Misplaced Pages

1984 United States presidential election

← 1980 November 6, 1984 1988 →
538 members of the Electoral College 270 electoral votes needed to win
Opinion polls
Turnout	55.2% 1.0 pp
Nominee Ronald Reagan Walter Mondale Party Republican Democratic Home state California Minnesota Running mate George H. W. Bush Geraldine Ferraro Electoral vote 525 13 States carried 49 1 + DC Popular vote 54,455,472 37,577,352 Percentage 58.8% 40.6%
Presidential election results map. Red denotes states won by Reagan/Bush and blue denotes those won by Mondale/Ferraro. Numbers indicate electoral votes cast by each state and the District of Columbia.
President before election Ronald Reagan Republican Elected President Ronald Reagan Republican

Presidential elections were held in the United States on November 6, 1984. Incumbent Republican President Ronald Reagan and his running mate, incumbent Vice President George H. W. Bush, were reelected to a second term in a landslide. They defeated the Democratic ticket of former Vice President Walter Mondale and Congresswoman Geraldine Ferraro.

Reagan and Bush faced only token opposition in their bid for re-nomination. Mondale faced a competitive field in his bid, defeating Colorado Senator Gary Hart, activist Jesse Jackson, and several other candidates in the 1984 Democratic primaries. He eventually chose New York Representative Geraldine Ferraro as his running mate, the first woman to be on a major party's presidential ticket.

Reagan touted a strong economic recovery from the 1970s stagflation and the 1981–1982 recession, and the widespread perception that his presidency had overseen a revival of national confidence and prestige. At 73, Reagan was the oldest person to be nominated by a major party for president, a record that stood until 2020. The Reagan campaign produced effective television advertising and deftly neutralized concerns regarding Reagan's age. Mondale criticized Reagan's supply-side economic policies and budget deficits. He also called for a nuclear freeze and ratification of the Equal Rights Amendment.

Reagan won re-election in a landslide victory, carrying 525 electoral votes, 49 states, and 58.8% of the popular vote. Mondale won 13 electoral votes: 10 from his home state of Minnesota, which he won by a narrow margin of 0.18% (3,761 votes), and 3 from the District of Columbia, which has always voted overwhelmingly for the Democratic candidate. Reagan won the second-largest share of the electoral college since 1820 (second only to Franklin Roosevelt in 1936 and the largest for a Republican), and the most raw electoral votes ever received by a candidate. This is the last time any candidate won the popular vote by double digits. As of the 2024 United States presidential election, Reagan is the last Republican to sweep all of New England.

Background

Ronald Reagan entered the presidency with an unemployment rate of 7.3% and it peaked at 10.6% in December 1982. The United States had a negative gross domestic product growth in 1982.

The Republicans performed poorly in the 1982 elections. Dwight D. Eisenhower, John F. Kennedy, Richard Nixon, and Jimmy Carter lost an average of 12 seats in the United States House of Representatives in their first midterm. The Republicans lost 26 seats in the U.S. House elections. The Republicans lost seven governorships as well.

Reagan's approval rating fell to 35% by January 1983. Polling showed him losing to Democratic candidates, including Walter Mondale and John Glenn. However, unemployment fell to 7.7% by March 1984, and Reagan's approval rating was at 54% in January 1984. His approval rating was aided by the 1983 Beirut barracks bombings and the invasion of Grenada. Polling by CBS News and The New York Times in January 1984 showed him leading Mondale by 16%.

Nominations

Republican Party candidates

This article is part of a series aboutRonald Reagan
Entertainment and personal Filmography Bibliography Speeches and debates Death Eponyms Honors Depictions music Residences Birthplace of Ronald Reagan Ronald Reagan Boyhood Home Rancho del Cielo 668 St. Cloud Road 33rd Governor of California Governorship 1969 People's Park protest Elections 1966 1970 40th President of the United States Presidency timeline Transition Inaugurations first inauguration second inauguration Presidential library Tenure Assassination attempt Invasion of Grenada Bombing of Libya Iran–Contra affair AIDS epidemic Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty Polls Scandals Reagan era Policies Domestic Economy Foreign Reagan Doctrine international trips Appointments Federal judges O'Connor Rehnquist Scalia Bork Kennedy Supreme Court candidates Presidential campaigns 1968 primaries convention 1976 primaries convention 1980 election primaries convention debates States' rights speech Reagan coalition 1984 election primaries convention debates
v t e

This article is part of a series aboutGeorge H. W. Bush
Personal Family Electoral history Eponyms Honors Bibliography Bush School of Government Points of Light Death 43rd Vice President of the United States Transition Reagan administration first inauguration second inauguration Reagan assassination attempt Foreign policy Vice presidential campaigns 1980 election selection convention debates 1984 election convention debates 41st President of the United States Presidency timeline Transition Inauguration Presidential library Tenure Thousand points of light Invasion of Panama Gulf War Operation Restore Hope NAFTA International trips Pardons Policies Environmental Foreign Appointments Federal judges Thomas Presidential campaigns 1980 primaries convention 1988 election primaries convention "No new taxes" debates 1992 election primaries convention debates
v t e

1984 Republican Party ticket
Ronald Reagan	George H. W. Bush
for President	for Vice President
40th President of the United States (1981–1989)	43rd Vice President of the United States (1981–1989)
Campaign

Primaries

Reagan-Bush '84, under the leadership of Ed Rollins, was organized on October 17, 1983. Reagan delayed his campaign announcement as not running would make him a lame duck whereas running would make everything he did be viewed as part of his campaign. He announced that he would seek reelection on January 29, 1984.

Vice President George H. W. Bush and U.S. Senate Majority Leader Howard Baker were considered as possible candidates only if Reagan did not run. Reagan was the first incumbent president since Richard Nixon in 1972 to face no significant opposition for renomination. The popular vote from the Republican primaries was as follows:

• Ronald Reagan (inc.): 6,484,987 (98.6%)
• Unpledged delegates: 41,411 (0.6%)
• Others: 21,643 (0.3%)
• "Ronald Reagan No": 14,047 (0.2%)
• Harold E. Stassen: 12,749 (0.2%)
• David Kelly: 360
• Gary Arnold: 252
• Benjamin Fernandez: 202

Endorsements

Reagan had received endorsements from:

Celebrities

• Morey Amsterdam
• Pat Boone
• Ron Ely
• Cary Grant
• Charlton Heston
• Fred MacMurray
• Hugh O'Brian
• Jerry Reed
• Joan Rivers
• Arnold Schwarzenegger
• Frank Sinatra
• Jaclyn Smith
• Robert Stack
• James Stewart
• Stephanie Zimbalist

Reagan was renominated by a vote of 2,233 delegates (two delegates abstained). For the only time in American history, the vice presidential roll call was taken concurrently with the presidential roll call. Vice President George H. W. Bush was overwhelmingly renominated. This was the last time in the 20th century that the vice-presidential candidate of either major party was nominated by roll call vote.

Democratic Party candidates

1984 Democratic Party ticket
Walter Mondale	Geraldine Ferraro
for President	for Vice President
42nd Vice President of the United States (1977–1981)	U.S. Representative from New York (1979–1985)
Campaign

Candidates in this section are sorted by date of withdrawal from the primaries
Gary Hart	Jesse Jackson	John Glenn	George McGovern	Reubin Askew	Fritz Hollings	Alan Cranston
U.S. Senator from Colorado (1975–1987)	President of the Rainbow Coalition from Illinois (1983–present)	U.S. Senator from Ohio (1974–1999)	U.S. Senator from South Dakota (1963–1981)	Governor of Florida (1971–1979)	U.S. Senator from South Carolina (1966–2005)	U.S. Senator from California (1969–1993)
Campaign	Campaign	Campaign	Campaign	Campaign	Campaign	Campaign
Eliminated at Convention: July 18, 1984 Endorsed Mondale: July 19, 1984 6,504,842 votes	Eliminated at Convention: July 18, 1984 Endorsed Mondale: August 28, 1984 3,282,431 votes	Withdrew: March 16, 1984 Endorsed Mondale: July 18, 1984 617,909 votes	Withdrew: March 14, 1984 Endorsed Mondale: June 13, 1984 334,801 votes	Withdrew: March 1, 1984 Endorsed Mondale: July 18, 1984 52,759 votes	Withdrew: March 1, 1984 Endorsed Hart: March 9, 1984 33,684 votes	Withdrew: February 29, 1984 Endorsed Mondale: July 18, 1984 51,437 votes

Primaries

Only three Democratic candidates won any state primaries: Mondale, Hart, and Jackson. Initially, Massachusetts Senator Ted Kennedy, after a failed bid to win the 1980 Democratic nomination for president, was considered the de facto front-runner of the 1984 primary. However, Kennedy announced in December 1982 that he did not intend to run. Former Vice President Mondale was then viewed as the favorite to win the Democratic nomination. Mondale had the largest number of party leaders supporting him, and he had raised more money than any other candidate. However, both Jackson and Hart emerged as surprising, and troublesome, opponents.

