bumper sticker.jpg
Campaign Campaign Campaign Campaign
Template:Abbr: March 9, 1980
Template:Abbr: March 25, 1980
82,625 votes 		Template:Abbr: March 5, 1980
Template:Abbr: April 20, 1980
181,153 votes 		Template:Abbr: January 8, 1980
Template:Abbr: March 21, 1980
0 votes 		Template:Abbr: May 16, 1979
0 votes

Former governor Ronald Reagan of California was the odds-on favorite to win his party's nomination for president after nearly beating incumbent President Gerald Ford just four years earlier. Reagan dominated the primaries early, driving from the field Senate Minority Leader Howard Baker from Tennessee, former governor John Connally of Texas, Senator Robert Dole from Kansas, Representative Phil Crane from Illinois, and Representative John Anderson from Illinois, who dropped out of the race to run as an Independent. George H. W. Bush from Texas posed the strongest challenge to Reagan with his victories in the Pennsylvania and Michigan primaries, but it was not enough to turn the tide. Reagan won the nomination on the first round at the 1980 Republican National Convention in Detroit, Michigan, in July, then chose Bush (his top rival) as his running mate. Reagan, Bush, and Dole would all go on to be the nominees in the next four elections. (Reagan in 1984, Bush in 1988 and 1992, and Dole in 1996).

Democratic PartyEdit

{{#invoke:Labelled list hatnote|labelledList|Main article|Main articles|Main page|Main pages}} Template:Jimmy Carter series

Democratic Party (United States)
1980 Democratic Party ticket
[[Jimmy Carter|Template:Ifsubst style="color:white">Jimmy Carter]] [[Walter Mondale|Template:Ifsubst style="color:white">Walter Mondale]]
for President for Vice President
File:JimmyCarterPortrait2.jpg
File:Walter Mondale 1977 vice presidential portrait (cropped).jpg
39th
President of the United States
(1977–1981) 		42nd
Vice President of the United States
(1977–1981)
Campaign
File:Carter Mondale 1980 logo.svg

Other major candidatesEdit

The following candidates were frequently interviewed by major broadcast networks, were listed in published national polls, or had held public office. Carter received 10,043,016 votes in the primaries.

colspan="9" style="text-align:center; width:600px; font-size:120%; color:white; background:Template:Party color;"|Candidates in this section are sorted by date of withdrawal from the nomination race
Ted Kennedy Jerry Brown
File:Ted Kennedy 1979.jpg
File:Jerry Brown, 1980.jpg
U.S. Senator
from Massachusetts
(1962–2009) 		Governor
of California
(1975–1983)
File:Ted Kennedy 1980 presidential campaign logo.png
File:2012AlsoRans8-1x36.jpg
Campaign Campaign
Template:Abbr: August 11, 1980
7,381,693 votes 		Template:Abbr: April 2, 1980
575,296 votes

The three major Democratic candidates in early 1980 were incumbent President Jimmy Carter, Senator Ted Kennedy of Massachusetts, and Governor Jerry Brown of California. Brown withdrew on April 2. Carter and Kennedy faced off in 34 primaries. Not counting the 1968 election in which Lyndon Johnson withdrew his candidacy, this was the most tumultuous primary race that an elected incumbent president had encountered since President Taft, during the highly contentious election of 1912.

During the summer of 1980, there was a short-lived "Draft Muskie" movement; Secretary of State Edmund Muskie was seen as a favorable alternative to a deadlocked convention. One poll showed that Muskie would be a more popular alternative to Carter than Kennedy, implying that the attraction was not so much to Kennedy as to the fact that he was not Carter. Muskie was polling even with Ronald Reagan at the time, while Carter was seven points behind.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Although the underground "Draft Muskie" campaign failed, it became a political legend.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

After defeating Kennedy in 24 of 34 primaries, Carter entered the party's convention in New York in August with 60 percent of the delegates pledged to him on the first ballot. Still, Kennedy refused to drop out. At the convention, after a futile last-ditch attempt by Kennedy to alter the rules to free delegates from their first-ballot pledges, Carter was renominated with 2,129 votes to 1,146 for Kennedy. Vice President Walter Mondale was also renominated. In his acceptance speech, Carter warned that Reagan's conservatism posed a threat to world peace and progressive social welfare programs from the New Deal to the Great Society.<ref>William DeGregorio, The Complete Book of U.S. Presidents, Gramercy 1997</ref>

Other candidatesEdit

1980 Independent ticket colspan="2" style="background:Template:Party color;" |1980 Libertarian ticket
[[John B. Anderson|Template:Ifsubst style="color:black">John B. Anderson]] [[Patrick Lucey|Template:Ifsubst style="color:black">Patrick Lucey]] style="width:3em; font-size:135%; background:Template:Party color;" ; width:200px;" |[[Ed Clark|Template:Ifsubst style="color:black">Ed Clark]] style="width:3em; font-size:135%; background:Template:Party color;" ; width:200px;" |[[David Koch|Template:Ifsubst style="color:black">David Koch]]
for President for Vice President style="width:3em; width:200px; background:Template:Party color;" |for President style="width:3em; width:200px; background:Template:Party color;" |for Vice President
File:John B. Anderson in New Jersey (cropped).jpg
File:Ambassador Patrick Lucey (cropped).png
File:Ed Clark (cropped, 3x4).jpg
File:David Koch 1980.jpg
U.S. Representative from Illinois
(1961–1981) 		Former U.S. Ambassador to Mexico
(1977–1979) 		Former Chair of the
Libertarian Party of California
(1973–1974) 		Co-owner of Koch, Inc.
Campaign Campaign
File:John Anderson presidential campaign, 1980 2.png File:Ed Clark bumper sticker.jpg

John B. Anderson was defeated in the Republican primaries, but entered the general election as an independent candidate. He campaigned as a liberal Republican alternative to Reagan's conservatism. Anderson's campaign appealed primarily to frustrated anti-Carter voters from Republican and Democratic backgrounds.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Anderson's running mate was Patrick Lucey, a Democratic former Governor of Wisconsin and then ambassador to Mexico, appointed by President Carter.

The Libertarian Party nominated Ed Clark for president and David Koch for vice president. They were on the ballot in all 50 states as well as Washington, D.C. The Libertarian Party platform was the only political party in 1980 to contain a plank advocating for the equal rights of homosexual men and women as well as the only party platform to advocate explicitly for "amnesty" for all illegal non-citizens.<ref name="presidency.ucsb.edu">Template:Multiref2</ref>

The Citizens Party ran biologist Barry Commoner for president and Comanche Native American activist LaDonna Harris for vice president. The Commoner–Harris ticket was on the ballot in twenty-nine statesTemplate:Which and in the District of Columbia.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>

General electionEdit

Polling aggregationEdit

The following graph depicts the standing of each candidate in the poll aggregators from July 1979 to November 1980.

