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 County results Congressional district results
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The1980 United States presidential election in Tennessee took place on November 4, 1980. All 50 states andThe District of Columbia were part of the1980 United States presidential election.Tennessee voters chose 10 electors to theElectoral College, who voted forpresident andvice president.
Tennessee was won by former CaliforniaGovernorRonald Reagan (R) by a very slim margin of 0.29% and a margin of just 4,710 votes,[1] partly because of PresidentJimmy Carter's southern roots. Amidst a national Republican landslide, Tennessee weighed in as 9.5 points more Democratic than the nation at-large, and Carter's 48.41% vote share has not been exceeded by any Democrat since (Bill Clinton would go on to carry the state with smaller pluralities in1992 and1996). Carter's strong performance given the national environment stands as a relative anomaly in Tennessee's recent electoral history; had he carried the state, it would have marked the only time since1924 that a Republican was elected president without winning Tennessee.
Reagan’s victory was the first of three consecutive Republican victories in the state, as Tennessee would not vote Democratic again untilBill Clinton in1992. Since then, it has become a safe Republican state. As ofthe 2024 presidential election[update], this is the last time thatTipton County voted for a Democratic presidential candidate, and the last time that a Republican carried Tennessee with a plurality, rather than a majority.[2]
Among white voters, 55% supported Reagan while 42% supported Carter.[3][4]
| Presidential Candidate | Running Mate | Party | Electoral Vote (EV) | Popular Vote (PV) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ronald Reagan | George H. W. Bush | Republican | 10 | 787,761 | 48.70% |
| Jimmy Carter (incumbent) | Walter Mondale (incumbent) | Democratic | 0 | 783,051 | 48.41% |
| John B. Anderson | Patrick Lucey | Independent | 0 | 35,991 | 2.22% |
| Ed Clark | David Koch | Independent | 0 | 7,116 | 0.44% |
| Barry Commoner | — | Independent | 0 | 1,112 | 0.07% |
| Benjamin Bubar | Earl Dodge | Independent | 0 | 521 | 0.03% |
| David McReynolds | Diane Drufenbrock | Independent | 0 | 519 | 0.03% |
| Gus Hall | Angela Davis | Independent | 0 | 503 | 0.03% |
| Clifton DeBerry | Matilde Zimmermann | Independent | 0 | 490 | 0.03% |
| Deirdre Griswold | Larry Holmes | Independent | 0 | 400 | 0.02% |
| — | — | Write-ins | 0 | 152 | 0.01% |
| County | Ronald Reagan Republican | Jimmy Carter Democratic | John B. Anderson Independent | Ed Clark Independent | Various candidates Other parties | Margin | Total votes cast | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| # | % | # | % | # | % | # | % | # | % | # | % | ||
| Anderson | 14,235 | 55.31% | 10,194 | 39.61% | 1,161 | 4.51% | 102 | 0.40% | 44 | 0.17% | 4,041 | 15.70% | 25,736 |
| Bedford | 3,377 | 35.24% | 5,987 | 62.48% | 159 | 1.66% | 40 | 0.42% | 20 | 0.21% | -2,610 | -27.24% | 9,583 |
| Benton | 2,281 | 36.83% | 3,811 | 61.54% | 71 | 1.15% | 30 | 0.48% | 0 | 0.00% | -1,530 | -24.71% | 6,193 |