South Carolina Senator Ernest Hollings's wit and experience, as well as his call for a budget freeze, won him some positive attention, but his relatively conservative record alienated liberal Democrats, and he was never really noticed in a field dominated by Mondale, John Glenn, and Gary Hart. Hollings dropped out two days after losing badly in New Hampshire and endorsed Hart a week later. His disdain for his competitors was at times showcased in his comments. He notably referred to Mondale as a "lapdog", and to former astronaut Glenn as "Sky King" who was "confused in his capsule."

California Senator Alan Cranston hoped to galvanize supporters of the nuclear freeze movement that had called on the United States to halt the deployment of existing nuclear weapons and the development of new ones. Glenn and Askew hoped to capture the support of moderate and conservative Democrats. None of them possessed the fundraising ability of Mondale nor the grassroots support of Hart and Jackson, and none won any contests.

Jackson was the second African-American (after Shirley Chisholm) to mount a nationwide campaign for the presidency, and he was the first African-American candidate to be a serious contender. He got 3.5 million votes during the primaries, third behind Hart and Mondale. He won the primaries in Virginia, South Carolina, and Louisiana, and split Mississippi, where there were two separate contests for Democratic delegates. Through the primaries, Jackson helped confirm the black electorate's importance to the Democratic Party in the South at the time. During the campaign, however, Jackson made an off-the-cuff reference to Jews as "Hymies" and New York City as "Hymietown", for which he later apologized. Nonetheless, the remark was widely publicized, and derailed his campaign for the nomination. Jackson ended up winning 21% of the national primary vote but received only 8% of the delegates to the national convention, and he initially charged that his campaign was hurt by the same party rules that allowed Mondale to win. He also poured scorn on Mondale, saying that Hubert Humphrey was the "last significant politician out of the St. Paul-Minneapolis" area.

Hart, from Colorado, was a more serious threat to Mondale, and after winning several early primaries it looked as if he might take the nomination away from Mondale. Hart finished a surprising second in the Iowa caucuses, with 16.5% of the vote. This established him as the main rival to Mondale, effectively eliminating John Glenn, Ernest Hollings and Alan Cranston as alternatives. Hart criticized Mondale as an "old-fashioned" Great Society Democrat who symbolized "failed policies" of the past. Hart positioned himself (just as Bill Clinton would eight years later) as a younger, fresher, and more moderate Democrat who could appeal to younger voters. He emerged as a formidable candidate, winning the key New Hampshire, Ohio, and California primaries as well as several others, especially in the West. However, Hart could not overcome Mondale's financial and organizational advantages, especially among labor union leaders in the Midwest and industrial Northeast.

Hart was also badly hurt in a televised debate with Mondale during the primaries, when the former vice president used a popular television commercial slogan to ridicule Hart's vague "New Ideas" platform. Turning to Hart on camera, Mondale told Hart that whenever he heard Hart talk about his "New Ideas", he was reminded of the Wendy's fast-food slogan "Where's the beef?" The remark drew loud laughter and applause from the viewing audience and caught Hart off-guard. Hart never fully recovered from Mondale's charge that his "New Ideas" were shallow and lacking in specifics.

At a roundtable debate between the three remaining Democratic candidates moderated by Phil Donahue, Mondale and Hart got into such a heated argument over the issue of U.S. policy in Central America that Jackson had to tap his water glass on the table to help get them to stop.

Mondale gradually pulled away from Hart in the delegate count, but, as Time reported in late May, "Mondale ... has a wide lead in total delegates (1,564 to 941) ... because of his victories in the big industrial states, his support from the Democratic Establishment and the arcane provisions of delegate-selection rules that his vanguard helped draft two years ago." After the final primary in California, on June 5, which Hart won, Mondale was about 40 delegates short of the total he needed for the nomination. However, at the Democratic National Convention in San Francisco on July 16, Mondale received the overwhelming support of the unelected superdelegates from the party establishment to win the nomination.

Mondale's nomination marked the second time since the nomination of former governor of Georgia Jimmy Carter in 1976 and the fourth time since the nomination of former Representative John W. Davis in 1924 that the Democratic Party nominated a private citizen for president (not serving in an official government role at the time of the nomination and election). Mondale was the last private citizen to be nominated for president by the Democratic Party until former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in 2016. He was also the last former vice president to be nominated for president until Joe Biden in 2020.

This race for the Democratic Party presidential nomination was the closest in two generations, and, as of 2020, it was the last occasion that a major party's race for the presidential nomination went all the way to its convention.

Endorsements

Note: These are only those endorsements that occurred during or before the primary race.

Mondale had received endorsements from:

United States House of Representatives

• Representative Jim Bates of California
• Representative Edward Boland of Massachusetts
• Representative Rick Boucher of Virginia
• Representative Joseph D. Early of Massachusetts
• Representative Barney Frank of Massachusetts
• Representative Robert García of New York
• Representative Sam Gejdenson of Connecticut
• Representative Tom Harkin of Iowa
• Representative Joe Moakley of Massachusetts
• Representative Charles B. Rangel of New York
• Representative William R. Ratchford of Connecticut
• Representative James Michael Shannon of Massachusetts

Governors and State Constitutional officers

• New York Attorney General Robert Abrams
• Governor Mario Cuomo of New York
• Lieutenant Governor Zell Miller of Georgia

Former officeholders

• Former President Jimmy Carter of Georgia

Former diplomats, board members and other officials

• Former Secretary of State Dean Rusk of Georgia

Organizations and unions

• AFL–CIO
• Alabama Democratic Conference
• National Education Association
• National Organization for Women

Current and former state and local officials and party officeholders

Alabama

• Mayor Richard Arrington, Jr. of Birmingham

California

• Mayor and 1982 Democratic Gubernatorial nominee Tom Bradley of Los Angeles

Georgia

• State Senator Julian Bond

Illinois

• Former Alderman, President of the City Council, 1983 mayoral candidate, and Cook County Democratic Party Chairman Edward Vrdolyak of Chicago

Michigan

• Mayor Coleman Young of Detroit

Hart had received endorsements from:

United States House of Representatives

• Representative Patricia Schroeder of Colorado
• Representative Chuck Schumer of New York
• Representative and 1976 Democratic presidential candidate Mo Udall of Arizona
• Representative Henry A. Waxman of California

Celebrities, political activists, and political commentators

• Actor and director Warren Beatty

Jackson had received endorsements from:

United States House of Representatives

• Delegate Walter E. Fauntroy of Washington, D.C.

Former officeholders

• Former Representative and 1972 Democratic presidential candidate Shirley Chisholm of New York
• Former Governor Orval E. Faubus of Arkansas

Current and former state and local officials and party officeholders

Alabama

• State Senator Michael Figures
• Mayor Johnny Ford of Tuskegee
• State Senator Earl Hilliard
• State Senator Hank Sanders

Georgia

• State Representative Tyrone Brookes

Illinois

• Mayor Carl Officer of East St. Louis

Indiana

• Mayor Richard G. Hatcher of Gary

Washington, D.C.

• Mayor Marion Barry of Washington, D.C.

Organizations and unions

• Church of God in Christ
• Nation of Islam
• National Baptist Convention of America, Inc.
• National Baptist Convention, USA, Inc.
• National Farmers Alliance
• National Hispanic Leadership Conference

Celebrities, political activists, and political commentators

• Muhammad Ali
• 1980 presidential nominee of the Citizens Party Barry Commoner

Hollings had received endorsements from:

United States Senate

• Former U.S. Senator Birch Bayh of Indiana
• Former U.S. Senator William B. Spong, Jr. of Virginia

State Constitutional officers

• Lieutenant Governor Martha Griffiths of Michigan
• State Senator Anna Belle Clement O'Brien of Tennessee
• Lieutenant Governor Nancy Stevenson of South Carolina

Glenn had received endorsements from:

United States Senate

• Senator Sam Nunn of Georgia
• Senator Jim Sasser of Tennessee
• Senator Paul Tsongas of Massachusetts

United States House of Representatives

• Representative Jerry Huckaby of Louisiana

Governors and State Constitutional officers

• Lieutenant Governor Bill Baxley of Alabama
• Governor Chuck Robb of Virginia

Current and former state and local officials and party officeholders

Georgia

• Commissioner of Agriculture Tommy Irvin

Texas

• State Representative Larry Walker

Celebrities

• Actor and director Warren Beatty

Cranston had received endorsements from:

United States House of Representatives

• Representative William Lehman of Florida

Askew had received endorsements from:

United States Senate

• Senator Lawton Chiles of Florida

United States House of Representatives

• Representative William V. Chappell, Jr. of Florida
• Representative Dante Fascell of Florida
• Representative Sam Gibbons of Florida
• Representative Dan Mica of Florida

Governors and State Constitutional officers

• Governor Bob Graham of Florida

Current and former state and local officials and party officeholders

Florida

• Mayor Eva Mack of West Palm Beach

Convention

This was the convention's nomination tally:

When he made his acceptance speech at the Democratic Convention, Mondale said: "Let's tell the truth. Mr. Reagan will raise taxes, and so will I. He won't tell you. I just did." Although Mondale intended to expose Reagan as hypocritical and position himself as the honest candidate, the choice of raising taxes as a discussion point likely damaged his electoral chances.

