Hello and welcome to another edition of the presidential election series, where I’ll be discussing the Election of 1980. Jimmy Carter’s presidency has been struggling for the last four years as he faces not only a divided party and conflicts overseas but also a charismatic former actor who wants him out of office.
Jimmy Carter’s Presidency
After his narrow victory over Gerald Ford in the previous election, Jimmy Carter, the former Governor of Georgia turned President of the United States, had to deal with a host of issues both at home and abroad while also taking steps to heal the nation following a decade of uncertainty.
In terms of his successes, President Carter granted amnesty to draft dodgers from the Vietnam War, recognized and later began diplomatic negotiations with the People’s Republic of China, protected areas of land in Alaska as part of his environmental efforts, and signed two acts in 1977 and 1978 that paved the way for the Department of Energy and the Department of Education, which soon became the newest additions to the president’s political cabinet.
Carter also negotiated and signed an international treaty that attempted to bring peace between Israel and Egypt, known as the Camp David Accords. He returned the Panama Canal to the Panamanian people and signed an arms reduction treaty with the Soviet Union, which at first eased tensions during the Cold War.
Despite these achievements, Carter’s time in office was marred by low economic growth, an energy crisis, and a continuing bout of stagflation in the United States. His efforts to pass reforms and work programs to address these issues were hindered by his poor relationship with Congress, including members of his own party. He also faced embarrassment and scandal due to the antics of his brother, Billy, and his ties to the Libyan government, as well as corruption charges against his Budget and Management Director, Bert Lance, which led to Lance’s resignation, although he was eventually cleared of all charges.
Abroad, Carter’s challenges ranged from the Soviet Union’s invasion of Afghanistan—which led to the previously mentioned arms treaty not being ratified—to a grain embargo that cost him support among farmers. His decision to boycott the 1980 Olympics in Moscow was controversial as well. However, the most significant foreign policy crisis during his presidency was the Iranian Hostage Crisis, which had a profound impact on the Election of 1980.
The Iranian Revolution and Hostage Crisis
If you’ve read the election article I wrote about the 1956 presidential race, you might recall my discussion of President Dwight Eisenhower’s first term in office, during which the CIA orchestrated several coups, including one in Iran. In the early 1950s, the CIA and British forces helped overthrow Iran’s elected Prime Minister, Mohammad Mosaddegh, leading to the installation of Mohammad Reza Pahlavi as the Shah of Iran, with the backing of the United States.
Fast forward to the late 1970s, and the people of Iran rebelled against the Shah, leading to the Iranian Revolution. The revolution saw the ousting of the Shah in favor of the religious leader Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini. In the aftermath, Iranian militants stormed the U.S. Embassy in Tehran, capturing several American diplomats and citizens, sparking the Iranian Hostage Crisis. The hostages were to be released only if the U.S. returned Pahlavi to Iran to face justice, but he had fled to the U.S. for medical treatment.
When the former Shah of Iran died in July 1980, any hopes of resolving the crisis diplomatically faded. After a failed attempt to rescue the hostages in Operation Eagle Claw, it became clear that the crisis in Iran would be a major issue for President Carter as he sought re-election in the Election of 1980.
Carter vs. Kennedy
As domestic and foreign conflicts continued to plague his presidency, Carter initially appeared to be the Democratic Party’s uncontested pick for the 1980 election. However, those plans were upended on November 7, 1979, when Massachusetts Senator Ted Kennedy, leader of the liberal wing of the Democrats, announced his run for the party’s nomination.
Carter’s fiscal conservatism and unpopularity within the party led many to see Kennedy as a candidate who could energize the base and work more effectively with Congress. The contest between Carter and Kennedy became a bitter battle, exacerbating divisions within the Democratic Party that would haunt whoever won the nomination in the general election.
Although some party members attempted to persuade Secretary of State Edmund Muskie to run as a compromise candidate to unify the party, this effort failed. Carter decided to use the Rose Garden Strategy during his primary fight with Kennedy, which eventually helped him secure enough delegates by August 1980 to become the nominee for a second term, along with Vice President Walter Mondale. However, the party’s divisions were still apparent when Kennedy, after conceding, shook Carter’s hand at the convention but quickly left the stage, symbolizing the ongoing discord within the party.