File:OpinionPolling1980UnitedStatesPresidentialElection.svg
Template:Columns-list

PollingEdit

Template:See also

Poll source Date(s)
administered 		Ronald
Reagan (R) 		Jimmy
Carter (D) 		John
Anderson (I) 		Other Undecided Margin
Election Results Nov. 4, 1980 align="center" Template:Party shading/Republican|50.75% 41.01% 6.61% 1.63% - Template:Party shading/Republican align="center" | 9.74
Gallup<ref name="Reagan Leading In Final Poll">Template:Cite news</ref> Oct. 30 – Nov. 1, 1980 Template:Party shading/Republican align="center" | 46% 43% 7% 1% 3% Template:Party shading/Republican align="center" | 3
CBS-New York TimesTemplate:Citation needed Oct. 30 – Nov. 1, 1980 Template:Party shading/Republican align="center" | 44% 43% 8% - 5% Template:Party shading/Republican align="center" | 1
ABC-HarrisTemplate:Citation needed Oct. 30 – Nov. 1, 1980 Template:Party shading/Republican align="center" | 45% 40% 10% 1% 4% Template:Party shading/Republican align="center" | 5
Newsweek-Gallup<ref name="Polls Say Its Going Down To The Wire"/> October 29–30, 1980 Template:Party shading/Republican align="center" | 44% 43% 7% 1% 5% Template:Party shading/Republican align="center" | 4
Washington Post<ref name="Polls Say Its Going Down To The Wire">Template:Cite news</ref> October 26–27, 1980 Template:Party shading/Republican align="center" | 43% 39% 7% - 11% Template:Party shading/Republican align="center" | 4
ABC-Harris<ref name="Reagan, Carter In Tight Fight">Template:Cite news</ref> October 22–25, 1980 Template:Party shading/Republican align="center" | 45% 42% 10% - 3% Template:Party shading/Republican align="center" | 3
Gallup<ref name="This Poll Puts Jimmy, Ron In Dead Heat">Template:Cite news</ref> October 17–20, 1980 40% Template:Party shading/Democratic align="center" | 41% 10% - 9% Template:Party shading/Democratic align="center" | 1
ABC-Harris<ref name="Carter Trims Reagan's Lead By One Point">Template:Cite news</ref> October 14–16, 1980 Template:Party shading/Republican align="center" | 42% 39% 12% - 7% Template:Party shading/Republican align="center" | 3
Gallup<ref name="Reagan Holds Narrow Lead; Anderson Dips"/> October 10–12, 1980 Template:Party shading/Republican align="center" | 45% 42% 8% - 5% Template:Party shading/Republican align="center" | 3
ABC-Harris<ref name="Poll Reveals 3-Point Slip By Anderson">Template:Cite news</ref> October 3–6, 1980 Template:Party shading/Republican align="center" | 43% 39% 14% - 4% Template:Party shading/Republican align="center" | 4
ABC-Harris<ref name="Carter Loses Ground In Poll">Template:Cite news</ref> September 22, 1980 Template:Party shading/Republican align="center" | 42% 36% 19% - 3% Template:Party shading/Republican align="center" | 6
Template:Party shading/Republican align="center" | 48% 46% - - 6% Template:Party shading/Republican align="center" | 2
Gallup<ref name="Latest Test Still Shows Reagan And Carter In Close Contention"/><ref name="Reagan Holds Narrow Lead; Anderson Dips">Template:Cite news</ref> September 12–15, 1980 Template:Party shading/Republican align="center" | 41% 37% 15% - 7% Template:Party shading/Republican align="center" | 4
ABC-Harris<ref name="Carter Nixes 3-Way Campaign Debates">Template:Cite news</ref> September 3–7, 1980 Template:Party shading/Republican align="center" | 41% 37% 17% - 5% Template:Party shading/Republican align="center" | 4
Gallup<ref name="Latest Test Still Shows Reagan And Carter In Close Contention">Template:Cite news</ref> August 15–18, 1980 38% Template:Party shading/Democratic align="center" | 39% 13% - 10% Template:Party shading/Democratic align="center" | 1
ABC-Harris<ref name="AFL-CIO Balks On Carter Support">Template:Cite news</ref> August 14–18, 1980 Template:Party shading/Republican align="center" | 42% 36% 17% - 5% Template:Party shading/Republican align="center" | 6
Gallup<ref name="Reagan And Carter Run Neck And Neck In Gallup">Template:Cite news</ref><ref name="Carter And Reagan In Dead Heat, According To Gallup Poll">Template:Cite news</ref> August 15–17, 1980 Template:Party shading/Republican align="center" | 39% 38% 14% 1% 8% Template:Party shading/Republican align="center" | 1
40% Template:Party shading/Democratic align="center" | 46% - - 14% Template:Party shading/Democratic align="center" | 6
August 11–14: Democratic National Convention
ABC-Harris<ref name="Latest Figures: Reagan 48%, Carter 28%, Anderson 19%">Template:Cite news</ref> August 5–6, 1980 Template:Party shading/Republican align="center" | 48% 28% 19% - 5% Template:Party shading/Republican align="center" | 20
Template:Party shading/Republican align="center" | 57% 36% - - 7% Template:Party shading/Republican align="center" | 21
Gallup<ref name="Gallup Poll: Carter Falters But Still Leads Teddy">Template:Cite news</ref> August 1–3, 1980 Template:Party shading/Republican align="center" | 45% 31%Template:Efn 14% - 10% Template:Party shading/Republican align="center" | 14
ABC-Harris<ref name="Poll: Reagan Leads Carter By 28 Percent">Template:Cite news</ref><ref name="Poll Shows Carter Third">Template:Cite news</ref> July 18–21, 1980 Template:Party shading/Republican align="center" | 49% 23% 25% - 3% Template:Party shading/Republican align="center" | 24
Template:Party shading/Republican align="center" | 61% 33% - - 6% Template:Party shading/Republican align="center" | 28
July 14–17: Republican National Convention
Gallup<ref name="Reagan-Bush Ticket Leads Dems">Template:Cite news</ref> July 11–13, 1980 Template:Party shading/Republican align="center" | 43%Template:Efn 34%Template:Efn 16% - 7% Template:Party shading/Republican align="center" | 9
Gallup<ref name="Gallup Poll Has Reagan Maintaining Lead Over Carter">Template:Cite news</ref><ref name="Reagan Widens Lead While Anderson Slips">Template:Cite news</ref> July 11–14, 1980 Template:Party shading/Republican align="center" | 37% 34% 21% - 8% Template:Party shading/Republican align="center" | 3
Gallup<ref name="Reagan Stretches Lead Over President Carter"/><ref name="Reagan Widens Lead While Anderson Slips"/> June 27–30, 1980 Template:Party shading/Republican align="center" | 37% 32% 22% - 9% Template:Party shading/Republican align="center" | 5
Template:Party shading/Republican align="center" | 47% 41% - - 12% Template:Party shading/Republican align="center" | 6
Gallup<ref name="Reagan Stretches Lead Over President Carter"/><ref name="Reagan Widens Lead While Anderson Slips"/> June 13–16, 1980 33% Template:Party shading/Democratic align="center" | 35% 24% - 8% Template:Party shading/Democratic align="center" | 2
Template:Party shading/Republican align="center" | 45% 42% - - 13% Template:Party shading/Republican align="center" | 3
ABC-Harris<ref name="Three New National Polls Show Reagan Well Ahead">Template:Cite news</ref> June 5–9, 1980 Template:Party shading/Republican align="center" | 39% 34% 24% - 3% Template:Party shading/Republican align="center" | 5
Template:Party shading/Republican align="center" | 51% 44% - - 5% Template:Party shading/Republican align="center" | 7
Gallup<ref name="Reagan Stretches Lead Over President Carter">Template:Cite news</ref> May 30 – Jun. 2, 1980 32% Template:Party shading/Democratic align="center" | 39% 21% - 8% Template:Party shading/Democratic align="center" | 7
39% Template:Party shading/Democratic align="center" | 50% - - 11% Template:Party shading/Democratic align="center" | 11
Gallup<ref name="Carter Outpolls Reagan 49% to 41% In Survey"/> May 16–18, 1980 32% Template:Party shading/Democratic align="center" | 40% 21% - 7% Template:Party shading/Democratic align="center" | 8
41% Template:Party shading/Democratic align="center" | 49% - - 10% Template:Party shading/Democratic align="center" | 8
Gallup<ref name="Carter Outpolls Reagan 49% to 41% In Survey">Template:Cite news</ref> May 2–5, 1980 33% Template:Party shading/Democratic align="center" | 38% 21% - 7% Template:Party shading/Democratic align="center" | 5
40% Template:Party shading/Democratic align="center" | 47% - - 13% Template:Party shading/Democratic align="center" | 7