Vice presidential nominee

Mondale wanted to establish a highly visible precedent with his vice presidential candidate. Mondale chose U.S. Rep. Geraldine A. Ferraro from New York as his running mate, making her the first woman nominated for that position by a major party. Another reason for the nominee to "go for broke" instead of balancing the ticket was Reagan's lead in the polls. Mondale hoped to appeal to women, and by 1980, they were the majority of voters. In a "much criticized parade of possible Veep candidates" to his home in Minnesota, Mondale considered San Francisco Mayor Dianne Feinstein and Kentucky Governor Martha Layne Collins, also female; Los Angeles Mayor Tom Bradley, an African American; and San Antonio Mayor Henry Cisneros, a Hispanic, as other finalists for the nomination. In addition to her sex, Mondale chose Ferraro because he hoped she would attract ethnic voters with her personal background. Unsuccessful nomination candidate Jesse Jackson derided Mondale's vice-presidential screening process as a "P.R. parade of personalities", but praised Mondale for his choice, having himself pledged to name a woman to the ticket in the event he was nominated.

Mondale had wanted to choose New York Governor Mario Cuomo as his running mate, but Cuomo declined and recommended Ferraro, his protégée. Mondale might have named Massachusetts Governor Michael Dukakis as his running mate had he wanted to make a "safe" choice", while others preferred Senator Lloyd Bentsen because he would appeal to more conservative Southern voters. Nomination rival Gary Hart stated before Ferraro's selection that he would accept an invitation to run with Mondale; Hart's supporters claimed he would do better than Mondale against President Reagan, an argument undercut by a June 1984 Gallup poll that showed both men nine points behind the president.

Other parties

National Unity Party nomination

The National Unity Party was an outgrowth of John Anderson's presidential campaign from the 1980 presidential election. Anderson hoped that the party would be able to challenge the "two old parties", which he viewed as being tied to various special interest groups and incapable of responsible fiscal reform. The intention was to organize the new party in California, Oregon, Washington, Illinois, the New England states, and others where his previous candidacy had proven to have experienced the most success. The party was also eligible for $5.8 million in Federal election funds, but its qualification depended on it being on the ballot in at least ten states; however, it remained unclear if National Unity could actually obtain the funds, or if it needed to be Anderson himself.

Anderson initially was against running, hoping that another notable politico would take the party into the 1984 election, and feared that his own candidacy might result in the party being labeled a "personality cult". However, no candidate came forward resulting in Anderson becoming the nominee in waiting. While Anderson had found equal support from the Republicans and Democrats in the 1980 election, the grand majority of the former had since switched back, resulting in the new party being supported principally by those who normally would vote Democratic, which it was feared might make him a spoiler candidate. In light of this, in addition to difficulties in getting on the ballot in his targeted states (Utah and Kentucky were the only two, neither among those he intended to prominently campaign in), Anderson ultimately declined to run.

Anderson announced that he would not run on April 26, 1984. He later endorsed Mondale and a survey of National Unity members showed that they supported his action. Anderson had hoped that the party would continue to grow and field candidates in 1986, and later a presidential candidate in 1988.

Libertarian Party nomination

• David Bergland, Party Chairman from California
• Gene Burns, talk radio host from Florida (withdrew – August 26, 1983)
• Tonie Nathan, 1972 vice presidential nominee from Oregon (declined to contest)
• Earl Ravenal, foreign policy analyst, academic, and writer from Washington, D.C.
• Mary Ruwart, research scientist from Texas

Burns was the initial frontrunner for the nomination, but withdrew, citing concerns that the party would not be able to properly finance a campaign. The remaining candidates were Bergland; Ravenal, who had worked in the Department of Defense under Robert McNamara and Clark Clifford; and Ruwart. Bergland narrowly won the presidential nomination over Ravenal. His running mate was James A. Lewis. The ticket appeared on 39 state ballots.

Citizens Party nomination

Sonia Johnson ran in the 1984 presidential election, as the presidential candidate of the Citizens Party, Pennsylvania's Consumer Party and California's Peace and Freedom Party. Johnson received 72,161 votes (0.1%) finishing fifth. Her running mate for the Citizens Party was Richard Walton and for the Peace and Freedom Party Emma Wong Mar. One of her campaign managers, Mark Dunlea, later wrote a novel about a first female president, Madame President.

Communist Party nomination

The Communist Party USA ran Gus Hall for president and Angela Davis for vice president.

General election

Polling aggregation

The following graph depicts the standing of each candidate in the poll aggregators from July 1983 to Election Day.

Polling

Campaign

Mondale unsuccessfully tried to replace Charles Manatt with Bert Lance as chair of the DNC. Mondale made Lance the chair of his presidential campaign. However, Lance had to be removed due to controversy over his tenure as director of the Office of Management and Budget.

Reagan's lead in polling declined after the Republican convention due to its strong right-wing stances. Reagan was also criticized for a joke about bombing the Soviet Union. However, polls showed that voters believed Mondale was "too cautious and vague" and was trying to appeal to too many special interest groups.

Roger Stone and other strategists working for Reagan viewed Ohio, where unemployment was 10%, as his most vulnerable state.

Reagan made appeals to Evangelical voters during the campaign. He declared January 22, 1984, to be National Sanctity of Human Life Day. The American Coalition for Traditional Values (ACTV), under the leadership of Tim LaHaye, was tasked with maintaining Evangelical support. The ACTV planned on registering 2.5 million voters. Laxalt sent a letter to 45,000 ministers in sixteen states, under the title of the Christian Voter Program, asking for them to support Reagan's campaign and register voters.

Mondale ran a liberal campaign, supporting a nuclear freeze and the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA). He spoke against what he considered to be unfairness in Reagan's economic policies and the need to reduce federal budget deficits.

While Ferraro's choice was popular among Democratic activists, polls immediately after the announcement showed that only 22% of women were pleased about her selection, versus 18% who agreed that it was a bad idea. 60% of all voters thought that pressure from women's groups had led to Mondale's decision, versus 22% who believed that he had chosen the best available candidate. Some members of the hierarchy of the Roman Catholic Church criticized the Catholic Ferraro for being pro-choice on abortion. Already fighting an uphill battle with voters, Ferraro also faced a slew of allegations, mid-campaign, directed toward her husband, John Zaccaro. These allegations included Zaccaro's possible past involvement in organized crime, pornography distribution, and campaign contribution violations. Ferraro responded to these allegations against her husband by releasing her family tax returns to the media on August 21, 1984. However, the damage to the campaign was already done.

At a campaign stop in Hammonton, New Jersey, Reagan said, "America's future rests in a thousand dreams inside your hearts. It rests in the message of hope in songs of a man so many young Americans admire, New Jersey's Bruce Springsteen." The Reagan campaign briefly used "Born in the U.S.A.", a song criticizing the treatment of Vietnam War veterans (which they mistakenly thought was devoid of anti-war content and a very jingoistic patriotic rock song), as a campaign song, without permission, until Springsteen, a lifelong Democrat, insisted that they stop. Two of the more memorable Reagan campaign ads were commonly known as "Morning in America" and, after the difficult first debate for the president, "Bear in the woods".

Reagan was the oldest president to have served to that time (at 73) and there were questions about his capacity to endure the grueling demands of the presidency, particularly after Reagan had a poor showing in the first 1984 United States presidential debates with Mondale on October 7. He referred to having started going to church "here in Washington", although the debate was in Louisville, Kentucky, referred to military uniforms as "wardrobe", and admitted to being "confused", among other mistakes. In the next debate on October 21, however, in response to a question from journalist Henry Trewhitt about his age, Reagan joked, "I will not make age an issue of this campaign. I am not going to exploit, for political purposes, my opponent's youth and inexperience." Mondale himself laughed at the joke, and later admitted that Reagan had effectively neutralized the age issue:

If TV can tell the truth, as you say it can, you'll see that I was smiling. But I think if you come in close, you'll see some tears coming down because I knew he had gotten me there. That was really the end of my campaign that night, I think. the campaign was over, and it was.