| Bledsoe | 1,970 | 54.94% | 1,585 | 44.20% | 26 | 0.73% | 4 | 0.11% | 1 | 0.03% | 385 | 10.74% | 3,586 |
| Blount | 17,959 | 63.81% | 9,412 | 33.44% | 620 | 2.20% | 110 | 0.39% | 43 | 0.15% | 8,547 | 30.37% | 28,144 |
| Bradley | 11,869 | 59.63% | 7,638 | 38.37% | 316 | 1.59% | 68 | 0.34% | 14 | 0.07% | 4,231 | 21.26% | 19,905 |
| Campbell | 5,537 | 52.99% | 4,752 | 45.47% | 120 | 1.15% | 24 | 0.23% | 17 | 0.16% | 785 | 7.52% | 10,450 |
| Cannon | 1,403 | 36.76% | 2,351 | 61.59% | 41 | 1.07% | 11 | 0.29% | 11 | 0.29% | -948 | -24.83% | 3,817 |
| Carroll | 5,681 | 50.98% | 5,277 | 47.36% | 125 | 1.12% | 42 | 0.38% | 18 | 0.16% | 404 | 3.62% | 11,143 |
| Carter | 11,648 | 64.44% | 6,006 | 33.22% | 326 | 1.80% | 70 | 0.39% | 27 | 0.15% | 5,642 | 31.22% | 18,077 |
| Cheatham | 2,296 | 37.03% | 3,771 | 60.81% | 90 | 1.45% | 29 | 0.47% | 15 | 0.24% | -1,475 | -23.78% | 6,201 |
| Chester | 2,751 | 55.69% | 2,123 | 42.98% | 52 | 1.05% | 9 | 0.18% | 5 | 0.10% | 628 | 12.71% | 4,940 |
| Claiborne | 4,289 | 59.05% | 2,844 | 39.16% | 94 | 1.29% | 30 | 0.41% | 6 | 0.08% | 1,445 | 19.89% | 7,263 |
| Clay | 1,344 | 48.61% | 1,376 | 49.76% | 27 | 0.98% | 15 | 0.54% | 3 | 0.11% | -32 | -1.15% | 2,765 |
| Cocke | 6,802 | 74.39% | 2,139 | 23.39% | 139 | 1.52% | 38 | 0.42% | 26 | 0.28% | 4,663 | 51.00% | 9,144 |
| Coffee | 5,454 | 40.72% | 7,612 | 56.84% | 239 | 1.78% | 66 | 0.49% | 22 | 0.16% | -2,158 | -16.12% | 13,393 |
| Crockett | 2,117 | 46.14% | 2,422 | 52.79% | 27 | 0.59% | 18 | 0.39% | 4 | 0.09% | -305 | -6.65% | 4,588 |
| Cumberland | 6,354 | 60.89% | 3,775 | 36.17% | 227 | 2.18% | 51 | 0.49% | 29 | 0.28% | 2,579 | 24.72% | 10,436 |
| Davidson | 65,772 | 37.45% | 103,741 | 59.08% | 4,834 | 2.75% | 938 | 0.53% | 321 | 0.18% | -37,969 | -21.63% | 175,606 |
| DeKalb | 1,841 | 37.82% | 2,948 | 60.56% | 48 | 0.99% | 19 | 0.39% | 12 | 0.25% | -1,107 | -22.74% | 4,868 |
| Decatur | 2,095 | 48.95% | 2,139 | 49.98% | 35 | 0.82% | 8 | 0.19% | 3 | 0.07% | -44 | -1.03% | 4,280 |
| Dickson | 3,636 | 34.74% | 6,622 | 63.27% | 157 | 1.50% | 37 | 0.35% | 15 | 0.14% | -2,986 | -28.53% | 10,467 |
| Dyer | 5,475 | 48.00% | 5,713 | 50.08% | 158 | 1.39% | 49 | 0.43% | 12 | 0.11% | -238 | -2.08% | 11,407 |
| Fayette | 2,944 | 40.92% | 4,141 | 57.55% | 75 | 1.04% | 24 | 0.33% | 11 | 0.15% | -1,197 | -16.63% | 7,195 |
| Fentress | 2,493 | 60.76% | 1,543 | 37.61% | 49 | 1.19% | 14 | 0.34% | 4 | 0.10% | 950 | 23.15% | 4,103 |
| Franklin | 3,995 | 36.02% | 6,760 | 60.96% | 251 | 2.26% | 59 | 0.53% | 25 | 0.23% | -2,765 | -24.94% | 11,090 |
| Gibson | 6,792 | 40.13% | 9,829 | 58.08% | 227 | 1.34% | 52 | 0.31% | 23 | 0.14% | -3,037 | -17.95% | 16,923 |
| Giles | 2,757 | 36.58% | 4,653 | 61.74% | 85 | 1.13% | 23 | 0.31% | 19 | 0.25% | -1,896 | -25.16% | 7,537 |
| Grainger | 3,254 | 67.12% | 1,495 | 30.84% | 66 | 1.36% | 24 | 0.50% | 9 | 0.19% | 1,759 | 36.28% | 4,848 |
| Greene | 10,704 | 63.13% | 5,822 | 34.34% | 338 | 1.99% | 64 | 0.38% | 28 | 0.17% | 4,882 | 28.79% | 16,956 |
| Grundy | 1,139 | 28.34% | 2,837 | 70.59% | 33 | 0.82% | 3 | 0.07% | 7 | 0.17% | -1,698 | -42.25% | 4,019 |