ABC-Harris<ref name="Anderson Starts To Look Like A Possible Winner">Template:Cite news</ref> April 26–30, 1980 Template:Party shading/Republican align="center" | 39% 33% 23% - 5% Template:Party shading/Republican align="center" | 6
Gallup<ref name="Anderson Strongest Among Younger Voters">Template:Cite news</ref> April 26–27, 1980 35% Template:Party shading/Democratic align="center" | 40% 19% - 6% Template:Party shading/Democratic align="center" | 5
43% Template:Party shading/Democratic align="center" | 47% - - 10% Template:Party shading/Democratic align="center" | 4
ABC-Harris<ref name="Reagan Leads Carter">Template:Cite news</ref> April 25, 1980 Template:Party shading/Republican align="center" | 42% 33% 19% - 6% Template:Party shading/Republican align="center" | 9
Gallup<ref name="Carter's Lead Over Reagan Slipping; Anderson Strong"/> April 11–13, 1980 34% Template:Party shading/Democratic align="center" | 41% 18% 1% 6% Template:Party shading/Democratic align="center" | 7
44% Template:Party shading/Democratic align="center" | 49% - 1% 6% Template:Party shading/Democratic align="center" | 5
ABC-Harris<ref name="Reagan Tops Voters' List; Carter Dives"/> April 8, 1980 Template:Party shading/Republican align="center" | 38% Template:Party shading/Democratic align="center" | 38% 22% - 1% Tied
Template:Party shading/Republican align="center" | 48% 45% - - 7% Template:Party shading/Republican align="center" | 3
Gallup<ref name="Carter's Lead Over Reagan Slipping; Anderson Strong">Template:Cite news</ref> March 28–30, 1980 34% Template:Party shading/Democratic align="center" | 39% 21% 1% 5% Template:Party shading/Democratic align="center" | 5
43% Template:Party shading/Democratic align="center" | 48% - 2% 7% Template:Party shading/Democratic align="center" | 5
ABC-Harris<ref name="Reagan Tops Voters' List; Carter Dives"/> March 26–30, 1980 47% Template:Party shading/Democratic align="center" | 50% - - 3% Template:Party shading/Democratic align="center" | 3
ABC-Harris<ref name="Reagan Tops Voters' List; Carter Dives">Template:Cite news</ref> March 13–15, 1980 40% Template:Party shading/Democratic align="center" | 55% - - 5% Template:Party shading/Democratic align="center" | 15
ABC-Harris<ref name="Republicans And Independents Pick Ford As Favorite Candidate">Template:Cite news</ref> March 5–8, 1980 40% Template:Party shading/Democratic align="center" | 58% - - 2% Template:Party shading/Democratic align="center" | 18
Gallup<ref name="Reagan Invites Connally Workers To Join His Effort">Template:Cite news</ref> Feb. 29 – Mar. 2, 1980 34% Template:Party shading/Democratic align="center" | 57% - 3% 6% Template:Party shading/Democratic align="center" | 23
ABC-Harris<ref name="Republicans And Independents Pick Ford As Favorite Candidate"/> Jan. 31 – Feb. 4, 1980 32% Template:Party shading/Democratic align="center" | 64% - - 4% Template:Party shading/Democratic align="center" | 32
Gallup<ref name="Carter Leads 3 GOP Contenders, But Ted Trails">Template:Cite news</ref> February 1–3, 1980 32% Template:Party shading/Democratic align="center" | 59% - 3% 6% Template:Party shading/Democratic align="center" | 27
ABC-Harris<ref name="Carter Holds Lead Among Candidates">Template:Cite news</ref> January 22, 1980 31% Template:Party shading/Democratic align="center" | 65% - - 4% Template:Party shading/Democratic align="center" | 34
Gallup<ref name="Carter Consolidates Lead Over GOP">Template:Cite news</ref> January 4–6, 1980 32% Template:Party shading/Democratic align="center" | 63% - 1% 4% Template:Party shading/Democratic align="center" | 31
ABC-Harris<ref name="Carter Takes Big Lead Over Reagan In Presidential Race Poll">Template:Cite news</ref> December 14–16, 1979 36% Template:Party shading/Democratic align="center" | 59% - - 5% Template:Party shading/Democratic align="center" | 23
Gallup<ref name="Carter Pushes Ahead As Kennedy Falters In Ford-Reagan Tests">Template:Cite news</ref> December 7–9, 1979 36% Template:Party shading/Democratic align="center" | 60% - 1% 3% Template:Party shading/Democratic align="center" | 24
Gallup<ref name="Carter Continues Lead Over GOP">Template:Cite news</ref> November 16–19, 1979 41% Template:Party shading/Democratic align="center" | 53% - 1% 5% Template:Party shading/Democratic align="center" | 12
ABC-Harris<ref name="Reagan Takes Big Lead In GOP Race">Template:Cite news</ref> November 7–10, 1979 42% Template:Party shading/Democratic align="center" | 53% - - 5% Template:Party shading/Democratic align="center" | 11
Gallup<ref name="President, Reagan In Dead Heat"/> October 12–15, 1979 42% Template:Party shading/Democratic align="center" | 48% - 3% 7% Template:Party shading/Democratic align="center" | 6
ABC-Harris<ref name="Reagan's Standing Suffers Sharp Drop In Presidential Poll">Template:Cite news</ref> Sep. 26 – Oct. 1, 1979 45% Template:Party shading/Democratic align="center" | 52% - - 3% Template:Party shading/Democratic align="center" | 7
Gallup<ref name="President, Reagan In Dead Heat">Template:Cite news</ref> September 7–10, 1979 46% Template:Party shading/Democratic align="center" | 47% - 2% 5% Template:Party shading/Democratic align="center" | 1
ABC-Harris<ref name="Reagan Keeps Lead Over Carter In Presidential Choice Poll">Template:Cite news</ref> September 1–5, 1979 Template:Party shading/Republican align="center" | 50% 45% - - 5% Template:Party shading/Republican align="center" | 5
Gallup<ref name="Carter Gaining Ground">Template:Cite news</ref> August 3–6, 1979 42% Template:Party shading/Democratic align="center" | 47% - 4% 7% Template:Party shading/Democratic align="center" | 5
ABC-Harris<ref name="Carter Trailing Reagan, Baker">Template:Cite news</ref> July 28–29, 1979 Template:Party shading/Republican align="center" | 51% 44% - - 5% Template:Party shading/Republican align="center" | 7
Gallup<ref name="Poll Shows Kennedy Stronger Than Carter Against GOP's Top 4">Template:Cite news</ref> July 13–15, 1979 Template:Party shading/Republican align="center" | 52% 42% - 2% 4% Template:Party shading/Republican align="center" | 10
GallupTemplate:Full citation needed June 22–25, 1979 Template:Party shading/Republican align="center" | 49% 45% - 1% 5% Template:Party shading/Republican align="center" | 4
ABC-Harris<ref name="Reagan Leads Carter 51-43%">Template:Cite news</ref> June, 1979 Template:Party shading/Republican align="center" | 51% 43% - - 6% Template:Party shading/Republican align="center" | 8
ABC-Harris<ref name="Reagan Cuts Deeper Into Carter's Lead">Template:Cite news</ref> May, 1979 45% Template:Party shading/Democratic align="center" | 47% - - 8% Template:Party shading/Democratic align="center" | 2
ABC-Harris<ref name="Reagan Trails Carter, Kennedy">Template:Cite news</ref> March, 1979 46% Template:Party shading/Democratic align="center" | 49% - - 5% Template:Party shading/Democratic align="center" | 3
Gallup<ref name="Carter Leads, Edge Narrows">Template:Cite news</ref> March 23–26, 1979 38% Template:Party shading/Democratic align="center" | 52% - 3% 7% Template:Party shading/Democratic align="center" | 14
ABC-Harris<ref name="Carter Routs Reagan In Election Poll">Template:Cite news</ref> December 21–26, 1978 38% Template:Party shading/Democratic align="center" | 55% - - 7% Template:Party shading/Democratic align="center" | 17
Gallup<ref name="Jimmy Carter Leading Ford And Reagan">Template:Cite news</ref> December 8–11, 1978 35% Template:Party shading/Democratic align="center" | 57% - 2% 5% Template:Party shading/Democratic align="center" | 22
Gallup<ref name="Kennedy Stronger Than Carter Against GOP">Template:Cite news</ref> July 7–10, 1978 43% Template:Party shading/Democratic align="center" | 52% - 1% 4% Template:Party shading/Democratic align="center" | 9
ABC-Harris<ref name="Ford Leads Carter For 1980, Poll Says">Template:Cite news</ref> May 14–20,Template:Efn 1978 Template:Party shading/Republican align="center" | 47% 46% - - 7% Template:Party shading/Republican align="center" | 1
Gallup<ref name="President Would Beat Ford, Reagan">Template:Cite news</ref> Mar. 31 – Apr. 3, 1978 46% Template:Party shading/Democratic align="center" | 50% - 1% 3% Template:Party shading/Democratic align="center" | 4

