United States presidential election, 1980 facts for kids
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Presidential election results map. Red denotes states won by Reagan/Bush, Blue denotes those won by Carter/Mondale.
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The United States presidential election of 1980 was a big event. It happened on November 4, 1980. The main candidates were Jimmy Carter, who was the current President and a Democrat, and Ronald Reagan, a Republican who used to be the Governor of California. There was also a third important candidate, John B. Anderson, who ran as an independent.
At the time, the country was facing many challenges. The economy was not doing well, which is called a recession. Prices for goods and services were rising very quickly, known as inflation. There was also an energy crisis, meaning it was hard to get enough oil and gas. Plus, 52 Americans were being held hostage in Iran after the Iranian Revolution.
Ronald Reagan promised to cut taxes and reduce how much the government spent. He also wanted to spend more money on defense to challenge the Soviet Union during the Cold War. This was a time of tension between the U.S. and the Soviet Union. President Carter, on the other hand, focused on government programs and talked about the importance of human rights and preventing nuclear war.
In the end, Ronald Reagan won the election by a huge amount. This kind of big win is called a landslide. His victory led to the Republican Party having more influence in politics for many years after.
Contents
Who Ran for President?
The 1980 election had many people hoping to become president. Here are some of the main candidates from the two biggest parties and an important independent.
Democratic Candidates
The Democratic Party had several people who wanted to be their candidate.
- Jimmy Carter, who was the President at the time, from Georgia.
- Ted Kennedy, a U.S. Senator from Massachusetts.
- Jerry Brown, the Governor of California.
Democratic Candidates Gallery
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Senator Ted Kennedy of Massachusetts
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Governor Jerry Brown of California
Republican Candidates
The Republican Party also had many people running to be their nominee.
- Former Governor Ronald Reagan from California.
- Former CIA director and Representative George H. W. Bush from Texas.
- Representative John B. Anderson from Illinois, who later ran as an independent.
- Senate Minority Leader Howard Baker from Tennessee.
- Representative Phil Crane from Illinois.
- Former Governor John Connally from Texas.
- Senator Bob Dole from Kansas.
- Former Governor Harold Stassen from Minnesota.
Republican Candidates Gallery
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Former Governor Ronald Reagan of California
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Former CIA director and Representative George H. W. Bush of Texas
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Representative John B. Anderson of Illinois
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Representative Phil Crane of Illinois
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Former Governor John Connally of Texas
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Former Minnesota Governor Harold Stassen
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Senator Lowell Weicker of Connecticut
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Senator Larry Pressler of South Dakota
Images for kids
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President Ronald Reagan's 1980 presidential campaign poster
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Ronald Reagan campaigning with his wife Nancy and Strom Thurmond in Columbia, South Carolina, October 10, 1980
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President Carter (left) and former Governor Reagan (right) at the presidential debate on October 28, 1980.
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1980 Presidential Election, Results by Congressional District
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See also
In Spanish: Elecciones presidenciales de Estados Unidos de 1980 para niños