Presidential debates

There were two presidential debates and one vice presidential debate during the 1984 general election.

Results

This was the first time since 1960 that the voter turnout percentage rose. Reagan was re-elected in the November 6 election in an electoral and popular vote landslide, winning 49 states by the time the ballots were finished counting on election night at 11:34 PM in Iowa. He won a record 525 electoral votes total (of 538 possible), and received 58.8% of the popular vote; despite Ferraro's selection, 55% of women who voted did so for Reagan, and his 54 to 61% of the Catholic vote was the highest for a Republican candidate in history. Mondale's 13 electoral college votes marked the lowest total of any major presidential candidate since Alf Landon's 1936 loss to Franklin D. Roosevelt, and the fewest of any Democrat since Stephen A. Douglas claimed 12 in the 1860 election, as well as the worst for a Democrat in a two-way race. However, Democrats Alton B. Parker, James M. Cox, John W. Davis, and George S. McGovern, did worse in the popular vote. This was the second-largest share of the electoral college since 1820, and the most raw electoral votes received by a candidate. This is the last time any candidate won the popular vote by double digits.

When Reagan was asked in December 1984 what he wanted for Christmas he joked, "Well, Minnesota would have been nice". He lost Minnesota in both this election and in 1980, making it the only state he failed to win in either election.

The election was the most recent in which the Republican candidate won every state in the Northeastern, Southern, and Pacific regions of the United States, and won at least one county in every state. The 525 electoral votes received by Reagan – the most received by a nominee in one election – added to the 489 electoral votes he achieved in 1980, and the 1 electoral vote he received in 1976, gave him the second highest total electoral votes received by any candidate who was elected to the office of president twice (1,015), and the third highest number of electoral votes received by any candidate who was elected to the office of president behind Richard Nixon's 1,040 and Franklin D. Roosevelt's 1,876 total electoral votes.

Statistical analysis

Reagan's landslide victory resulted in him winning 97.6% of electoral votes, behind only Roosevelt's 98.5% in 1936. However, Reagan's popular vote share was below that of the winners in 1920, 1936, 1964, and 1972. His margin of victory was also lower than the winners of 1904, 1920, 1924, 1936, 1964, and 1972. Reagan's percentage in each state rose from 1980, with his best performances occurring in the South and states with large third-party votes. Mondale improved upon Carter's 1980 results in 28 states, but performed worse in 22 states, 15 of which were in the South. Mondale's national percentage of the popular vote was lower by 0.4% compared to Carter.

The Republicans gained seats in the concurrent U.S. House of Representatives elections and lost two seats in the concurrent U.S. Senate elections, but overall control of both chambers remained the same. Reagan underperformed Republican senatorial candidates in Alaska, Colorado, Kansas, Maine, Minnesota, New Mexico, Oregon, South Carolina, South Dakota, Virginia, and Wyoming. Jesse Helms and Mitch McConnell were the only Republican senatorial candidates that could have benefited from the coattails effect.

Psephologists attributed a factor of the Republican victory to "Reagan Democrats", millions of Democrats who voted for Reagan, as in 1980. They characterized such Reagan Democrats as southern whites and northern blue-collar workers who voted for Reagan because they credited him with the economic recovery, saw him as strong on national security issues, and perceived the Democrats as supporting the poor and minorities at the expense of the middle class. The Democratic National Committee commissioned a study after the election that came to these conclusions, but destroyed all copies of the final report, afraid that it would offend the party's key voters.

The percentage of Democrats who voted for Reagan ranged from 16 to 26% while Republicans voting for Mondale ranged from 3 to 7% according to exit polls by the Los Angeles Times, NBC, ABC/The Washington Post, and CBS News/The New York Times. One-third of people who supported Hart during the Democratic primary voted for Reagan. Polling by CBS News and The New York Times reported that 66% of Anderson voters supported Mondale while 27% supported Reagan and 61% of Carter voters supported Mondale while 25% supported Reagan. 22% of those who did not vote in 1980 supported Reagan while 18% supported Mondale.

Reagan also benefited from a near-total collapse in the third-party vote, which dropped to just 0.67% of the popular vote, its lowest level since 1964, with Bergland's campaign alone counting for over a third of this number, and none of the other third-party candidates exceeding 0.1% of the popular vote. Reagan, who won 63% of white evangelical voters in 1980, received 80% of their votes against Mondale.

As of 2024, this marked the last election where the Republican nominee won Hawaii, Massachusetts, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, and Washington. It was also the last election where the Republican nominee won Wisconsin until 2016, Iowa until 2004, West Virginia until 2000, the last election in which the winning candidate won by a double-digit margin in the percentage of the popular vote, and the last election where the winning candidate won by an eight-digit margin in total popular votes (10 million or more). This is the last time that the tipping point state (in this case, Michigan) was decided by a double-digit margin.

At age 73, Reagan was the oldest U.S. president to win a presidential election. Thirty-six years later, in 2020, this record was surpassed by Joe Biden at age 77, and four years later by Donald Trump at age 78.

Electoral results

Source for the popular vote:
Source for the electoral vote:

Results by state

Sources:

Maine allowed its electoral votes to be split between candidates. Two electoral votes were awarded to the winner of the statewide race and one electoral vote to the winner of each congressional district. Reagan won all four votes.

States that flipped from Democratic to Republican

• Georgia
• Hawaii
• Maryland
• Rhode Island
• West Virginia

Close states

Margin of victory less than 1% (10 electoral votes):

1. Minnesota, 0.18% (3,761 votes)

Margin of victory more than 1%, but less than 5% (17 electoral votes):

1. Massachusetts, 2.79% (71,330 votes)
2. Rhode Island, 3.65% (14,974 votes)

Margin of victory more than 5%, but less than 10% (90 electoral votes):

1. Maryland, 5.49% (91,983 votes)
2. Pennsylvania, 7.35% (356,192 votes)
3. Iowa, 7.38% (97,468 votes)
4. New York, 8.01% (545,154 votes)
5. Wisconsin, 9.17% (202,953 votes)

Tipping point:

1. Michigan, 18.99% (721,933 votes)

Counties

Counties with highest percent of vote (Republican)

1. Madison County, Idaho 92.88%
2. Hansford County, Texas 89.38%
3. Ochiltree County, Texas 89.15%
4. Grant County, Nebraska 88.45%
5. Blaine County, Nebraska 88.32%

Counties with highest percent of vote (Democratic)

1. Washington, D.C. 85.38%
2. Macon County, Alabama 82.71%
3. Shannon County, South Dakota 81.41%
4. Jefferson County, Mississippi 77.94%
5. Hancock County, Georgia 76.61%

Voter demographics

Source: CBS News and The New York Times exit poll from the Roper Center for Public Opinion Research (9,174 surveyed)

Notable expressions and phrases

• Where's the beef?: A slogan used by Wendy's to suggest that their competitors have smaller portions of meat in their sandwiches, but used in the Democratic primaries by Mondale to criticize Gary Hart's positions as lacking substance.
• Morning in America: Slogan used by the Reagan campaign.

See also

• 1984 United States Senate elections
• 1984 United States House of Representatives elections
• 1984 United States gubernatorial elections
• History of the United States (1980–1991)
• Second inauguration of Ronald Reagan