CampaignEdit

Reagan gained in former Democratic strongholds such as the South and white ethnics dubbed "Reagan Democrats",<ref>Julio Borquez, "Partisan Appraisals of Party Defectors: Looking Back at the Reagan Democrats." American Review of Politics 26 (2005): 323-346 online Template:Webarchive.</ref> and exuded upbeat optimism.<ref name="strategy campaigning">Template:Cite book</ref> David Frum says Carter ran an attack-based campaign based on "despair and pessimism" which "cost him the election."<ref name="'70s 161">Template:Cite book</ref> Carter emphasized his record as a peacemaker, and said Reagan's election would threaten civil rights and social programs that stretched back to the New Deal. Reagan's platform also emphasized the importance of peace, as well as a prepared self-defense.<ref name="strategy campaigning" />

Immediately after the conclusion of the primaries,Template:Date? a Gallup poll held that Reagan was ahead, with 58% of voters upset by Carter's handling of the presidency.<ref name="strategy campaigning" /> One analysis of the election has suggested that "Both Carter and Reagan were perceived negatively by a majority of the electorate."<ref>Wayne, Stephen J. (1984). The Road to the White House (2nd ed.), p. 210. New York: St. Martin's Press. Template:ISBN.</ref> While the three leading candidates (Reagan, Anderson and Carter) were religious Christians, Carter had the most support of evangelical Christians according to a Gallup poll.<ref name="strategy campaigning" /> However, in the end, Jerry Falwell's Moral Majority lobbying group is credited with giving Reagan two-thirds of the white evangelical vote.<ref name="worldscollide">Template:Cite news</ref> According to Carter: "that autumn [1980] a group headed by Jerry Falwell purchased $10 million in commercials on southern radio and TV to brand me as a traitor to the South and no longer a Christian."<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>

The election of 1980 was a key turning point in American politics. It signaled the new electoral power of the suburbs and the Sun Belt. Reagan's success as a conservative would initiate a realigning of the parties, as Rockefeller-style Republicans and conservative Democrats would either leave politics or change party affiliations through the 1980s and 1990s to leave the parties much more ideologically polarized.<ref name="christian science" /> While during Barry Goldwater's 1964 campaign, many voters saw his warnings about a too-powerful government as hyperbolic and only 30% of the electorate agreed that government was too powerful, by 1980 a majority of Americans believed that government held too much power.<ref name="'70s 283">Template:Cite book</ref>

PromisesEdit

Reagan promised a restoration of the nation's military strength, at the same time 60% of Americans polled felt defense spending was too low.<ref name="'70s 344">Template:Cite book</ref> Reagan also promised an end to "trust me government" and to restore economic health by implementing a supply-side economic policy. Reagan promised a balanced budget within three years (which he said would be "the beginning of the end of inflation"), accompanied by a 30% reduction in tax rates over those same years. With respect to the economy, Reagan famously said, "A recession is when your neighbor loses his job. A depression is when you lose yours. And recovery is when Jimmy Carter loses his."<ref name="strategy campaigning" /> Reagan also criticized the "windfall profit tax" that Carter and Congress enacted that year in regards to domestic oil production and promised to attempt to repeal it as president.<ref name="tax history">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> The tax was not a tax on profits, but on the difference between the price control-mandated price and the market price.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}, CRS Report RL33305, "The Crude Oil Windfall Profit Tax of the 1980s: Implications for Current Energy Policy," by Salvatore Lazzari, p. 5.</ref>

On the issue of women's rights there was much division, with many feminists frustrated with Carter, the only major-party candidate who supported the Equal Rights Amendment. After a bitter Convention fight between Republican feminists and antifeminists the Republican Party dropped their forty-year endorsement of the ERA.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Reagan, however, announced his dedication to women's rights and his intention to, if elected, appoint women to his cabinet and the first female justice to the Supreme Court.<ref name="presidential leadership">Template:Cite book</ref> He also pledged to work with all 50 state governors to combat discrimination against women and to equalize federal laws as an alternative to the ERA.<ref name="strategy campaigning" /> Reagan was convinced to give an endorsement of women's rights in his nomination acceptance speech.

