United States general elections, 1980
Encyclopedia
The 1980 United States general election was held on November 4. Republican Ronald Reagan
was elected as the 40th President of the United States
, defeating incumbent Democrat Jimmy Carter
. The Republicans also won control of the United States Senate
for the first time in 28 years, as well as gaining seats in the Senate and several governorships. The major issues during this election that hurt Carter and the Democrats included the worsening U.S. economy and the Iran hostage crisis
. The wins by Reagan and the Republicans marked the beginning of what is popularly called the "Reagan Revolution."
Ronald Reagan
Ronald Wilson Reagan was the 40th President of the United States , the 33rd Governor of California and, prior to that, a radio, film and television actor....
was elected as the 40th President of the United States
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
, defeating incumbent Democrat Jimmy Carter
Jimmy Carter
James Earl "Jimmy" Carter, Jr. is an American politician who served as the 39th President of the United States and was the recipient of the 2002 Nobel Peace Prize, the only U.S. President to have received the Prize after leaving office...
. The Republicans also won control of the United States Senate
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
for the first time in 28 years, as well as gaining seats in the Senate and several governorships. The major issues during this election that hurt Carter and the Democrats included the worsening U.S. economy and the Iran hostage crisis
Iran hostage crisis
The Iran hostage crisis was a diplomatic crisis between Iran and the United States where 52 Americans were held hostage for 444 days from November 4, 1979 to January 20, 1981, after a group of Islamist students and militants took over the American Embassy in Tehran in support of the Iranian...
. The wins by Reagan and the Republicans marked the beginning of what is popularly called the "Reagan Revolution."
See also
- United States presidential election, 1980United States presidential election, 1980The United States presidential election of 1980 featured a contest between incumbent Democrat Jimmy Carter and his Republican opponent, Ronald Reagan, as well as Republican Congressman John B. Anderson, who ran as an independent...
- United States House of Representatives elections, 1980
- United States Senate elections, 1980United States Senate elections, 1980The 1980 U.S. Senate elections coincided with Ronald Reagan's election to the Presidency. Reagan's large margin of victory over incumbent Jimmy Carter pulled in many Democratic voters and gave a huge boost to Republican senate candidates....
- United States gubernatorial elections, 1980United States gubernatorial elections, 1980The United States gubernatorial elections of 1980 were held on November 4, 1980 in thirteen states. The Republican party had a net gain of four seats in this election which coincided with the election of Ronald Reagan and large Republican gains in the Senate....