Ronald Reagan Is Elected President

Setting the scene

Double-digit inflation, gasoline lines, and the Iran hostage crisis eroded confidence in President Jimmy Carter. Former California governor Ronald Reagan, a former actor and union leader, united conservatives with promises to cut taxes, rebuild the military, and restore American pride.

What happened

Reagan won in November 1980 with 489 electoral votes to Carter's 49, carrying 44 states; independent John Anderson took about 6.6 percent of the vote. The Republican Senate majority returned for the first time since 1954.

Why it still matters

Reagan's supply-side economics, SDI missile-defense rhetoric, and 1987 Berlin Wall challenge shaped the late Cold War. Memorable detail: Reagan was shot by John Hinckley Jr. on March 30, 1981, yet quipped to surgeons, 'I hope you're all Republicans,' and returned to the Oval Office within weeks.

Background

His presidency shaped tax cuts and Cold War rhetoric.