Carter was criticized by his own aides for not having a "grand plan" for the recovery of the economy, nor did he ever make any campaign promises; he often criticized Reagan's economic recovery plan, but did not create one of his own in response.<ref name="strategy campaigning" />

EventsEdit

File:Reagan 1980 campaign.jpg
Ronald Reagan campaigning with his wife Nancy and Senator Strom Thurmond in Columbia, South Carolina, October 10, 1980
File:Ronald Reagan campaigning in Florida (8102550796).jpg
Ronald Reagan campaigning in Florida

In August, after the Republican National Convention, Ronald Reagan gave a campaign speech at the annual Neshoba County Fair on the outskirts of Philadelphia, Mississippi, where three civil rights workers were murdered in 1964. He was the first presidential candidate ever to campaign at the fair.<ref>Kornacki, Steve (February 3, 2011) The "Southern Strategy," fulfilled Template:Webarchive, Salon.com</ref> Reagan famously announced, "Programs like education and others should be turned back to the states and local communities with the tax sources to fund them. I believe in states' rights. I believe in people doing as much as they can at the community level and the private level."<ref name="strategy campaigning"/> Reagan also stated, "I believe we have distorted the balance of our government today by giving powers that were never intended to be given in the Constitution to that federal establishment." He went on to promise to "restore to states and local governments the power that properly belongs to them."<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> President Carter criticized Reagan for injecting "hate and racism" by the "rebirth of code words like 'states' rights'".<ref>Template:YouTube</ref>

File:Ronald Reagan Shaking Hands with Supporters on a Campaign Stop in Indiana.jpg
Ronald Reagan shaking hands with supporters at a campaign stop in Indiana

Two days later, Reagan appeared at the Urban League convention in New York, where he said, "I am committed to the protection and enforcement of the civil rights of black Americans. This commitment is interwoven into every phase of the plans I will propose."<ref name="strategy campaigning" /> He then said that he would develop "enterprise zones" to help with urban renewal.<ref name="strategy campaigning" />

The media's main criticism of Reagan centered on his gaffes. When Carter kicked off his general election campaign in Tuscumbia, Reagan—referring to the Southern U.S. as a whole—claimed that Carter had begun his campaign in the birthplace of the Ku Klux Klan. In doing so, Reagan seemed to insinuate that the KKK represented the South, which caused many Southern governors to denounce Reagan's remarks.<ref>White House Diary, by Jimmy Carter, pp 461–462.</ref> Additionally, Reagan was widely ridiculed by Democrats for saying that trees caused pollution; he later said that he meant only certain types of pollution and his remarks had been misquoted.<ref name="cbs news">Template:Cite news</ref>

Meanwhile, Carter was burdened by a continued weak economy and the Iran hostage crisis.<ref name="'70s 344" /> Inflation, high interest rates, and unemployment continued through the course of the campaign, and the ongoing hostage crisis in Iran became, according to David Frum in How We Got Here: The '70s, a symbol of American impotence during the Carter years.<ref name="'70s 344" /> John Anderson's independent candidacy, aimed at eliciting support from liberals, especially former supporters of Ted Kennedy, was also seen as hurting Carter more than Reagan,<ref name="strategy campaigning" /> especially in reliably Democratic states such as Massachusetts and New York.

Presidential debatesEdit

{{#invoke:Labelled list hatnote|labelledList|Main article|Main articles|Main page|Main pages}}

Debates among candidates for the 1980 U.S. presidential election
No. Date Host Location Panelists Moderator Participants Viewership
(millions)
P1 Sunday, September 21, 1980 Baltimore Convention Center Baltimore, Maryland Carol Loomis
Daniel Greenberg
Charles Corddry
Lee May
Jane Bryant Quinn
Soma Golden 		Bill Moyers Former Governor Ronald Reagan
Congressman John Anderson 		n/a
P1a Tuesday, October 28, 1980 Public Auditorium Cleveland, Ohio Marvin Stone
Harry Ellis
William Hilliard
Barbara Walters 		Howard K. Smith Former Governor Ronald Reagan
President Jimmy Carter 		citation CitationClass=web

}}</ref>

Template:External media

The League of Women Voters, which had sponsored the 1976 Ford/Carter debate series, announced that it would do so again for the next cycle in the spring of 1979. Carter steadfastly refused to participate in a debate if Anderson was included, and Reagan refused to debate without him. A League-sponsored debate was held on September 21, 1980, in the Baltimore Convention Center. Of Carter's refusal to debate, Reagan said: "He [Carter] knows that he couldn't win a debate even if it were held in the Rose Garden before an audience of Administration officials with the questions being asked by Jody Powell".<ref name="Reagan on Carter in Baltimore 478">Template:Cite book</ref> Anderson, who many thought would handily dispatch Reagan, managed only a narrow win, according to many in the media at that time, with Reagan putting up a much stronger performance than expected. Despite the narrow win in the debate, Anderson, who had been as high as 20% in some polls, and at the time of the debate was over 10%, dropped to about 5% soon after. Anderson failed to substantively engage Reagan enough on their social issue differences and on Reagan's advocation of supply-side economics. Instead, Anderson started off by criticizing Carter: "Governor Reagan is not responsible for what has happened over the last four years, nor am I. The man who should be here tonight to respond to those charges chose not to attend," to which Reagan added: "It's a shame now that there are only two of us here debating, because the two that are here are in more agreement than disagreement."<ref name="Reagan Anderson Debate 479">Template:Cite book</ref> In one moment in the debate, Reagan commented on a rumor that Anderson had invited Senator Ted Kennedy to be his running mate by asking the candidate directly, "John, would you really prefer Teddy Kennedy to me?"<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

As September turned into October, the situation remained essentially the same. Reagan insisted Anderson be allowed to participate in a three-way debate, while Carter remained steadfastly opposed to this. As the standoff continued, the second debate was canceled, as was the vice presidential debate.

File:Carter Reagan Debate 10-28-80.png
President Carter (left) and former Governor Reagan (right) at the presidential debate on October 28, 1980

With two weeks to go to the election, the Reagan campaign decided at that point that the best thing to do was to accede to all of President Carter's demands. The final debate, featuring only Carter and Reagan, was rescheduled for October 28 in Cleveland, Ohio. The showdown ranked among the highest ratings of any television program in the previous decade. Debate topics included the Iranian hostage crisis and nuclear arms. Carter's campaign sought to portray Reagan as a reckless "war hawk", as well as a "dangerous right-wing radical". But it was President Carter's reference to his consultation with 12-year-old daughter Amy concerning nuclear weapons policy that became the focus of post-debate analysis and fodder for late-night television jokes. President Carter said he had asked Amy what the most important issue in that election was and she said, "the control of nuclear arms." A famous political cartoon, published the day after Reagan's landslide victory, showed Amy Carter sitting in Jimmy's lap with her shoulders shrugged asking "the economy? the hostage crisis?"Template:Citation needed

When President Carter criticized Reagan's record, which included voting against Medicare and Social Security benefits, former Governor Reagan audibly sighed and replied: "There you go again".<ref name="pbs debate">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

In his closing remarks, Reagan asked viewers: "Are you better off now than you were four years ago? Is it easier for you to go and buy things in the stores than it was four years ago? Is there more or less unemployment in the country than there was four years ago? Is America as respected throughout the world as it was? Do you feel that our security is as safe, that we're as strong as we were four years ago? And if you answer all of those questions 'yes', why then, I think your choice is very obvious as to whom you will vote for. If you don't agree, if you don't think that this course that we've been on for the last four years is what you would like to see us follow for the next four, then I could suggest another choice that you have".<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

After trailing Carter by eight points among registered voters (and by three points among likely voters) right before their debate, Reagan moved into a three-point lead among likely voters immediately afterward.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

EndorsementsEdit

In September 1980, former Watergate scandal prosecutor Leon Jaworski accepted a position as honorary chairman of Democrats for Reagan.<ref name="'70s 344"/> Five months earlier, Jaworski had harshly criticized Reagan as an "extremist"; he said after accepting the chairmanship, "I would rather have a competent extremist than an incompetent moderate."<ref name="'70s 344"/>

