1980 United States presidential election in Florida
The 1980 United States presidential election in Florida took place on Tuesday, November 4, 1980, as part of the 1980 United States presidential election in which all 50 states plus the District of Columbia participated. Florida voters chose 17 electors to represent them in the Electoral College via a popular vote pitting incumbent Democratic President Jimmy Carter and his running mate, Vice President Walter Mondale, against Republican challenger and former California Governor Ronald Reagan and his running mate and former Director of the CIA, George H.W. Bush.
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Elections in Florida |
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The Republican ticket won Florida by a wide 17.02% margin, a particularly strong performance in this conservative leaning state that voted for Carter in 1976 by a 5.29% margin.[2] As of the 2020 United States presidential election, this is the last election where Florida voted to the left of New Mexico. John B. Anderson, a liberal Republican Congressman from Illinois who ran as an Independent with former U.S. Ambassador to Mexico Patrick Lucey, received his strongest performance of any Southern state in Florida, where he won 5.14% of the vote. Florida, along with Virginia, were one of only two southern states to give Anderson over 5% of the vote. Although Carter lost Florida, he is the last Democrat to win a majority of counties in the state's northern region. Carter is also the last Democrat to win the counties of Baker, Bradford, Columbia, Jackson, Lafayette, Liberty, Suwannee, and Union.[3] This cycle also marks the most recent time that an incumbent President standing for re-election would fail to carry Florida, irrespective of the national outcome.
Reagan’s victory was the first of four consecutive Republican victories in the state, as Florida would not vote Democratic again until Bill Clinton won the state in his re-election bid in 1996. Since then it has become a highly competitive swing state.
Results
Presidential candidate | Party | Home state | Popular vote | Electoral vote |
Running mate | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Count | Percentage | Vice-presidential candidate | Home state | Electoral vote | ||||
Ronald Reagan | Republican | California | 2,046,951 | 55.52% | 17 | George Bush | Texas | 17 |
Jimmy Carter | Democrat | Georgia | 1,419,475 | 38.50% | 0 | Walter Mondale | Minnesota | 0 |
John B. Anderson | Independent | Illinois | 189,692 | 5.14% | 0 | None | — | 0 |
Ed Clark | Libertarian | California | 30,524 | 0.83% | 0 | David Koch | New York | 0 |
David McReynolds | Socialist | New York | 212 | 0.01% | 0 | Diane Drufenbrock | Wisconsin | 0 |
Gus Hall | Communist | New York | 123 | 0.00% | 0 | Angela Davis | California | 0 |
Clifton DeBerry | Socialist Workers | California | 41 | 0.00% | 0 | Matilde Zimmermann | — | 0 |
Deirdre Griswold | Workers World | New York | 8 | 0.00% | 0 | Larry Holmes | Illinois | 0 |
Total | 3,687,026 | 100% | 17 | 17 | ||||
Needed to win | 270 | 270 |
Results by county
County | Ronald Wilson Reagan Republican |
James Earl Carter Democratic |
John Bayard Anderson Independent |
Various candidates Other parties |
Margin | Total votes cast | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
# | % | # | % | # | % | # | % | # | % | # | |
Alachua | 19,804 | 38.56% | 26,849 | 52.27% | 4,178 | 8.13% | 533 | 1.04% | -7,045 | -13.72% | 51,364 |