Reagan for President
With the Democrats divided and Carter’s presidency seen as weak, the Republican Party was confident heading into the Election of 1980. Several prominent figures ran for the GOP nomination, including:
- Howard Baker – Senate Minority Leader & former Senator of Tennessee
- George H.W. Bush – Former CIA Director and Chairman of the RNC
- Bob Dole – Senator of Kansas
- John B. Anderson – U.S. Representative from Illinois
- Ronald Reagan – Former Governor of California
Reagan, the frontrunner, faced a brief challenge when he skipped the Republican debate in Iowa, allowing Bush to win the state’s primary and gain momentum. However, Reagan quickly regained his footing by dominating a debate in New Hampshire, where he outmaneuvered Bush and the other candidates. This led to Reagan’s sweeping victories in subsequent primaries, securing his place as the GOP nominee for the Election of 1980.
Reagan’s choice of running mate was a topic of much speculation. Some believed that former President Gerald Ford might be offered the role, but Reagan ultimately chose George H.W. Bush as his running mate after Ford’s comments about a potential “co-presidency” caused concern.
Anderson Goes Independent
John Anderson, who had garnered attention for his critiques of GOP policies, decided to leave the Republican Party and run as an independent, appealing to voters dissatisfied with both Reagan and Carter. Anderson’s platform included opposition to the military draft, tax cuts for Social Security, a gas tax for environmental reasons, and support for the Equal Rights Amendment. His choice of running mate was Patrick Lucey, former Governor of Wisconsin and Ambassador to Mexico in the Carter administration.
Despite his initial polling success, Anderson’s numbers began to drop as the Election of 1980 approached.
The Campaigns
As the general election campaign unfolded, Reagan ran on a platform of hope and optimism, promising smaller government and increased military spending to win the Cold War. Carter’s campaign took a more negative tone, attacking Reagan for his conservative policies and claiming that he would roll back advancements in civil rights and the New Deal.
Reagan’s charm and ability to connect with voters contrasted with Carter’s struggles to manage growing issues both at home and abroad. Reagan’s controversial comments, such as his assertion that “trees cause pollution,” led to some public backlash, but his overall message resonated with many Americans. Meanwhile, Anderson made history as the first third-party candidate to participate in a presidential debate, although his performance wasn’t enough to elevate him beyond third place in the polls.
The Final Debate & Carter’s Decision
After skipping the first debate due to Anderson’s participation, Carter agreed to debate Reagan in the final showdown on October 28, 1980. The Reagan campaign reportedly received documents outlining Carter’s debate strategy, raising suspicions of foul play. However, it’s unclear if this information had any impact on Reagan’s performance.
During the debate, Reagan’s famous retort, “There you go again,” and his closing question, “Are you better off than you were four years ago?” effectively undercut Carter’s arguments and left a lasting impression on voters.
In a final bid to save his re-election chances, Carter’s administration considered making a deal with Iran to secure the hostages’ release before Election Day. However, Carter ultimately decided that the issue of the hostages should not be politicized and refused to use it as a campaign tool.
The Results and Aftermath
As you can see from the electoral map, Ronald Reagan easily trounced Jimmy Carter in the Election of 1980, becoming the 40th President of the United States. Reagan received an astounding 489 electoral votes and 50.8% of the popular vote. His win in the electoral vote was the largest for a first-time president since Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1932, and it made Reagan the oldest man ever elected president at 69 years old.
Jimmy Carter finished with just 49 electoral votes and 41% of the popular vote, marking the worst electoral defeat for an incumbent president seeking re-election since Herbert Hoover. Carter also became the first one-term U.S. president post-World War II.
In third place, John B. Anderson received no electoral votes but pulled 6.6% of the popular vote. While disappointing, this was the best performance for a third-party candidate in the popular vote since George Wallace in 1968.
On Inauguration Day, January 20, 1981, as Reagan was being sworn in, reports emerged that the hostages in Iran were being released. This timing led to widespread speculation that members of the Reagan campaign had negotiated with Iran to delay the hostages’ release until after the election, a claim that remains controversial to this day.
In closing, the Election of 1980 saw Ronald Reagan sweep into the White House, marking a significant shift in American politics. Reagan’s victory set the stage for an era defined by free-market conservatism and a new approach to domestic and international issues. As Reagan prepared to lead America into the 1980s, his policies and vision promised to reshape the nation’s economic and political landscape. But that’s a story for the next article.
