United States Presidential Election, 1980

Introduction

This is a revision of the United States presidential election of 1980, the year of Republican Ronald Reagan’s landslide election against incumbent Democratic President Jimmy Carter.

In the 1980 election of the current timeline, Reagan received close to 51% of the popular vote compared to over 41% for Carter and around 7% for Independent John Anderson, and with Reagan winning 44 states. This revised version of history makes the 1980 landslide much wider. In this revision, Reagan has 66.7% of the popular vote compared to Carter’s 28.1%, for a victory margin of over 38%, with Anderson receiving only 4.1%. Reagan wins everything except Rhode Island and the District of Columbia, for a total of 49 states.

I’m doing this because Reagan deserves a greater victory than Nixon, since Reagan was a Republican in the true sense of the word who loved this country, compared to Nixon, who was a Republican In Name Only (RINO), or a moderate Republican with views leaning toward socialism and/or leftism in many ways. The 1980 presidential election will stand as one of the biggest landslides in the 20th century, second only to Reagan’s landslide reelection in 1984.

The revised election below is organized state-by-state in alphabetical order, for a total of 50 states plus the District of Columbia.

United States presidential election, 1980 (results estimated)

Alabama

Ronald Reagan (R): 1,015,088 (75%)
Jimmy Carter (D): 287,234 (21.2%)
John Anderson (I): 16,481 (1.2%)
Other: 34,526 (2.6%)
Total: 1,353,329

Alaska

Reagan: 104,508 (65.3%)
Carter: 35,644 (22.3%)
Anderson: 7,155 (4.5%)
Other: 12,638 (7.9%)
Total: 159,945

Arizona

Reagan: 581,244 (66.2%)
Carter: 218,621 (24.9%)
Anderson: 57,509 (6.6%)
Other: 20,022 (2.3%)
Total: 877,396

Arkansas

Reagan: 610,381 (71.8%)
Carter: 204,307 (24%)
Anderson: 22,796 (2.7%)
Other: 12,908 (1.5%)
Total: 850,392

California

Reagan: 6,120,194 (64.7%)
Carter: 2,975,770 (31.4%)
Anderson: 281,178 (3%)
Other: 86,682 (0.9%)
Total: 9,463,824

Colorado

Reagan: 822,817 (66.7%)
Carter: 337,311 (27.4%)
Anderson: 59,405 (4.8%)
Other: 13,442 (1.1%)
Total: 1,232,975

Connecticut

Reagan: 870,903 (61.9%)
Carter: 466,199 (33.1%)
Anderson: 56,837 (4%)
Other: 14,060 (1%)
Total: 1,407,999

Delaware

Reagan: 147,382 (60.7%)
Carter: 82,930 (34.2%)
Anderson: 10,061 (4.1%)
Other: 2,430 (1%)
Total: 242,803

District of Columbia

Carter: 126,571 (72.2%)
Reagan: 46,147 (26.3%)
Anderson: 1,774 (1%)
Other: 897 (0.5%)
Total: 175,389

Florida

Reagan: 2,772,346 (74.9%)
Carter: 755,751 (20.4%)
Anderson: 141,061 (3.8%)
Other: 30,348 (0.8%)
Total: 3,699,506

Georgia

Reagan: 1,257,661 (77.7%)
Carter: 310,085 (19.2%)
Anderson: 35,975 (2.2%)
Other: 14,810 (0.9%)
Total: 1,618,531

Hawaii

Reagan: 186,305 (61%)
Carter: 103,437 (33.9%)
Anderson: 12,303 (4%)
Other: 3,207 (1.1%)
Total: 305,252

Idaho

Reagan: 316,121 (71%)
Carter: 106,497 (23.9%)
Anderson: 16,761 (3.8%)
Other: 5,732 (1.3%)
Total: 445,111

Illinois

Reagan: 3,369,625 (66.2%)
Carter: 1,487,601 (29.2%)
Anderson: 189,307 (3.7%)
Other: 44,421 (0.9%)
Total: 5,090,954

Indiana

Reagan: 1,566,201 (69.4%)
Carter: 549,221 (24.3%)
Anderson: 111,643 (4.9%)
Other: 30,118 (1.3%)
Total: 2,257,183

Iowa

Reagan: 850,149 (63.7%)
Carter: 382,963 (28.7%)
Anderson: 83,916 (6.3%)
Other: 16,833 (1.3%)
Total: 1,333,861

Kansas

Reagan: 712,794 (70.9%)
Carter: 204,783 (20.4%)
Anderson: 68,712 (6.8%)
Other: 18,814 (1.9%)
Total: 1,005,103

Kentucky

Reagan: 874,353 (66.5%)
Carter: 396,585 (30.2%)
Anderson: 31,533 (2.4%)
Other: 11,814 (0.9%)
Total: 1,314,285

Louisiana

Reagan: 1,114,769 (71.3%)
Carter: 397,894 (25.5%)
Anderson: 30,479 (1.9%)
Other: 20,252 (1.3%)
Total: 1,563,394