Former Democratic Senator Eugene McCarthy of Minnesota (who in 1968 had challenged Lyndon B. Johnson from the left, causing the then-President to all but abdicate) endorsed Reagan.<ref name="MacNeil-Lehrer">MacNeil-Lehrer NewsHour (December 12, 2005). Online NewsHour: "Remembering Sen. Eugene McCarthy" Template:Webarchive. December 12, 2005. PBS.</ref>

Three days before the election, the National Rifle Association of America endorsed a presidential candidate for the first time in its history, backing Reagan.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Reagan had received the California Rifle and Pistol Association's Outstanding Public Service Award. Carter had appointed Abner J. Mikva, a fervent proponent of gun control, to a federal judgeship and had supported the Alaska Lands Bill, closing Template:Convert to hunting.<ref>Facts on File 1980 Yearbook, p.844</ref>

General election endorsementsEdit

Template:Hidden begin Anderson had received endorsements from:

Former officeholders
Current and former state and local officials and party officeholders
Massachusetts
Celebrities, political activists, and political commentators
Newspapers

Template:Hidden end Template:Hidden begin Carter had received endorsements from:

Newspapers

|CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Template:Hidden end Template:Hidden begin Commoner had received endorsements from:

Celebrities, political activists, and political commentators

|CitationClass=web }}</ref> Template:Hidden end Template:Hidden begin DeBerry had received endorsements from:

Celebrities, political activists and political commentators

Template:Hidden end Template:Hidden begin Reagan had received endorsements from:

United States Senate

|CitationClass=web }}</ref>

United States House of Representatives
Governors and State Constitutional officers
Current and former state and local officials and party officeholders
Florida

|CitationClass=web }}</ref>

New York
Celebrities, political activists and political commentators
Newspaper endorsements

|CitationClass=web }}</ref>

|CitationClass=web }}</ref>

|CitationClass=web }}</ref>

|CitationClass=web }}</ref>

|CitationClass=web }}</ref>

|CitationClass=web }}</ref>

|CitationClass=web }}</ref>

|CitationClass=web }}</ref>

|CitationClass=web }}</ref> Template:Hidden end

ResultsEdit

The election was held on November 4, 1980.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Ronald Reagan and running mate George H. W. Bush defeated the Carter-Mondale ticket by almost 10 percentage points in the popular vote. The electoral college vote was a landslide, with 489 votes (representing 44 states) for Reagan and 49 for Carter (representing six states and Washington, D.C.). Republicans also gained control of the Senate for the first time since 1954.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

NBC News projected Reagan as the winner at 8:15 pm EST (5:15 PST), before voting was finished in the West, based on exit polls; it was the first time a broadcast network used exit polling to project a winner, and it took the other broadcast networks by surprise. Carter conceded defeat at 9:50 pm EST.<ref>Facts on File Yearbook 1980 p. 865</ref><ref>Facts on File Yearbook 1980 p. 838</ref> Some of Carter's advisors urged him to wait until 11:00 pm EST to allow poll results from the West Coast to come in, but Carter decided to concede earlier in order to avoid the impression that he was sulking. Speaker of the House Tip O'Neill angrily accused Carter of weakening the party's performance in the Senate elections by doing this.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>

John Anderson won 6.6% of the popular vote but no states.<ref name="auto">Template:Cite news</ref> He had the most support in New England, fueled by liberal and moderate Republicans who felt Reagan was too far to the right, and with voters who normally leaned Democratic but were dissatisfied with the Carter administration's policies. His best showing was in Massachusetts, where he won 15% of the vote.

Anderson performed worst in the South, receiving under 2% of the vote in South Carolina, Louisiana, Alabama, and Mississippi. He said he was accused of spoiling the election by receiving votes that might have otherwise been cast for Carter,<ref name="auto"/> but 37% of Anderson voters polled preferred Reagan as their second choice.<ref name="auto1">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Libertarian Party nominee Ed Clark received 921,299 popular votes (1.06%).

Carter's loss was the worst performance by an incumbent president since Herbert Hoover lost to Franklin Roosevelt by a margin of 18% in 1932, and his 49 Electoral College votes were the fewest won by an incumbent since William Howard Taft won eight in 1912. Carter was the first incumbent Democrat to serve only one full term since James Buchanan, and the last until Joe Biden. This was the third and most recent presidential election in which the incumbent Democrat lost reelection, after 1840 and 1888. This was the first time since 1840 that an incumbent Democrat lost the popular vote. Reagan had the most lopsided Electoral College victory for a first-time president-elect, with the exception of George Washington's unanimous victory in 1788.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

This election was the last time a Republican won the presidency without winning Georgia. It was the first time Massachusetts voted for a Republican candidate since 1956. 1980 is one of only two occurrences of pairs of consecutive elections seeing the incumbent presidents defeated, the other happening in 1892. This is the first time since 1896 that a party was voted out after a single four-year term. This did not occur again for either party until 2020, and for the Democrats until 2024.

This election began an ongoing pattern in which Rust Belt states Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin voted for the same presidential candidate, with the sole exception of 1988.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Reagan won 53% of the vote in reliably Democratic South Boston, one example of the so-called Reagan Democrat.<ref name="'70s 283"/> Although he won an even larger Electoral College majority in 1984, the 1980 election nonetheless stands as the last time some now very strongly Democratic counties gave a Republican a majority or plurality. Notable examples are Jefferson County in Washington State, Lane County, Oregon, Marin and Santa Cruz Counties in California, McKinley County, New Mexico, and Rock Island County, Illinois.<ref>Sullivan, Robert David; 'How the Red and Blue Map Evolved Over the Past Century' Template:Webarchive; America Magazine in The National Catholic Review; June 29, 2016</ref> Survey research and post-election polling indicated that the landslide result had been more a repudiation of Carter than an embrace of Reagan. But the public was aware that Reagan would move the nation in a more conservative direction, and was apparently willing to give it a chance to avoid four more years of Carter.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>

At age 69, Reagan was the oldest non-incumbent to win a presidential election. Thirty-six years later, in 2016, this record was surpassed by Donald Trump at age 70,<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> and four years later by Joe Biden at age 77,<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> and another four years after by Donald Trump again at age 78.

ResultsEdit

Electoral results
Presidential candidate Party Home state Popular vote Electoral
vote 		Running mate
Count Percentage Vice-presidential candidate Home state Electoral vote
Ronald Reagan Republican California 43,903,230 50.75% 489 George H. W. Bush Texas 489
Jimmy Carter (incumbent) Democratic Georgia 35,481,115 41.01% 49 Walter Mondale (incumbent) Minnesota 49
John B. Anderson Independent Illinois 5,719,850 6.61% 0 Patrick Lucey Wisconsin 0
Ed Clark Libertarian California 921,128 1.06% 0 David Koch Kansas 0
Barry Commoner Citizens Missouri 233,052 0.27% 0 LaDonna Harris Oklahoma 0
Gus Hall Communist New York  44,933 0.05% 0 Angela Davis California  0
John Rarick American Independent Louisiana  40,906 0.05% 0 Eileen Shearer California  0
Clifton DeBerry Socialist Workers California  38,738 0.04% 0 Matilde Zimmermann New York  0
Ellen McCormack Right to Life New York  32,320 0.04% 0 Carroll Driscoll New Jersey  0
Maureen Smith Peace and Freedom California  18,116 0.02% 0 Elizabeth Cervantes Barron California  0
Other 77,290 0.09% — Other —
Total 86,509,678 100% 538 538
Needed to win 270 270

Source (popular vote): Template:Leip PV source 2

Source (electoral vote): Template:National Archives EV source

Template:Bar box Template:Bar box

  • 1980 United States presidential election results map by county.svg

    Results by county, shaded according to winning candidate's percentage of the vote

  • 1980 United States Presidential election by congressional districts.svg

    Results by congressional district, shaded according to winning candidate's percentage of the vote

  • 1976-1980 United States Presidential swing by county margin.svg

    Change in vote margins at the county level from the 1976 election to the 1980 election.