References

1. "National General Election VEP Turnout Rates, 1789-Present". United States Election Project. CQ Press. Archived from the original on July 25, 2014. Retrieved February 21, 2023.
2. Raines, Howell (November 7, 1984). "Reagan Wins By a Landslide, Sweeping at Least 48 States; G.O.P. Gains Strength in House". The New York Times. Archived from the original on November 14, 2013. Retrieved March 21, 2013.
3. Lou Cannon (October 4, 2016). "Ronald Reagan: Campaigns and Elections". Miller Center of Public Affairs. Archived from the original on April 2, 2019. Retrieved September 5, 2020.
4. ^ Murse, Tom (January 28, 2019). "The Most Lopsided Presidential Elections in U.S. History: How a Landslide is Measured". ThoughtCo. Archived from the original on October 15, 2018. Retrieved March 9, 2019.
5. ^ Ranney 1985, p. 22.
6. ^ Ranney 1985, p. 26.
7. Ranney 1985, p. 29-31.
8. Frankovic 1985, p. 39.
9. Ranney 1985, p. 80.
10. Ranney 1985, p. 82-83.
11. Ranney 1985, p. 31.
12. Pomper 1985, p. 6.
13. Ranney 1985, p. 129-130.
14. Kalb, Deborah, ed. (2010). Guide to U.S. Elections. Washington, DC: CQ Press. p. 435. ISBN 978-1-60426-536-1.
15. ^ "Campaign '84;NEWLN:Conservative stars come out of the closet for Reagan". August 8, 1984.
16. "Hart Promises Mondale Full Support". Oakland Tribune. July 20, 1984. p. 7A. Archived from the original on November 14, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
17. "Jesse Jackson Endorses Mondale; Maynard Jackson will be adviser". The Atlanta Constitution. August 29, 1984. p. 5A. Archived from the original on November 14, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
18. "Glenn, Luken Cast Votes For Mondale". The Cincinnati Enquirer. July 19, 1984. p. 6A. Archived from the original on November 14, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
19. "McGovern Backs Mondale". Argus-Leader. June 14, 1984. p. 1. Archived from the original on November 14, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
20. "'Different Democrat' Hears Last Hurrah Of Campaign". The Miami Herald. July 19, 1984. p. 13A. Archived from the original on November 14, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
21. "'A New Sense of Direction'". The Greenville News. March 10, 1984. p. 1. Archived from the original on November 14, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
22. "Hart Picked Up Early California Support". The Napa Valley Register. July 19, 1984. p. 18. Archived from the original on November 14, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
23. Clymer, Adam (December 1, 1982). "KENNEDY REPORTED DECLINING TO SEEK PRESIDENCY IN 1984". The New York Times. Archived from the original on September 21, 2024. Retrieved February 20, 2019.
24. Morganthau, Tom (December 12, 1982). "Why Kennedy Withdrew From 1984 Race". Newsweek. Archived from the original on February 20, 2019. Retrieved February 20, 2019.
25. Skipper, John C. (January 13, 2010). The Iowa Caucuses: First Tests of Presidential Aspiration, 1972–2008. McFarland. ISBN 978-0-7864-5713-7. Archived from the original on December 24, 2022. Retrieved December 24, 2022.
26. Larry J. Sabato's Feeding Frenzy (July 21, 1998). "Jesse Jackson's 'Hymietown' Remark – 1984". Washington Post. Archived from the original on June 29, 2011. Retrieved May 26, 2010.
27. ^ Thomas, Evan; Allis, Sam; Beckwith, David (July 2, 1984). "Trying to Win the Peace". Time Magazine. Archived from the original on September 30, 2007.
28. Butterfield, Fox (February 22, 1984). "HART, AFTER IOWA, SEES A 2-MAN RACE (Published 1984)". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on September 21, 2024. Retrieved February 8, 2021.
29. "A Wild Ride to the End – TIME". May 16, 2008. Archived from the original on May 16, 2008. Retrieved December 24, 2022.
30. Marcus, Ruth (January 16, 2008). "Ruth Marcus – Parsing Tsunami Tuesday". The Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved December 24, 2022.
31. "Six California House Members Switch: Cranston To Mondale". The Napa Valley Register. March 3, 1984. p. 13. Archived from the original on May 13, 2022. Retrieved May 13, 2022.
32. ^ "Democrats Choose Delegates". The New York Times. January 24, 1984. Archived from the original on February 14, 2024. Retrieved August 11, 2014.
33. Crowder, Ken; Gannaway, Glenn (March 27, 1984). "No winner in Lee, WIse caucuses". Kingsport Times-News. p. 15. Archived from the original on September 21, 2024. Retrieved May 13, 2022.
34. ^ Lynn, Frank (January 15, 1984). "State Drawing Presidential Hopefuls State". The New York Times. Archived from the original on March 9, 2014. Retrieved August 11, 2014.
35. Hyde, John (January 26, 1984). "Harkin, Bedell, Smith win seats at convention". The Des Moines Register. p. 4. Archived from the original on September 21, 2024. Retrieved May 13, 2022. Harkin and Bedell have endorsed the candidacy of former Vice President Walter Mondale.
36. Moses, Charles T. (April 1, 1984). "Primary Called Test of Black Voting Power". Newsday (Suffolk Edition). p. 15. Archived from the original on May 13, 2022. Retrieved May 13, 2022. Others closely tied to the Democratic Party structure, including Rep. Charles Rangel (D-Manhattan), national vice chairman for Walter Mondale's campaign and a powerful leader in the black community, have described Jackson's candidacy as one blacks cannot afford to endorse.
37. ^ Raines, Howell (January 29, 1984). "Southern Primaries Could Spell Trouble For Glenn". The New York Times. Archived from the original on February 14, 2024. Retrieved August 11, 2014.
38. ^ Raines, Howell (October 20, 1983). "Democrats Pursue Southern Support". The New York Times. Archived from the original on September 21, 2024. Retrieved August 11, 2014.
39. Boyd, Gerald M. (December 11, 1983). "Alabama Blacks' Group Decides To Back Mondale-Jackson Ticket". The New York Times. Archived from the original on March 9, 2014. Retrieved August 11, 2014.
40. ^ Raines, Howell (December 12, 1983). "Mondale had good '83 – now the real test begins". The New York Times. Archived from the original on September 21, 2024. Retrieved August 11, 2014.
41. ^ Smith, Hedrick (February 25, 1984). "Experts Say The South Looks Blead For Glenn". The New York Times. Archived from the original on February 14, 2024. Retrieved August 11, 2014.
42. ^ HOWELL RAINES (November 4, 1983). "A Provocative Candidate". The New York Times. Archived from the original on September 21, 2024. Retrieved August 11, 2014.
43. ^ Gailey, Phil (December 5, 1983). "Political Potholes Ahead For Traveling Democrats". The New York Times. Chicago (Ill). Archived from the original on March 9, 2014. Retrieved August 11, 2014.
44. Raines, Howell (October 19, 1983). "Politics – Hart'S Tactics Askew'S Train And Film Anxieties". The New York Times. Archived from the original on March 9, 2014. Retrieved August 11, 2014.
45. Rainie, Harrison (June 7, 1984). "Urge Hart to pack it in for unity". Daily News. p. 34. Archived from the original on May 13, 2022. Retrieved May 13, 2022.
46. HOWELL RAINES (February 26, 1984). "8 DEMOCRATS GIRD FOR KEY PRIMARY IN NEW HAMPSHIRE". The New York Times. New Hampshire. Archived from the original on March 9, 2014. Retrieved August 11, 2014.
47. Abramson, Rudy; Oates, May Louise (March 8, 1984). "Senator Accuses Reagan of Using Divisive Issues". The Los Angeles Times. p. 1. Archived from the original on May 13, 2022. Retrieved May 13, 2022.
48. ^ Plotz, David (August 20, 1999). "Warren Beatty". Slate Magazine. Retrieved December 24, 2022.
49. Smothers, Ronald (November 1, 1983). "Democratic Candidates Welcome Jackson Bid For Nomination". The New York Times. Retrieved August 11, 2014.
50. ^ Smothers, Ronald (November 4, 1983). "Jackson Declares Formal Candidacy". The New York Times. Retrieved August 11, 2014.
51. "Orval Faubus Supporting Jackson". The Charlotte Observer. March 10, 1984. p. 6. Archived from the original on May 13, 2022. Retrieved May 13, 2022.
52. Smothers, Ronald (December 28, 1983). "Jackson Wins Attention But Strength Is Unclear". The New York Times. Archived from the original on March 9, 2014. Retrieved August 11, 2014.
53. ^ Ronald Smothers (March 12, 1984). "Alabama Black Leaders Are Urging Pragmatism In Supporting Mondale". The New York Times. Archived from the original on March 9, 2014. Retrieved August 11, 2014.
54. ^ Smothers, Ronald (January 15, 1984). "Jackson Attracts Crowds, But Planning Is Erratic". The New York Times. Archived from the original on March 9, 2014. Retrieved August 11, 2014.