Baker | 2,283 | 45.88% | 2,611 | 52.47% | 56 | 1.13% | 26 | 0.52% | -328 | -6.59% | 4,976 |
Bay | 20,948 | 60.61% | 12,389 | 35.85% | 740 | 2.14% | 484 | 1.40% | 8,559 | 24.76% | 34,561 |
Bradford | 2,778 | 44.50% | 3,347 | 53.61% | 90 | 1.44% | 28 | 0.45% | -569 | -9.11% | 6,243 |
Brevard | 69,460 | 60.07% | 39,007 | 33.73% | 5,866 | 5.07% | 1,303 | 1.13% | 30,453 | 26.34% | 115,636 |
Broward | 229,693 | 55.95% | 146,323 | 35.64% | 31,554 | 7.69% | 2,991 | 0.73% | 83,370 | 20.31% | 410,561 |
Calhoun | 1,504 | 38.72% | 2,300 | 59.22% | 52 | 1.34% | 28 | 0.72% | -796 | -20.49% | 3,884 |
Charlotte | 20,486 | 64.62% | 9,769 | 30.82% | 1,210 | 3.82% | 235 | 0.74% | 10,717 | 33.81% | 31,700 |
Citrus | 14,286 | 58.48% | 9,162 | 37.50% | 787 | 3.22% | 195 | 0.80% | 5,124 | 20.97% | 24,430 |
Clay | 15,643 | 64.85% | 7,630 | 31.63% | 692 | 2.87% | 157 | 0.65% | 8,013 | 33.22% | 24,122 |
Collier | 23,900 | 71.10% | 7,739 | 23.02% | 1,678 | 4.99% | 296 | 0.88% | 16,161 | 48.08% | 33,613 |
Columbia | 5,643 | 48.45% | 5,680 | 48.76% | 248 | 2.13% | 77 | 0.66% | -37 | -0.32% | 11,648 |
Dade | 265,888 | 50.65% | 210,868 | 40.17% | 44,799 | 8.53% | 3,350 | 0.64% | 55,020 | 10.48% | 524,905 |
Desoto | 3,356 | 53.40% | 2,713 | 43.17% | 155 | 2.47% | 61 | 0.97% | 643 | 10.23% | 6,285 |
Dixie | 1,101 | 34.70% | 2,010 | 63.35% | 45 | 1.42% | 17 | 0.54% | -909 | -28.65% | 3,173 |
Duval | 98,664 | 50.45% | 90,466 | 46.26% | 5,184 | 2.65% | 1,240 | 0.63% | 8,198 | 4.19% | 195,554 |
Escambia | 51,794 | 58.49% | 33,513 | 37.84% | 2,634 | 2.97% | 618 | 0.70% | 18,281 | 20.64% | 88,559 |
Flagler | 2,895 | 51.70% | 2,503 | 44.70% | 154 | 2.75% | 48 | 0.86% | 392 | 7.00% | 5,600 |
Franklin | 1,508 | 44.59% | 1,775 | 52.48% | 54 | 1.60% | 45 | 1.33% | -267 | -7.89% | 3,382 |
Gadsden | 3,718 | 30.41% | 8,222 | 67.26% | 201 | 1.64% | 84 | 0.69% | -4,504 | -36.84% | 12,225 |
Gilchrist | 1,093 | 39.13% | 1,627 | 58.25% | 56 | 2.01% | 17 | 0.61% | -534 | -19.12% | 2,793 |
Glades | 1,098 | 45.96% | 1,203 | 50.36% | 61 | 2.55% | 27 | 1.13% | -105 | -4.40% | 2,389 |
Gulf | 2,127 | 43.18% | 2,700 | 54.81% | 61 | 1.24% | 38 | 0.77% | -573 | -11.63% | 4,926 |
Hamilton | 1,301 | 39.66% | 1,923 | 58.63% | 40 | 1.22% | 16 | 0.49% | -622 | -18.96% | 3,280 |
Hardee | 2,603 | 48.82% | 2,599 | 48.74% | 83 | 1.56% | 47 | 0.88% | 4 | 0.08% | 5,332 |
Hendry | 2,703 | 49.93% | 2,543 | 46.97% | 131 | 2.42% | 37 | 0.68% | 160 | 2.96% | 5,414 |
Hernando | 12,115 | 54.99% | 8,858 | 40.21% | 852 | 3.87% | 207 | 0.94% | 3,257 | 14.78% | 22,032 |
Highlands | 11,925 | 61.95% | 6,688 | 34.74% | 531 | 2.76% | 105 | 0.55% | 5,237 | 27.21% | 19,249 |
Hillsborough | 106,160 | 51.71% | 88,271 | 42.99% | 8,965 | 4.37% | 1,918 | 0.93% | 17,889 | 8.71% | 205,314 |
Holmes | 3,221 | 52.41% | 2,767 | 45.02% | 69 | 1.12% | 89 | 1.45% | 454 | 7.39% | 6,146 |
Indian River | 15,568 | 62.98% | 7,759 | 31.39% | 1,185 | 4.79% | 205 | 0.83% | 7,809 | 31.59% | 24,717 |
Jackson | 6,348 | 44.76% | 7,567 | 53.36% | 159 | 1.12% | 107 | 0.75% | -1,219 | -8.60% | 14,181 |
Jefferson | 1,623 | 39.19% | 2,367 | 57.16% | 96 | 2.32% | 55 | 1.33% | -744 | -17.97% | 4,141 |
Lafayette | 795 | 42.67% | 1,034 | 55.50% | 22 | 1.18% | 12 | 0.64% | -239 | -12.83% | 1,863 |
Lake | 26,798 | 64.53% | 13,128 | 31.61% | 1,244 | 3.00% | 358 | 0.86% | 13,670 | 32.92% | 41,528 |
Lee | 61,033 | 64.51% | 28,125 | 29.73% | 4,229 | 4.47% | 1,226 | 1.30% | 32,908 | 34.78% | 94,613 |
Leon | 24,919 | 43.47% | 28,450 | 49.63% | 3,193 | 5.57% | 764 | 1.33% | -3,531 | -6.16% | 57,326 |