Maine

Reagan: 330,114 (62.7%)
Carter: 143,669 (27.3%)
Anderson: 42,790 (8.1%)
Other: 10,188 (1.9%)
Total: 526,761

Maryland

Reagan: 1,038,325 (66%)
Carter: 399,808 (25.4%)
Anderson: 120,901 (7.7%)
Other: 14,372 (0.9%)
Total: 1,573,406

Massachusetts

Reagan: 1,447,337 (55.3%)
Carter: 897,090 (34.3%)
Anderson: 243,128 (9.3%)
Other: 28,567 (1.1%)
Total: 2,616,122

Michigan

Reagan: 2,663,236 (65.8%)
Carter: 1,173,743 (29%)
Anderson: 163,613 (4%)
Other: 49,938 (1.2%)
Total: 4,050,530

Minnesota

Reagan: 1,093,154 (52.9%)
Carter: 887,863 (43%)
Anderson: 63,740 (3.1%)
Other: 21,315 (1%)
Total: 2,066,072

Mississippi

Reagan: 720,600 (79.5%)
Carter: 166,177 (18.3%)
Anderson: 11,968 (1.3%)
Other: 7,218 (0.8%)
Total: 905,963

Missouri

Reagan: 1,437,042 (66.4%)
Carter: 638,024 (29.5%)
Anderson: 74,610 (3.4%)
Other: 15,983 (0.7%)
Total: 2,165,659

Montana

Reagan: 245,064 (65.9%)
Carter: 107,824 (29%)
Anderson: 15,984 (4.3%)
Other: 3,075 (0.8%)
Total: 371,947

Nebraska

Reagan: 481,327 (73.6%)
Carter: 145,878 (22.3%)
Anderson: 22,420 (3.4%)
Other: 4,398 (0.7%)
Total: 654,023

Nevada

Reagan: 168,682 (66.9%)
Carter: 64,099 (25.4%)
Anderson: 15,368 (6.1%)
Other: 3,898 (1.5%)
Total: 252,047

New Hampshire

Reagan: 261,257 (67.2%)
Carter: 105,079 (27%)
Anderson: 18,504 (4.8%)
Other: 3,681 (0.9%)
Total: 388,521

New Jersey

Reagan: 2,113,478 (66.4%)
Carter: 922,263 (29%)
Anderson: 129,359 (4.1%)
Other: 18,490 (0.6%)
Total: 3,183,590

New Mexico

Reagan: 289,695 (62.4%)
Carter: 153,668 (33.1%)
Anderson: 16,296 (3.5%)
Other: 4,381 (0.9%)
Total: 464,040

New York

Reagan: 4,763,712 (63.5%)
Carter: 2,420,303 (32.3%)
Anderson: 246,048 (3.3%)
Other: 71,690 (1%)
Total: 7,501,753

North Carolina

Reagan: 1,357,452 (72.5%)
Carter: 450,019 (24%)
Anderson: 52,817 (2.8%)
Other: 12,445 (0.7%)
Total: 1,872,733

North Dakota

Reagan: 210,189 (67.4%)
Carter: 73,015 (23.4%)
Anderson: 23,743 (7.6%)
Other: 5,045 (1.6%)
Total: 311,992

Ohio

Reagan: 3,030,332 (68.8%)
Carter: 1,039,851 (23.6%)
Anderson: 260,978 (5.9%)
Other: 71,978 (1.6%)
Total: 4,403,139

Oklahoma

Reagan: 881,755 (75.7%)
Carter: 230,421 (19.8%)
Anderson: 38,334 (3.3%)
Other: 13,849 (1.2%)
Total: 1,164,359

Oregon

Reagan: 681,628 (57.4%)
Carter: 455,008 (38.3%)
Anderson: 41,808 (3.5%)
Other: 9,417 (0.8%)
Total: 1,187,861

Pennsylvania

Reagan: 3,254,893 (66.9%)
Carter: 1,345,191 (27.7%)
Anderson: 199,614 (4.1%)
Other: 63,002 (1.3%)
Total: 4,862,700

Rhode Island

Carter: 203,926 (47.5%)
Reagan: 202,945 (47.3%)
Anderson: 17,616 (4.1%)
Other: 4,580 (1.1%)
Total: 429,067

South Carolina

Reagan: 657,885 (73%)
Carter: 221,276 (24.6%)
Anderson: 14,282 (1.6%)
Other: 7,188 (0.8%)
Total: 900,631

South Dakota

Reagan: 222,043 (65.8%)
Carter: 95,977 (28.5%)
Anderson: 15,848 (4.7%)
Other: 3,465 (1%)
Total: 337,333

Tennessee

Reagan: 1,152,554 (70.6%)
Carter: 432,620 (26.5%)
Anderson: 36,762 (2.3%)
Other: 10,200 (0.6%)
Total: 1,632,136

