1980 United States presidential election

The 1980 U.S. presidential election in which Republican Ronald Reagan defeated incumbent Democrat Jimmy Carter, winning 44 states and a decisive Electoral College majority.

Ronald Reagan: An American actor and politician who served as the 40th president of the United States from 1981 to 1989. His victory over Carter made him president-elect and ended a Democratic presidential term.
Iran hostage crisis: The 444-day seizure of the U.S. embassy in Tehran and detention of American diplomats from 1979 to 1981. The crisis damaged confidence in Carter’s foreign-policy leadership during the campaign.
Electoral College (United States): The constitutionally established body whose electors formally choose the president and vice president of the United States. Reagan’s broad state victories produced a much larger electoral margin than his popular-vote lead.
George H. W. Bush: An American politician who served as vice president under Ronald Reagan and later as the 41st president. Reagan selected Bush as his running mate after defeating him in the Republican primaries.
Reagan era: The period of American political life associated with Ronald Reagan’s presidency from 1981 to 1989. Reagan’s election began the presidency that defined this political period.
Jimmy Carter: An American politician who served as the 39th president of the United States from 1977 to 1981. His reelection defeat reflected widespread dissatisfaction with his administration.
1979 oil crisis: A sharp rise in oil prices and supply disruptions following the Iranian Revolution. Higher energy costs intensified inflation and public frustration before the election.
United States presidential nominating process: The system of primaries, caucuses, and conventions through which U.S. parties choose presidential nominees. The parties’ nomination contests determined which candidates reached the general election.
Walter Mondale: An American politician who served as vice president under Jimmy Carter from 1977 to 1981. Mondale was Carter’s running mate and a central campaign surrogate.
United States Senate elections, 1980: The 1980 elections that gave Republicans control of the U.S. Senate for the first time since 1954. The concurrent Republican gains strengthened Reagan’s ability to advance his legislative agenda.

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