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