55. Canerdy, Beverly (March 12, 1984). "D.C. mayor stumps for Jackson". Clarion-Ledger. p. 12. Archived from the original on September 21, 2024. Retrieved May 13, 2022.
56. ^ Boyd, Gerald M. (February 14, 1984). "Black Churches A Mainspring Of Jackson's Efforts". The New York Times. Archived from the original on September 21, 2024. Retrieved August 11, 2014.
57. Raines, Howell (December 2, 1983). "Jackson Gets Support, Apparently Without Poll Of The Group". The New York Times. Archived from the original on March 9, 2014. Retrieved August 11, 2014.
58. "CAMPAIGN NOTES; Muhammad Ali Switches His Support to Reagan". The New York Times. October 3, 1984. Archived from the original on September 14, 2016. Retrieved November 17, 2023.
59. "Barry Commoner Vows To Back Jesse Jackson". The New York Times. August 30, 1983. Archived from the original on September 21, 2024. Retrieved January 18, 2015.
60. "South Carolina Political Collections – University Libraries | University of South Carolina". sc.edu. Archived from the original on September 21, 2024. Retrieved September 25, 2022.
61. Tom Sherwood (December 15, 1983). "Del. Pickett to Head Mondale's Va. Race". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on July 8, 2018. Retrieved May 25, 2018.
62. ^ "Winchester Star Newspaper Archives February 10, 1984 Page 18". February 10, 1984. Archived from the original on May 25, 2018. Retrieved May 25, 2018.
63. "Anna Belle Clement O'Brien passes away at 86". Archived from the original on September 6, 2009.
64. "Glenn camp can't afford loss in South". The Morning Call. March 11, 1984. p. 7. Archived from the original on May 17, 2022. Retrieved May 13, 2022. Glenn was endorsed Friday by Sen. Sam Nunn, D-Ga., who said he cast his absentee ballot for the Ohio senator.
65. Robinson, Walter V. (January 21, 1984). "Glenn says a Mondale comment 'goes too far'". The Boston Globe. p. 6. Archived from the original on September 21, 2024. Retrieved May 13, 2022.
66. "Glenn seeking to turn a hero's image into votes". The New York Times. June 15, 1983. Archived from the original on May 24, 2015. Retrieved January 18, 2015.
67. "Ferraro collects pledges of support from state's major political groups". The Montgomery Advertiser. August 26, 1984. p. 2. Archived from the original on May 13, 2022. Retrieved May 13, 2022.
68. "Durrette criticizes Robb for endorsing Mondale". Kingsport Times-News. September 25, 1984. p. 11. Archived from the original on May 13, 2022. Retrieved May 13, 2022.
69. "Askew Ends Presidential Campaign". The Miami Herald. March 2, 1984. p. 17. Archived from the original on September 21, 2024. Retrieved May 13, 2022. One who apparently dissuaded him was Gov. Bob Graham, who steadfastly supported Askew for president.
70. "ASKEW TELLS MOBILE HE 'FEELS GOOD' ABOUT RACE". The New York Times. February 7, 1984. Archived from the original on February 14, 2024. Retrieved January 18, 2015.
71. Howell Raines (July 20, 1984). "Party Nominates Rep. Ferraro; Mondale, in Acceptance, Vows Fair Policies and Deficit Cut". The New York Times. p. A1.
72. ^ Church, George L.; Magnuson, Ed (July 23, 1984). "Geraldine Ferraro: A Break with Tradition". Time. Archived from the original on January 5, 2013. Retrieved March 26, 2011.
73. Blumenthal, Ralph (September 8, 2008). "When the Press Vetted Geraldine Ferraro". The New York Times. Archived from the original on January 8, 2009. Retrieved March 26, 2011.
74. Buckley, Cara (March 28, 2011). "Of Ferraro's Roles in Many Arenas, a Favorite: Gerry From Queens". The New York Times. pp. A18. Archived from the original on March 8, 2021. Retrieved March 30, 2011.
75. The New York Times, June 11, 1983
76. The New York Times, November 9, 1983
77. The New York Times, April 20, 1984
78. The New York Times, April 27, 1984
79. The New York Times, May 4, 1984
80. The New York Times, August 28, 1984
81. "Former Congressman John Anderson Runs for President Again in 1984". Archives.nbclearn.com. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved January 18, 2015.
82. ^ "Anderson Won't Join Race for Presidency". The Burlington Free Press. April 27, 1984. p. 7A. Archived from the original on February 17, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
83. "Anderson in New YorkTo Support Mondale". The New York Times. October 31, 1984. Archived from the original on February 17, 2024.
84. Broder, David (August 27, 1984). "Anderson To Endorse Mondale". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on February 17, 2024.
85. "Candidate withdraws from Race". news.google.com. August 27, 1983. Archived from the original on September 21, 2013 – via The Palm Beach Post.
86. "Reagan Should Not Seek Second Term, Majority Believes". The Washington Post. September 17, 1982 – via Newspapers.com.
87. Gallup, George (1983). The Gallup Poll: Public Opinion, 1983. p. 3.
88. "Survey Indicated Mondale Led Reagan In 1984 Preference Test". Omaha World-Herald. January 24, 1983. p. 24 – via Newspapers.com.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
89. Gallup, George (1983). The Gallup Poll: Public Opinion, 1983. p. 46.
90. "Poll: President Pulls Even With Mondale, Glenn". The Lincoln Star. April 28, 1983. p. 3 – via Newspapers.com.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
91. "Reagan Gaining In The Polls". Bennington Banner. April 15, 1983. p. 3 – via Newspapers.com.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
92. Gallup, George (1983). The Gallup Poll: Public Opinion, 1983. p. 93.
93. "Glenn Eclipses Mondale In Gallup Survey". The Los Angeles Times. May 19, 1983. p. 15 – via Newspapers.com.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
94. "Glenn Eclipses Mondale In Gallup Survey". The Los Angeles Times. May 19, 1983. p. 15 – via Newspapers.com.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
95. Gallup, George (1983). The Gallup Poll: Public Opinion, 1983. p. 103.
96. "Voters In Poll Split On Reagan Running In 1984". Omaha World-Herald. July 11, 1983. p. 3 – via Newspapers.com.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
97. Gallup, George (1983). The Gallup Poll: Public Opinion, 1983. p. 122.
98. "Poll: Reagan Vs. Mondale, Glenn 'Too Close To Call'". Omaha World-Herald. August 1, 1983. p. 8 – via Newspapers.com.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
99. "Polls Show Glenn Tops Reagan, Mondale Close". The Knoxville News-Sentinel. August 8, 1983. p. C6 – via Newspapers.com.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
100. Gallup, George (1983). The Gallup Poll: Public Opinion, 1983. p. 148.
101. Gallup, George (1983). The Gallup Poll: Public Opinion, 1983. p. 169.
102. Gallup, George (1983). The Gallup Poll: Public Opinion, 1983. p. 206.
103. "McGovern's Entry Aids Glenn, Harms Mondale". The Washington Post. September 29, 1983 – via Newspapers.com.
104. Gallup, George (1983). The Gallup Poll: Public Opinion, 1983. p. 206.
105. "Anderson Candidacy Helps Reagan's Chances". The Californian. December 15, 1983. p. 21 – via Newspapers.com.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
106. Gallup, George (1984). The Gallup Poll: Public Opinion, 1984. p. 3.
107. "Reagan, Mondale Now Tied". The Atlanta Constitution. December 17, 1983. p. 7A – via Newspapers.com.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
108. Gallup, George (1984). The Gallup Poll: Public Opinion, 1984. p. 12.
109. "Reagan, Mondale Get Support; Glenn Slips In Poll". The Idaho Statesman. January 25, 1984. p. 3A – via Newspapers.com.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
110. Gallup, George (1984). The Gallup Poll: Public Opinion, 1984. p. 54.
111. Gallup, George (1984). The Gallup Poll: Public Opinion, 1984. p. 53.
112. "Majority of Democrats Back Mondale in Poll". The Washington Post. February 17, 1984 – via Newspapers.com.
113. Gallup, George (1984). The Gallup Poll: Public Opinion, 1984. p. 67.
114. "Hart Moves Ahead In Preference Poll". Fremont Tribune. March 5, 1984. p. 1 – via Newspapers.com.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
115. Gallup, George (1984). The Gallup Poll: Public Opinion, 1984. p. 75.
116. "Poll: Hart Has Best Chance Against Reagan". The Atlanta Journal. March 22, 1984. p. 15A – via Newspapers.com.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
117. Gallup, George (1984). The Gallup Poll: Public Opinion, 1984. p. 75.
118. Gallup, George (1984). The Gallup Poll: Public Opinion, 1984. p. 94.
119. Gallup, George (1984). The Gallup Poll: Public Opinion, 1984. p. 94.