Results by stateEdit

Source:<ref name="auto3">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Legend
States/districts won by Reagan/Bush
States/districts won by Carter/Mondale
† At-large results (Maine used the Congressional District Method)
Ronald Reagan
Republican 		Jimmy Carter
Democratic 		John Anderson
Independent 		Ed Clark
Libertarian 		Margin Margin
SwingTemplate:Efn 		State Total
State electoral
votes 		# % electoral
votes 		# % electoral
votes 		# % electoral
votes 		# % electoral
votes 		# % % #
Alabama 9 654,192 48.75 9 636,730 47.45 - 16,481 1.23 - 13,318 0.99 - 17,462 1.30 14.41 1,341,929 AL
Alaska 3 86,112 54.35 3 41,842 26.41 - 11,155 7.04 - 18,479 11.66 - 44,270 27.94 5.69 158,445 AK
Arizona 6 529,688 60.61 6 246,843 28.24 - 76,952 8.81 - 18,784 2.15 - 282,845 32.36 15.79 873,945 AZ
Arkansas 6 403,164 48.13 6 398,041 47.52 - 22,468 2.68 - 8,970 1.07 - 5,123 0.61 30.62 837,582 AR
California 45 4,524,858 52.69 45 3,083,661 35.91 - 739,833 8.62 - 148,434 1.73 - 1,441,197 16.78 15.00 8,587,063 CA
Colorado 7 652,264 55.07 7 367,973 31.07 - 130,633 11.03 - 25,744 2.17 - 284,291 24.00 12.53 1,184,415 CO
Connecticut 8 677,210 48.16 8 541,732 38.52 - 171,807 12.22 - 8,570 0.61 - 135,478 9.63 4.46 1,406,285 CT
Delaware 3 111,252 47.21 3 105,754 44.87 - 16,288 6.91 - 1,974 0.84 - 5,498 2.33 7.74 235,668 DE
D.C. 3 23,313 13.41 - 130,231 74.89 3 16,131 9.28 - 1,104 0.63 - -106,918 -61.49 3.63 173,889 DC
Florida 17 2,046,951 55.52 17 1,419,475 38.50 - 189,692 5.14 - 30,524 0.83 - 627,476 17.02 22.30 3,687,026 FL
Georgia 12 654,168 40.95 - 890,733 55.76 12 36,055 2.26 - 15,627 0.98 - -236,565 -14.81 18.97 1,597,467 GA
Hawaii 4 130,112 42.90 - 135,879 44.80 4 32,021 10.56 - 3,269 1.08 - -5,767 -1.90 0.63 303,287 HI
Idaho 4 290,699 66.46 4 110,192 25.19 - 27,058 6.19 - 8,425 1.93 - 180,507 41.27 18.51 437,431 ID
Illinois 26 2,358,049 49.65 26 1,981,413 41.72 - 346,754 7.30 - 38,939 0.82 - 376,636 7.93 5.96 4,749,721 IL
Indiana 13 1,255,656 56.01 13 844,197 37.65 - 111,639 4.98 - 19,627 0.88 - 411,459 18.35 10.73 2,242,033 IN
Iowa 8 676,026 51.31 8 508,672 38.60 - 115,633 8.78 - 13,123 1.00 - 167,354 12.70 11.69 1,317,661 IA
Kansas 7 566,812 57.85 7 326,150 33.29 - 68,231 6.96 - 14,470 1.48 - 240,662 24.56 17.01 979,795 KS
Kentucky 9 635,274 49.07 9 616,417 47.61 - 31,127 2.40 - 5,531 0.43 - 18,857 1.46 8.65 1,294,627 KY
Louisiana 10 792,853 51.20 10 708,453 45.75 - 26,345 1.70 - 8,240 0.53 - 84,400 5.45 11.23 1,548,591 LA
Maine † 2 238,522 45.61 2 220,974 42.25 - 53,327 10.20 - 5,119 0.98 - 17,548 3.36 2.52 523,011 ME
Maine-1 1 126,274 45.96 1 117,613 42.80 – 30,889 11.24 – Unknown Unknown – 8,661 3.15 1.83 274,776 ME1
Maine-2 1 112,248 47.15 1 103,361 43.42 – 22,438 9.43 – Unknown Unknown – 8,887 3.73 3.46 238,047 ME2
Maryland 10 680,606 44.18 - 726,161 47.14 10 119,537 7.76 - 14,192 0.92 - -45,555 -2.96 3.11 1,540,496 MD
Massachusetts 14 1,057,631 41.90 14 1,053,802 41.75 - 382,539 15.15 - 22,038 0.87 - 3,829 0.15 15.82 2,524,298 MA
Michigan 21 1,915,225 48.99 21 1,661,532 42.50 - 275,223 7.04 - 41,597 1.06 - 253,693 6.49 1.10 3,909,725 MI
Minnesota 10 873,241 42.56 - 954,174 46.50 10 174,990 8.53 - 31,592 1.54 - -80,933 -3.94 8.93 2,051,953 MN
Mississippi 7 441,089 49.42 7 429,281 48.09 - 12,036 1.35 - 5,465 0.61 - 11,808 1.32 3.20 892,620 MS
Missouri 12 1,074,181 51.16 12 931,182 44.35 - 77,920 3.71 - 14,422 0.69 - 142,999 6.81 10.44 2,099,824 MO
Montana 4 206,814 56.82 4 118,032 32.43 - 29,281 8.05 - 9,825 2.70 - 88,782 24.39 16.95 363,952 MT
Nebraska 5 419,937 65.53 5 166,851 26.04 - 44,993 7.02 - 9,073 1.42 - 253,086 39.49 18.75 640,854 NE
Nevada 3 155,017 62.54 3 66,666 26.89 - 17,651 7.12 - 4,358 1.76 - 88,351 35.64 31.28 247,885 NV
New Hampshire 4 221,705 57.74 4 108,864 28.35 - 49,693 12.94 - 2,067 0.54 - 112,841 29.39 18.11 383,999 NH
New Jersey 17 1,546,557 51.97 17 1,147,364 38.56 - 234,632 7.88 - 20,652 0.69 - 399,193 13.42 11.26 2,975,684 NJ
New Mexico 4 250,779 54.97 4 167,826 36.78 - 29,459 6.46 - 4,365 0.96 - 82,953 18.18 15.71 456,237 NM
New York 41 2,893,831 46.66 41 2,728,372 43.99 - 467,801 7.54 - 52,648 0.85 - 165,459 2.67 7.10 6,201,959 NY
North Carolina 13 915,018 49.30 13 875,635 47.18 - 52,800 2.85 - 9,677 0.52 - 39,383 2.12 13.17 1,855,833 NC
North Dakota 3 193,695 64.23 3 79,189 26.26 - 23,640 7.84 - 3,743 1.24 - 114,506 37.97 32.12 301,545 ND
Ohio 25 2,206,545 51.51 25 1,752,414 40.91 - 254,472 5.94 - 49,033 1.14 - 454,131 10.60 10.87 4,283,603 OH
Oklahoma 8 695,570 60.50 8 402,026 34.97 - 38,284 3.33 - 13,828 1.20 - 293,544 25.53 24.32 1,149,708 OK
Oregon 6 571,044 48.33 6 456,890 38.67 - 112,389 9.51 - 25,838 2.19 - 114,154 9.66 9.49 1,181,516 OR
Pennsylvania 27 2,261,872 49.59 27 1,937,540 42.48 - 292,921 6.42 - 33,263 0.73 - 324,332 7.11 9.47 4,561,501 PA
Rhode Island 4 154,793 37.20 - 198,342 47.67 4 59,819 14.38 - 2,458 0.59 - -43,549 -10.47 0.81 416,072 RI
South Carolina 8 441,207 49.57 8 427,560 48.04 - 14,150 1.59 - 4,975 0.56 - 13,647 1.53 14.57 890,083 SC
South Dakota 4 198,343 60.53 4 103,855 31.69 - 21,431 6.54 - 3,824 1.17 - 94,488 28.83 27.35 327,703 SD
Tennessee 10 787,761 48.70 10 783,051 48.41 - 35,991 2.22 - 7,116 0.44 - 4,710 0.29 13.29 1,617,616 TN
Texas 26 2,510,705 55.28 26 1,881,147 41.42 - 111,613 2.46 - 37,643 0.83 - 629,558 13.86 17.03 4,541,637 TX
Utah 4 439,687 72.77 4 124,266 20.57 - 30,284 5.01 - 7,226 1.20 - 315,421 52.20 23.41 604,222 UT
Vermont 3 94,598 44.37 3 81,891 38.41 - 31,760 14.90 - 1,900 0.89 - 12,707 5.96 -5.24 213,207 VT
Virginia 12 989,609 53.03 12 752,174 40.31 - 95,418 5.11 - 12,821 0.69 - 237,435 12.72 11.38 1,866,032 VA
Washington 9 865,244 49.66 9 650,193 37.32 - 185,073 10.62 - 29,213 1.68 - 215,051 12.34 8.46 1,742,394 WA
West Virginia 6 334,206 45.30 - 367,462 49.81 6 31,691 4.30 - 4,356 0.59 - -33,256 -4.51 11.63 737,715 WV
Wisconsin 11 1,088,845 47.90 11 981,584 43.18 - 160,657 7.07 - 29,135 1.28 - 107,261 4.72 6.40 2,273,221 WI
Wyoming 3 110,700 62.64 3 49,427 27.97 - 12,072 6.83 - 4,514 2.55 - 61,273 34.67 15.18 176,713 WY
TOTALS: 538 43,903,230 50.75 489 35,480,115 41.01 49 5,719,850 6.61 - 921,128 1.06 - 8,423,115 9.74 11.80 86,509,678 US