Texas

Reagan: 3,268,663 (71.5%)
Carter: 1,058,470 (23.1%)
Anderson: 210,031 (4.6%)
Other: 37,454 (0.8%)
Total: 4,574,618

Utah

Reagan: 459,061 (75.3%)
Carter: 114,683 (18.8%)
Anderson: 30,953 (5.1%)
Other: 4,685 (0.8%)
Total: 609,382

Vermont

Reagan: 137,902 (63.7%)
Carter: 65,225 (30.1%)
Anderson: 11,831 (5.5%)
Other: 1,564 (0.7%)
Total: 216,522

Virginia

Reagan: 1,348,085 (71.3%)
Carter: 417,146 (22.1%)
Anderson: 114,289 (6%)
Other: 12,058 (0.6%)
Total: 1,891,578

Washington

Reagan: 1,029,301 (58.8%)
Carter: 631,135 (38.6%)
Anderson: 71,098 (4.1%)
Other: 17,874 (1%)
Total: 1,749,408

West Virginia

Reagan: 541,228 (66.8%)
Carter: 227,627 (28.1%)
Anderson: 32,916 (4.1%)
Other: 8,246 (1%)
Total: 810,017

Wisconsin

Reagan: 1,457,459 (63.8%)
Carter: 710,373 (31.1%)
Anderson: 92,965 (4.1%)
Other: 23,180 (1%)
Total: 2,283,977

Wyoming

Reagan: 147,042 (80.6%)
Carter: 26,066 (14.3%)
Anderson: 7,439 (4.1%)
Other: 1,854 (1%)
Total: 182,401

United States (total)

Reagan: 60,432,428 (66.7%)
Carter: 25,452,921 (28.1%)
Anderson: 3,692,939 (4.1%)
Other: 959,232 (1.1%)
Total: 90,537,520

Notes

• Reagan won all counties in 32 states, which is more than half the total number.
• Reagan lost only 39 divisions throughout the country. These include:
• The District of Columbia (1)
• Four counties in Alabama (2-5)
• Greene
• Lowndes
• Macon
• Wilcox
• San Francisco county, California (6)
• Costilla county, Colorado (7)
• Six counties in Kentucky (8-13)
• Breathitt
• Elliott
• Floyd
• Knott
• Menifee
• Morgan
• Suffolk county, Massachusetts (14)
• Seven counties in Minnesota (15-21)
• Carlton
• Itasca
• Lake
• Morrison
• Ramsey
• St. Louis
• Swift
• Two counties in Mississippi (22-23)
• Claiborne
• Jefferson
• St. Louis city-county, Missouri (24)
• Two counties in Montana (25-26)
• Deer Lodge
• Silver Bow
• Rio Arriba county, New Mexico (27)
• Two counties in New York (28-29)
• Bronx
• New York (Manhattan)
• Philadelphia county, Pennsylvania (30)
• Providence county, Rhode Island (31)
• Shannon county, South Dakota (32)
• Stewart county, Tennessee (33)
• Four counties in Texas (34-37)
• Brooks
• Duval
• Starr
• Webb
• Charles City county, Virginia (38)
• Menominee county, Wisconsin (39)
• Notes for notable divisions that Reagan lost: the District of Columbia is also known as Washington, DC; Boston, Massachusetts is located in Suffolk county; St. Louis, Missouri is both a city and a county; Providence, Rhode Island is located in Providence county.
• Other important notes: in the 1972 election, Nixon narrowly lost Kings county (Brooklyn), New York. This flips to the Republican side in 1980, with Reagan winning Brooklyn by over 10 percentage points. While Reagan fails to win the Bronx and Manhattan in this election, he does make it close, only losing them each by under 4 percentage points.

Here’s an addendum to this presidential election. It involves the five boroughs of New York City. The estimated revised results are as follows:

Staten Island

Reagan: 95,440 (78.3%)
Carter: 22,205 (18.2%)
Anderson: 3,682 (3%)
Other: 610 (0.5%)
Total: 121,937

Queens

Reagan: 496,023 (61.4%)
Carter: 299,634 (37.1%)
Anderson: 8,240 (1%)
Other: 3,958 (0.5%)
Total: 807,855

Brooklyn

Reagan: 444,015 (54.4%)
Carter: 359,732 (44.1%)
Anderson: 8,241 (1%)
Other: 3,916 (0.5%)
Total: 815,904

The Bronx

Carter: 241,252 (51.2%)
Reagan: 223,246 (47.4%)
Anderson: 4,714 (1%)
Other: 2,168 (0.5%)
Total: 471,380

Manhattan

Carter: 292,371 (51.2%)
Reagan: 270,712 (47.4%)
Anderson: 5,715 (1%)
Other: 2,686 (0.5%)
Total: 571,484

New York City (total)

Reagan: 1,529,436 (54.8%)
Carter: 1,215,194 (43.6%)
Anderson: 30,592 (1.1%)
Other: 13,338 (0.5%)
Total: 2,788,560