Levy | 3,210 | 42.26% | 4,170 | 54.90% | 175 | 2.30% | 41 | 0.54% | -960 | -12.64% | 7,596 |
Liberty | 899 | 43.81% | 1,114 | 54.29% | 25 | 1.22% | 14 | 0.68% | -215 | -10.48% | 2,052 |
Madison | 2,280 | 41.39% | 3,134 | 56.89% | 65 | 1.18% | 30 | 0.54% | -854 | -15.50% | 5,509 |
Manatee | 40,535 | 61.81% | 21,679 | 33.06% | 2,928 | 4.47% | 434 | 0.66% | 18,856 | 28.75% | 65,576 |
Marion | 23,743 | 58.49% | 15,400 | 37.94% | 1,187 | 2.92% | 262 | 0.65% | 8,343 | 20.55% | 40,592 |
Martin | 20,521 | 68.05% | 8,087 | 26.82% | 1,321 | 4.38% | 225 | 0.75% | 12,434 | 41.23% | 30,154 |
Monroe | 11,644 | 53.40% | 7,920 | 36.32% | 1,932 | 8.86% | 310 | 1.42% | 3,724 | 17.08% | 21,806 |
Nassau | 5,440 | 50.60% | 5,074 | 47.20% | 183 | 1.70% | 54 | 0.50% | 366 | 3.40% | 10,751 |
Okaloosa | 28,072 | 69.62% | 10,845 | 26.90% | 1,116 | 2.77% | 290 | 0.72% | 17,227 | 42.72% | 40,323 |
Okeechobee | 2,783 | 44.81% | 3,228 | 51.98% | 156 | 2.51% | 43 | 0.69% | -445 | -7.17% | 6,210 |
Orange | 87,454 | 61.06% | 48,767 | 34.05% | 5,403 | 3.77% | 1,595 | 1.11% | 38,687 | 27.01% | 143,219 |
Osceola | 10,863 | 59.67% | 6,603 | 36.27% | 564 | 3.10% | 175 | 0.96% | 4,260 | 23.40% | 18,205 |
Palm Beach | 143,639 | 56.79% | 91,991 | 36.37% | 15,193 | 6.01% | 2,107 | 0.83% | 51,648 | 20.42% | 252,930 |
Pasco | 50,120 | 56.67% | 34,054 | 38.50% | 3,569 | 4.04% | 699 | 0.79% | 16,066 | 18.17% | 88,442 |
Pinellas | 185,728 | 53.83% | 138,428 | 40.12% | 17,839 | 5.17% | 3,008 | 0.87% | 47,300 | 13.71% | 345,003 |
Polk | 59,651 | 56.11% | 43,327 | 40.75% | 2,627 | 2.47% | 710 | 0.67% | 16,324 | 15.35% | 106,315 |
Putnam | 8,273 | 46.67% | 8,906 | 50.24% | 414 | 2.34% | 134 | 0.76% | -633 | -3.57% | 17,727 |
St. Johns | 11,234 | 59.67% | 6,898 | 36.64% | 554 | 2.94% | 140 | 0.74% | 4,336 | 23.03% | 18,826 |
St. Lucie | 18,126 | 60.76% | 10,347 | 34.69% | 1,113 | 3.73% | 244 | 0.82% | 7,779 | 26.08% | 29,830 |
Santa Rosa | 13,802 | 63.93% | 6,964 | 32.26% | 606 | 2.81% | 218 | 1.01% | 6,838 | 31.67% | 21,590 |
Sarasota | 68,065 | 68.57% | 25,621 | 25.81% | 4,796 | 4.83% | 783 | 0.79% | 42,444 | 42.76% | 99,265 |
Seminole | 39,989 | 66.16% | 17,443 | 28.86% | 2,459 | 4.07% | 548 | 0.91% | 22,546 | 37.30% | 60,439 |
Sumter | 3,671 | 44.41% | 4,380 | 52.98% | 141 | 1.71% | 75 | 0.91% | -709 | -8.58% | 8,267 |
Suwannee | 3,899 | 46.22% | 4,345 | 51.51% | 135 | 1.60% | 57 | 0.68% | -446 | -5.29% | 8,436 |
Taylor | 2,776 | 47.31% | 2,963 | 50.49% | 78 | 1.33% | 51 | 0.87% | -187 | -3.19% | 5,868 |
Union | 1,123 | 46.35% | 1,237 | 51.05% | 45 | 1.86% | 18 | 0.74% | -114 | -4.70% | 2,423 |
Volusia | 52,663 | 51.69% | 44,513 | 43.69% | 3,310 | 3.25% | 1,396 | 1.37% | 8,150 | 8.00% | 101,882 |
Wakulla | 2,021 | 47.26% | 2,082 | 48.69% | 112 | 2.62% | 61 | 1.43% | -61 | -1.43% | 4,276 |
Walton | 4,694 | 50.28% | 4,360 | 46.70% | 199 | 2.13% | 83 | 0.89% | 334 | 3.58% | 9,336 |
Washington | 3,251 | 49.92% | 3,110 | 47.75% | 93 | 1.43% | 59 | 0.91% | 141 | 2.16% | 6,513 |
Totals | 2,046,951 | 55.52% | 1,419,475 | 38.50% | 189,692 | 5.14% | 30,908 | 0.84% | 627,476 | 17.02% | 3,687,026 |
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References
- "Voter Turnout". Florida Division of Elections. 2021. Archived from the original on 2015-06-02.
- Dave Leip’s U.S. Election Atlas; 1980 Presidential General Election Results - Florida
- Sullivan, Robert David; ‘How the Red and Blue Map Evolved Over the Past Century’; America Magazine in The National Catholic Review; June 29, 2016