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Walter Mondale 1984 presidential campaign facts for kids

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Mondale for President
Mondale Ferraro bumper sticker 1.jpg
Campaign 1984 U.S. presidential election
Candidate Walter Mondale
Affiliation Democratic Party
Status Lost election: November 6, 1984
Headquarters Boston, Massachusetts
Key people Bob Beckel (campaign manager)
Slogan America Needs a Change

The 1984 presidential campaign of Walter Mondale was his effort to become the President of the United States. Walter Mondale was a former senator from Minnesota and had served as the Vice President of the United States. His campaign officially started on February 21, 1983. He announced his plan to run for president in a speech at the Minnesota State Capitol.

What is a Presidential Campaign?

A presidential campaign is when a person tries to become the president. They travel around the country and talk to people. They explain their ideas and why they think they would be a good leader. This helps voters decide who they want to support.

How Does Someone Become a Candidate?

To become a presidential candidate, a person usually needs to win their political party's nomination. This means their party chooses them as their official representative. For Walter Mondale, this was the Democratic Party.

Winning the Democratic Nomination

Walter Mondale worked hard to get enough support from his party. He needed a certain number of "delegate votes." Delegates are like representatives from each state who vote for a candidate. Mondale got the 1,967 delegate votes he needed. A key moment was when Frank Lautenberg decided to support him. This support helped Mondale secure the nomination.

The 1984 Election Day

After winning his party's nomination, Walter Mondale ran in the main election. This was called the general election. It took place on November 6, 1984.

Who Was Mondale's Opponent?

Mondale ran against the person who was already president, Ronald Reagan. President Reagan was a member of the Republican Party.

The Election Outcome

Walter Mondale lost the election to President Ronald Reagan. Reagan won by a very large amount, which is often called a "landslide victory." This means many more people voted for Reagan than for Mondale.

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