Maine allowed its electoral votes to be split between candidates. Two electoral votes were awarded to the winner of the statewide race and one electoral vote to the winner of each congressional district. Reagan won all four votes.<ref name="MaineDistrict">Template:Cite book</ref>

States that flipped from Democratic to RepublicanEdit

Close statesEdit

Margin of victory less than 1% (30 electoral votes):

  1. Massachusetts, 0.15% (3,829 votes)
  2. Tennessee, 0.29% (4,710 votes)
  3. Arkansas, 0.61% (5,123 votes)

Margin of victory less than 5% (135 electoral votes):

  1. Alabama, 1.30% (17,462 votes)
  2. Mississippi, 1.32% (11,808 votes)
  3. Kentucky, 1.46% (18,857 votes)
  4. South Carolina, 1.53% (13,647 votes)
  5. Hawaii, 1.90% (5,767 votes)
  6. North Carolina, 2.12% (39,383 votes)
  7. Delaware, 2.33% (5,498 votes)
  8. New York, 2.67% (165,459 votes)
  9. Maryland, 2.96% (45,555 votes)
  10. Maine's 1st Congressional District, 3.15% (8,661 votes)
  11. Maine, 3.36% (17,548 votes)
  12. Maine's 2nd Congressional District, 3.73% (8,887 votes)
  13. Minnesota, 3.94% (80,933 votes)
  14. West Virginia, 4.51% (33,256 votes)
  15. Wisconsin, 4.72% (107,261 votes)

Margin of victory more than 5%, but less than 10% (113 electoral votes):

  1. Louisiana, 5.45% (84,400 votes)
  2. Vermont, 5.96% (12,707 votes)
  3. Michigan, 6.49% (253,693 votes)
  4. Missouri, 6.81% (142,999 votes)
  5. Pennsylvania, 7.11% (324,332 votes)
  6. Illinois, 7.93% (376,636 votes) (tipping-point state)
  7. Connecticut, 9.64% (135,478 votes)
  8. Oregon, 9.66% (114,154 votes)

StatisticsEdit

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Counties with highest percentage of the vote (Republican)

  1. Banner County, Nebraska 90.41%
  2. Madison County, Idaho 88.41%
  3. McIntosh County, North Dakota 86.01%
  4. McPherson County, South Dakota 85.60%
  5. Franklin County, Idaho 85.31%

Counties with highest percentage of the vote (Democratic)

  1. Macon County, Alabama 80.10%
  2. Hancock County, Georgia 78.50%
  3. Duval County, Texas 77.91%
  4. Jefferson County, Mississippi 77.84%
  5. Greene County, Alabama 77.09%

Counties with highest percentage of the vote (Other)

  1. Pitkin County, Colorado 27.76%
  2. Nantucket, Massachusetts 21.63%
  3. Winnebago County, Illinois 21.50%
  4. Dukes County, Massachusetts 20.88%
  5. Story County, Iowa 19.41%

Voter demographicsEdit

The 1980 presidential vote by demographic subgroup
Demographic subgroup Template:Party shading/Democratic|Carter Template:Party shading/Republican|Reagan Template:Party shading/Independent|Anderson % of
total vote
Total vote 41 51 7 100
Ideology
Liberals 60 28 11 17
Moderates 43 49 8 46
Conservatives 23 73 3 33
Party
Democrats 67 27 6 43
Republicans 11 85 4 28
Independents 31 55 12 23
Sex
Men 37 55 7 51
Women 46 47 7 49
Race
White 36 56 7 88
Black 83 14 3 10
Hispanic 56 37 7 2
Age
18–21 years old 45 44 11 6
22–29 years old 44 44 10 17
30–44 years old 38 55 7 31
45–59 years old 39 55 6 23
60 and older 41 55 4 18
Family income
Under $10,000 52 42 6 13
$10,000–15,000 48 43 8 14
$15,000–25,000 39 54 7 30
$25,000–50,000 33 59 7 24
Over $50,000 26 66 7 5
Region
East 43 48 8 32
Midwest 42 51 6 20
South 45 52 2 27
West 35 54 9 11
Union households
Union 48 45 7 26
Non-union 36 56 7 62

Source: CBS News and The New York Times exit poll from the Roper Center for Public Opinion Research (15,201 surveyed)<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

AftermathEdit

In 1986, it was revealed that Philippine leader Ferdinand Marcos had allegedly donated money to both Carter's and Reagan's campaigns.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

See alsoEdit

Template:Portal

NotesEdit

Template:Notelist

ReferencesEdit

Template:Reflist

Further readingEdit

BooksEdit

Journal articlesEdit

Newspaper articlesEdit

External linksEdit

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