120. Gallup, George (1984). The Gallup Poll: Public Opinion, 1984. p. 100.
121. Gallup, George (1984). The Gallup Poll: Public Opinion, 1984. p. 113.
122. "Hart Leads Reagan, Reagan Leads Mondale". Pacific Daily News. June 17, 1984. p. 23 – via Newspapers.com.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
123. Gallup, George (1984). The Gallup Poll: Public Opinion, 1984. p. 113.
124. "Poll Shows Democrats Favor Hart For Running Mate". The Columbian. July 3, 1984. p. A5 – via Newspapers.com.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
125. Gallup, George (1984). The Gallup Poll: Public Opinion, 1984. p. 119.
126. "Early Survey Shows Ferraro Helps Mondale". Poughkeepsie Journal. June 17, 1984. p. 1 – via Newspapers.com.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
127. "Reagan's Lead Cut". The Washington Post. July 11, 1984 – via Newspapers.com.
128. "Public Unsure Of Ms. Ferraro, Poll Says". The Daily Progress. July 14, 1984. p. 10 – via Newspapers.com.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
129. Gallup, George (1984). The Gallup Poll: Public Opinion, 1984. p. 119.
130. Gallup, George (1984). The Gallup Poll: Public Opinion, 1984. p. 123.
131. "Harris Poll: Reagan's Lead Shrinks". The Pensacola News. July 31, 1984. p. 3C – via Newspapers.com.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
132. Gallup, George (1984). The Gallup Poll: Public Opinion, 1984. p. 123.
133. Gallup, George (1984). The Gallup Poll: Public Opinion, 1984. p. 127.
134. "Perceptions". The Washington Post. August 8, 1983 – via Newspapers.com.
135. "Poll: Ferraro Fails To Boost Mondale". The Orlando Sentinel. August 14, 1984. p. A10 – via Newspapers.com.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
136. "Reagan Has Recaptured Solid Lead Over Mondale". News Herald. August 16, 1984. p. 4 – via Newspapers.com.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
137. Gallup, George (1984). The Gallup Poll: Public Opinion, 1984. p. 139.
138. "Convention No Big Boost For Reagan's Campaign". Chillicothe Gazette. August 28, 1984. p. 4 – via Newspapers.com.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
139. "Latest Harris Poll Shows Reagan Holding His Lead". Wausau Daily Herald. September 13, 1984. p. 9 – via Newspapers.com.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
140. Gallup, George (1984). The Gallup Poll: Public Opinion, 1984. p. 151.
141. "Poll Shows Reagan Now Leads Mondale By 16 Points, 56-40". The Washington Post. September 12, 1984 – via Newspapers.com.
142. Gallup, George (1984). The Gallup Poll: Public Opinion, 1984. p. 169.
143. "Reagan Keeps 13-Point Lead On Mondale". News Herald. October 2, 1984. p. 4 – via Newspapers.com.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
144. Gallup, George (1984). The Gallup Poll: Public Opinion, 1984. p. 181.
145. "Reagan Leads, 54-31, In Survey". The Boston Globe. October 7, 1984. p. 20 – via Newspapers.com.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
146. "Mondale's Ratings Improve". The Washington Post. October 10, 1984 – via Newspapers.com.
147. "Mondale Creeps To Within 12 Points Of Reagan". The Californian. October 13, 1984. p. 25 – via Newspapers.com.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
148. "Reagan, Mondale Look Toward Debate". The Marshall News Messenger. October 13, 1984. p. 5 – via Newspapers.com.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
149. "Few Votes Shift After 2nd Debate". The Washington Post. October 24, 1984 – via Newspapers.com.
150. Gallup, George (1984). The Gallup Poll: Public Opinion, 1984. p. 205.
151. "Reagan's Lead Climbs". Poughkeepsie Journal. October 25, 1984. p. 1 – via Newspapers.com.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
152. "Reagan Leads In Polls". Lancaster New Era. October 29, 1984. p. 4 – via Newspapers.com.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
153. Gallup, George (1984). The Gallup Poll: Public Opinion, 1984. p. 215.
154. "Harris Poll Shows Big Reagan Lead". The Boston Globe. October 29, 1984. p. 2 – via Newspapers.com.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
155. "Polls Give Reagan At Least 12-Point Lead Day Before". Longview News-Journal. November 5, 1984. p. 16B – via Newspapers.com.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
156. "Poll: Reagan's Big Lead Narrows". The Journal Times. November 2, 1984. p. 6A – via Newspapers.com.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
157. "Polls Give Reagan At Least 12-Point Lead Day Before". Longview News-Journal. November 5, 1984. p. 16B – via Newspapers.com.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
158. "Mondale Improves Standing in Polls". The Washington Post. September 17, 1983 – via Newspapers.com.
159. Gallup, George (1984). The Gallup Poll: Public Opinion, 1984. p. 228.
160. "Polls Give Reagan At Least 12-Point Lead Day Before". Longview News-Journal. November 5, 1984. p. 16B – via Newspapers.com.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
161. "Polls Give Reagan At Least 12-Point Lead Day Before". Longview News-Journal. November 5, 1984. p. 16B – via Newspapers.com.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
162. Ranney 1985, p. 119; 133-134.
163. Ranney 1985, p. 134-135.
164. Ranney 1985, p. 161.
165. Pierard 1985, p. 101-103.
166. ^ Martin, Douglas (March 27, 2011). "Geraldine A. Ferraro, First Woman on Major Party Ticket, Dies at 75". The New York Times. pp. A1. Archived from the original on August 29, 2011. Retrieved March 26, 2011.
167. Ranney 1985, p. 134.
168. Chao, Eveline (July 8, 2015). "35 Musicians Who Told Politicians to Stop Using Their Songs". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on February 3, 2021. Retrieved February 8, 2021.
169. ^ Baker, Peter and Susan Glasser, The Man Who Ran Washington: The Life and Times of James A. Baker III (Doubleday, NY: 2020), pp. 238-243.
170. "1984 Presidential Candidate Debate: President Reagan and Walter Mondale – 10/7/84". Debates. October 7, 1984. Archived from the original on October 29, 2021. Retrieved January 15, 2011.
171. Reagan, Ronald; Mondale, Walter (April 27, 2009). 1984 Presidential Candidate Debate: President Reagan and Walter Mondale – 10/21/84. The Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation. Event occurs at 32:55. Archived from the original on October 29, 2021.
172. Mondale, Walter. "1984: There You Go Again... Again / Debating Our Destiny Transcript". PBS Newshour (Interview). Interviewed by Lehrer, Jim. Archived from the original on December 12, 2000. Retrieved February 29, 2012.
173. ^ "CPD: 1984 Debates". www.debates.org. Archived from the original on January 8, 2019. Retrieved January 8, 2019.
174. ^ Ranney 1985, p. 1.
175. ^ Prendergast, William B. (1999). The Catholic vote in American politics. Washington, D.C.: Georgetown University Press. pp. 186, 191–193. ISBN 0-87840-724-3. Archived from the original on September 21, 2024. Retrieved October 31, 2021.
176. "Minnesota heads Reagan's wish list". The Tuscaloosa News. Tuscaloosa, Alabama. Associated Press. December 4, 1984. p. 27. Archived from the original on November 27, 2020. Retrieved July 18, 2012.
177. ^ "Historical U.S. Presidential Elections 1789–2016". Archived from the original on May 22, 2019. Retrieved October 12, 2018.
178. Ranney 1985, p. 321.
179. Ranney 1985, p. 210.
180. Ranney 1985, p. 204.
181. Pomper 1985, pp. 117–118.
182. Ranney 1985, p. 60.
183. Rosenstone 1985, p. 31.
184. Ranney 1985, p. 211.
185. Ranney 1985, p. 231; 234.
186. Leip, David. "1984 Presidential Election Results". Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections. Retrieved August 7, 2005.
187. "Electoral College Box Scores 1789–1996". National Archives and Records Administration. Retrieved August 7, 2005.
188. ^ "1984 Presidential General Election Data – National". Archived from the original on May 30, 2013. Retrieved March 17, 2013.
189. Barone, Michael; Ujifusa, Grant (September 1, 1989). The Almanac of American Politics. Collier Books. ISBN 978-0-89234-044-6.
190. ^ "POPULAR VOTE AND ELECTORAL COLLEGE VOTE BY STATE" (TXT). Psephos.adam-carr.net. Archived from the original on June 14, 2008. Retrieved January 18, 2015.
191. ^ "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections – County Data". Uselectionatlas.org. Archived from the original on June 5, 2011. Retrieved January 16, 2011.
192. "How Groups Voted in 1984". ropercenter.cornell.edu. Retrieved February 1, 2018.
193. Granberg 1987, p. 61.

