1980 United States presidential election

The 1980 United States presidential election happened on November 4, 1980. Ronald Reagan, the Republican candidate and former Governor of California, won the election. He defeated the incumbent president, Jimmy Carter, who was a Democrat, and John B. Anderson, a notable third party candidate who was an Independent.

The country had a lot of problems during the election. The economy was bad (it was in a recession). Inflation was very high. There was an energy crisis. Iran, after the Iranian Revolution was holding 52 Americans hostage.

Reagan campaigned for to cut income taxes and to reduce government spending overall while increasing defense spending to challenge the Soviet Union in the Cold War. Carter campaigned for more government programs and mentioned the importance of human rights and preventing nuclear war.

Ronald Reagan won the election by a landslide, meaning that he had a lot more votes than his opponent.  

Ronald Reagan's victory resulted in the Republicans gaining more power for the next few decades.

Candidates
Democratic Party
link=Democratic_Party_(United_States)|center|65x65px|Democratic Party (United States)1980 Democratic Party Ticketfor Presidentfor Vice Presidentcenter|200x200pxcenter|200x200px39thPresident of the United States(1977–1981)42ndVice President of the United States(1977–1981)center|200x200px
Democratic candidates:
Jimmy Carter, President of the United States from Georgia
Ted Kennedy, U.S. senator from Massachusetts
Jerry Brown, governor of California
Cliff Finch, former governor of Mississippi
Candidates gallery

Republican Party
link=Republican_Party_(United_States)|center|65x65px|Republican Party (United States)1980 Republican Party Ticketfor Presidentfor Vice Presidentcenter|204x204pxcenter|200x200px33rdGovernor of California(1967-1975)11thDirector of Central Intelligence(1976-1977)center|199x199px
Republican candidates:
 Former Governor Ronald Reagan of California
 Former CIA director and United States Representative George H. W. Bush of Texas
 Representative John B. Anderson of Illinois
 Senate Minority Leader Howard Baker of Tennessee
 Representative Phil Crane of Illinois
 Former Governor John Connally of Texas
 Senator Bob Dole of Kansas
 Former Special Ambassador to Paraguay Ben Fernandez of California
 Former Governor Harold Stassen of Minnesota
 Senator Lowell Weicker of Connecticut
 Senator Larry Pressler  of South Dakota

Candidates gallery

 Other candidates 
1980 Independent ticket1980 Libertarian ticketEd ClarkDavid Kochfor Presidentfor Vice Presidentfor Presidentfor Vice Presidentcenter|frameless|200x200pxcenter|frameless|190x190pxcenter|frameless|200x200pxcenter|frameless|200x200pxU.S. Representative fromIllinois(1961–1981)Former U.S. Ambassador to Mexico(1977–1979)Former Chair of theLibertarian Party of California(1973–1974)Co-owner ofKoch, Inc.CampaignCampaignlink=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:John_Anderson_presidential_campaign,_1980_2.png|framelesslink=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Ed_Clark_bumper_sticker.jpg|frameless

Notes

References

Category:1980 in the United States
Category:1980 elections
Category:Jimmy Carter
Category:Ronald Reagan
1980