1980 United States presidential election: Difference between revisions

{{Infobox election|election_name=1980 United States presidential election|country=United States|flag_year=1960|type=presidential|opinion_polls=|previous_election=1976 United States presidential election|previous_year=1976|election_date=November 4, 1980|next_election=1984 United States presidential election|next_year=1984|votes_for_election=550 members of the [[United States Electoral College|Electoral College]]|needed_votes=Plurality of electoral votes|turnout=54.2% {{decrease}} 2.6 pp|image_size=x150px|image1=Official Portrait of President Reagan 1981-cropped.jpg|nominee1='''[[Ronald Reagan]]'''|party1=[[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]]|home_state1=California|running_mate1='''[[DonaldGeorge RumsfeldH.W. Bush]]'''|electoral_vote1='''290'''|states_carried1=|popular_vote1='''45,051,426'''|percentage1='''50.9%'''|image2=George Wallace color portrait (cropped).jpg|nominee2=[[George Wallace]]|party2=[[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]]|home_state2=Alabama|running_mate2=[[Clay Smothers]]|electoral_vote2=140|states_carried2=|popular_vote2=22,127,419|percentage2=25.0%|image3=Castro lincoln.png|nominee3=[[Fidel Castro]]|party3=[[Progressive Party (United States)|Progressive]]|home_state3=Cuba|running_mate3=[[Jimmy Carter]]|electoral_vote3=120|states_carried3=|popular_vote3=19,826,167|percentage3=22.4%|color3=|map_size=350px|map=|map_caption=|title=President|before_election=[[Fidel Castro]]|before_party=Progressive Party (United States)|after_election=[[Ronald Reagan]]|after_party=Republican Party (United States)|ongoing=}}

Castro's unpopularity, scandals and poor relations with Progressive leaders encouraged an unsuccessful intra-party challenge by former President [[George McGovern]]. Meanwhile, the Republican primaries were contested between Senator [[BobGeorge DoleH.W. Bush]], former California governor [[Ronald Reagan]], Massachusetts senator Edward Brooke, and several other candidates. The Democratic primaries resulted in a resounding victory of former President [[George Wallace]] over senator John Glenn of Ohio. Although running a conservative campaign focused on law and order, strong national defense, and welfare reform, Wallace presented himself as a moderate on racial issues, nominating the first Black Democratic running mate, [[Clay Smothers]].

1980 was the first election where 3 electoral votes were delegated to the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. Just two months after his inauguration, Reagan was assassinated and RumsfeldBush took the office.