Notes

1. Wisconsin's primary ballot offered voters the options "Ronald Reagan Yes," "Ronald Reagan No," and "Others"

Works cited

Books

• Pomper, Marlene, ed. (1985). The Election of 1984. Chatham House. ISBN 093454042X.
• Ranney, Austin, ed. (1985). The American Elections of 1984. Duke University Press. ISBN 0-8223-0230-6.

Journals

• Frankovic, Kathleen (1985). "The 1984 Election: The Irrelevance of the Campaign". PS. 18 (1). American Political Science Association: 39–47. doi:10.2307/418804. JSTOR 418804.
• Granberg, Donald (1987). "The Abortion Issue in the 1984 Elections". Family Planning Perspectives. 19 (2). Guttmacher Institute: 59–62. doi:10.2307/2135050. JSTOR 2135050. PMID 3595819.
• Pierard, Richard (1985). "Religion and the 1984 Election Campaign". Review of Religious Research. 27 (2). Religious Research Association: 98–114. doi:10.2307/3511665. JSTOR 3511665.
• Rosenstone, Steven (1985). "Explaining the 1984 Presidential Election". The Brookings Review. 3 (2). Brookings Institution: 25–32. JSTOR 20079866.

Further reading

• Boyd, Richard W., Paul R. Mencher, Philip J. Paseltiner, Ezra Paul, Alexander S. Vanda, "The 1984 Election as Anthony Downs and Stanley Kelley Might Interpret It", Political Behavior, Vol. 10, No. 3 (Autumn, 1988), pp. 197–213.
• Goldman, Peter, et al. The quest for the presidency 1984 (1985) online
• Johnstone, Andrew, and Andrew Priest, eds. US Presidential Elections and Foreign Policy: Candidates, Campaigns, and Global Politics from FDR to Bill Clinton (2017) pp 271–292. online
• Ladd, Everett Carll (1985). "On Mandates, Realignments, and the 1984 Presidential Election". Political Science Quarterly. 100 (1): 1–24. doi:10.2307/2150858. JSTOR 2150858.
• Leuchtenburg, William E. (1986). The 1984 Election in Historical Perspective. Waco: Baylor University Press. ISBN 0-918954-45-2.
• Morris, Lorenzo (1990). The Social and Political Implications of the 1984 Jesse Jackson Presidential Campaign. New York: Praeger. ISBN 0-275-92785-7.
• Moore, Jonathan, ed. (1986). Campaign for President: The Managers Look at '84. Dover: Auburn House. ISBN 0-86569-132-0.
• Sandoz, E.; Crabb, C. V. Jr., eds. (1985). Election 84: Landslide Without a Mandate?. New York: New American Library. ISBN 0-451-62424-6.
• Stempel, Guido H. III; Windhauser, John W. (1991). The Media in the 1984 and 1988 Presidential Campaigns. New York: Greenwood Press. ISBN 0-313-26527-5.

External links

• The Election Wall's 1984 election video page
• 1984 popular vote by counties
• 1984 popular vote by states
• 1984 popular vote by states (with bar graphs)
• Campaign commercials from the 1984 election
• Democratic primaries at the Wayback Machine (archived October 26, 2009)
• Election of 1984 in Counting the Votes Archived March 3, 2016, at the Wayback Machine

v t e State and district results of the 1984 United States presidential election
Alabama Alaska Arizona Arkansas California Colorado Connecticut Delaware District of Columbia Florida Georgia Hawaii Idaho Illinois Indiana Iowa Kansas Kentucky Louisiana Maine Maryland Massachusetts Michigan Minnesota Mississippi Missouri Montana Nebraska Nevada New Hampshire New Jersey New Mexico New York North Carolina North Dakota Ohio Oklahoma Oregon Pennsylvania Rhode Island South Carolina South Dakota Tennessee Texas Utah Vermont Virginia Washington West Virginia Wisconsin Wyoming

v t e Ronald Reagan
40th President of the United States (1981–1989) 33rd Governor of California (1967–1975)
Life and politics	Birthplace Pitney Store Boyhood home Rancho del Cielo Filmography Political positions Governorship of California Presidential Library and Museum Reagan Era Death and state funeral
Presidency	Transition First inauguration Second inauguration Domestic policy Economic policy Economic Recovery Tax Act of 1981 Tax Reform Act of 1986 Assassination attempt Strategic Defense Initiative Foreign policy Reagan Doctrine Cold War 1st term 2nd term Soviet Union summits Geneva Reykjavík Washington INF Treaty Moscow Governors Island Constructive engagement Invasion of Grenada Iran–Contra affair Libya bombing Cannabis policy International trips The Grace Commission Cabinet Judicial appointments Supreme Court controversies Administration scandals "We begin bombing in five minutes" Impeachment efforts Executive orders Presidential proclamations Bush transition
Speeches	Ronald Reagan Speaks Out Against Socialized Medicine (1961) "A Time for Choosing" (1964) Neshoba County Fair "states' rights" speech (1980) First inaugural address (1981) Joint session of Congress (1981) "Ash heap of history" (1982) "Evil empire" (1983) Second inaugural address (1985) "Tear down this wall!" (1987) State of the Union 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988
Books	An American Life The Reagan Diaries
Elections	1966 California gubernatorial election 11th commandment 1970 California gubernatorial election Republican presidential primaries (1968 1976 1980 1984) Republican National Convention (1968 1976 1980 1984) 1976 presidential campaign 1980 presidential campaign "There you go again" "Let's make America great again" 1984 presidential campaign "Morning in America" "Bear in the woods" United States presidential election (1976 1980 1984)
Cultural depictions	Bibliography In music Let Them Eat Jellybeans! (1981) U.S. Postage stamps Rap Master Ronnie Ed the Happy Clown (1983 comic series) Spitting Image (TV series) (1984) A Mind Forever Voyaging (1985 game) The Dark Knight Returns (1986) film adaptation Pizza Man (1991 film) The Day Reagan Was Shot (2001 film) Reagan's War (2002 book) The Reagans (2003 film) Reagan (2011 documentary) The Butler (2013 film) Killing Reagan (2015 book) Killing Reagan (2016 film) Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War (2020 game) The Reagans (2020 miniseries) Reagan (2023 film) "What would Reagan do?" Reykjavik (TBA)
Memorials	U.S. Capitol statue USS Ronald Reagan (CVN-76) Namesakes and memorials Ronald Reagan Day Reagan Day Dinner
Family	Jane Wyman (first wife) Nancy Reagan (second wife) Maureen Reagan (daughter) Michael Reagan (adopted son) Patti Davis (daughter) Ron Reagan (son) Jack Reagan (father) Nelle Wilson Reagan (mother) Neil Reagan (brother) Rex (dog)
← Jimmy Carter George H. W. Bush → Category

v t e George H. W. Bush
41st President of the United States (1989–1993) 43rd Vice President of the United States (1981–1989) Director of Central Intelligence (1976–1977) UN Ambassador (1971–1973) U.S. Representative for TX–7 (1967–1971)
Presidency	Transition Inauguration Timeline 1989 1990 1991 1992 January 1993 Environmental policy Soviet Union summits Malta Helsinki Invasion of Panama Chemical Weapons Accord Gulf War 1991 Madrid Conference National Space Council New world order Somali Civil War Unified Task Force Negotiations for the North American Free Trade Agreement Cannabis policy Vomiting incident Broccoli comments White House horseshoe pit Presidential pardons International trips Oval Office desk Cabinet Judicial appointments Thomas Supreme Court candidates controversies Executive orders Presidential proclamations
Life	Presidential Library Bush School of Government and Public Service Walker's Point Estate Post-presidency Death and state funeral
Speeches	Joint session of Congress (1989) State of the Union addresses 1990 1991 1992 Chicken Kiev
Elections	U.S. Senate 1964 1970 U.S. House 1966 1968 Vice Presidential 1980 campaign selection convention election transition 1984 campaign convention election Presidential 1980 campaign primaries 1988 campaign primaries running mate selection convention "a thousand points of light" "Read my lips: no new taxes" debates election 1992 campaign primaries convention debates election Clinton transition
Public image	Saturday Night Live parodies The X-Presidents Presidential Reunion (2010 short film) The Naked Gun 2½: The Smell of Fear (1991) What It Takes: The Way to the White House (1993) The Silence of the Hams (1994) George Bush: The Life of a Lone Star Yankee (1997) The Family: The Real Story of the Bush Dynasty (2004) George H.W. Bush (2008) Bad for Democracy (2008) Family of Secrets (2009) 41: A Portrait of My Father (2014 book) Destiny and Power (2015 book)
Books	A World Transformed (1998) All the Best (1999)
Legacy	Bibliography Presidential Library Medal of Freedom Bush School of Government Reagan Award George Bush Intercontinental Airport USS George H.W. Bush (CVN-77)
Family	Barbara Bush (wife) George W. Bush (son presidency) Pauline Robinson Bush (daughter) Jeb Bush (son) Neil Bush (son) Marvin Bush (son) Dorothy Bush Koch (daughter) Barbara Bush Coyne (granddaughter) Jenna Bush Hager (granddaughter) George P. Bush (grandson) Lauren Bush (granddaughter) Pierce Bush (grandson) Prescott Bush (father) Dorothy Walker Bush (mother) Nancy Walker Bush Ellis (sister) Jonathan Bush (brother) William H. T. Bush (brother) Samuel P. Bush (grandfather) George Herbert Walker (grandfather) James Smith Bush (great-grandfather) Obadiah Bush (great-great-grandfather) Millie (family dog) Sully (service dog)
← Ronald Reagan Bill Clinton → ← Walter Mondale Dan Quayle → Category

• 1980s
• Politics
• United States

• 1984 United States presidential election
• George H. W. Bush
• Geraldine Ferraro
• Presidency of Ronald Reagan
• Ronald Reagan
• Walter Mondale
• Landslide victories
• November 1984 events in the United States
• 1984 in women's history