| Hamblen | 9,741 | 60.60% | 5,890 | 36.65% | 336 | 2.09% | 87 | 0.54% | 19 | 0.12% | 3,851 | 23.95% | 16,073 |
| Hamilton | 57,575 | 56.40% | 41,913 | 41.05% | 2,087 | 2.04% | 374 | 0.37% | 143 | 0.14% | 15,662 | 15.35% | 102,092 |
| Hancock | 1,734 | 69.72% | 704 | 28.31% | 32 | 1.29% | 10 | 0.40% | 7 | 0.28% | 1,030 | 41.41% | 2,487 |
| Hardeman | 2,931 | 40.68% | 4,153 | 57.64% | 73 | 1.01% | 19 | 0.26% | 29 | 0.40% | -1,222 | -16.96% | 7,205 |
| Hardin | 4,152 | 55.84% | 3,164 | 42.56% | 76 | 1.02% | 31 | 0.42% | 12 | 0.16% | 988 | 13.28% | 7,435 |
| Hawkins | 7,836 | 57.92% | 5,283 | 39.05% | 310 | 2.29% | 63 | 0.47% | 37 | 0.27% | 2,553 | 18.87% | 13,529 |
| Haywood | 2,435 | 40.97% | 3,445 | 57.97% | 49 | 0.82% | 11 | 0.19% | 3 | 0.05% | -1,010 | -17.00% | 5,943 |
| Henderson | 5,108 | 64.45% | 2,702 | 34.09% | 78 | 0.98% | 28 | 0.35% | 10 | 0.13% | 2,406 | 30.36% | 7,926 |
| Henry | 4,299 | 38.49% | 6,601 | 59.11% | 200 | 1.79% | 52 | 0.47% | 16 | 0.14% | -2,302 | -20.62% | 11,168 |
| Hickman | 1,903 | 36.39% | 3,225 | 61.66% | 78 | 1.49% | 17 | 0.33% | 7 | 0.13% | -1,322 | -25.27% | 5,230 |
| Houston | 738 | 29.04% | 1,757 | 69.15% | 31 | 1.22% | 6 | 0.24% | 9 | 0.35% | -1,019 | -40.11% | 2,541 |
| Humphreys | 1,897 | 31.80% | 3,974 | 66.61% | 74 | 1.24% | 18 | 0.30% | 3 | 0.05% | -2,077 | -34.81% | 5,966 |
| Jackson | 995 | 28.15% | 2,480 | 70.16% | 27 | 0.76% | 27 | 0.76% | 6 | 0.17% | -1,485 | -42.01% | 3,535 |
| Jefferson | 6,944 | 66.82% | 3,180 | 30.60% | 201 | 1.93% | 42 | 0.40% | 25 | 0.24% | 3,764 | 36.22% | 10,392 |
| Johnson | 3,716 | 74.99% | 1,141 | 23.03% | 66 | 1.33% | 22 | 0.44% | 10 | 0.20% | 2,575 | 51.96% | 4,955 |
| Knox | 66,153 | 56.26% | 45,634 | 38.81% | 4,801 | 4.08% | 570 | 0.48% | 427 | 0.36% | 20,519 | 17.45% | 117,585 |
| Lake | 823 | 32.11% | 1,718 | 67.03% | 11 | 0.43% | 3 | 0.12% | 8 | 0.31% | -895 | -34.92% | 2,563 |
| Lauderdale | 2,818 | 38.95% | 4,318 | 59.68% | 73 | 1.01% | 16 | 0.22% | 10 | 0.14% | -1,500 | -20.73% | 7,235 |
| Lawrence | 6,532 | 48.47% | 6,082 | 45.13% | 212 | 1.57% | 158 | 1.17% | 493 | 3.66% | 450 | 3.34% | 13,477 |
| Lewis | 1,076 | 32.52% | 2,190 | 66.18% | 33 | 1.00% | 5 | 0.15% | 5 | 0.15% | -1,114 | -33.66% | 3,309 |
| Lincoln | 2,856 | 33.96% | 5,387 | 64.06% | 119 | 1.42% | 34 | 0.40% | 13 | 0.15% | -2,531 | -30.10% | 8,409 |
| Loudon | 6,382 | 61.51% | 3,699 | 35.65% | 235 | 2.26% | 40 | 0.39% | 20 | 0.19% | 2,683 | 25.86% | 10,376 |
| Macon | 2,925 | 58.96% | 1,947 | 39.25% | 65 | 1.31% | 19 | 0.38% | 5 | 0.10% | 978 | 19.71% | 4,961 |
| Madison | 13,667 | 50.27% | 12,986 | 47.77% | 363 | 1.34% | 103 | 0.38% | 68 | 0.25% | 681 | 2.50% | 27,187 |
| Marion | 3,902 | 45.10% | 4,623 | 53.44% | 93 | 1.08% | 26 | 0.30% | 7 | 0.08% | -721 | -8.34% | 8,651 |
| Marshall | 2,282 | 34.23% | 4,277 | 64.16% | 78 | 1.17% | 24 | 0.36% | 5 | 0.08% | -1,995 | -29.93% | 6,666 |
| Maury | 6,637 | 44.16% | 7,957 | 52.94% | 225 | 1.50% | 134 | 0.89% | 77 | 0.51% | -1,320 | -8.78% | 15,030 |
| McMinn | 7,825 | 57.76% | 5,460 | 40.30% | 200 | 1.48% | 53 | 0.39% | 9 | 0.07% | 2,365 | 17.46% | 13,547 |
| McNairy | 4,603 | 54.06% | 3,801 | 44.64% | 76 | 0.89% | 25 | 0.29% | 9 | 0.11% | 802 | 9.42% | 8,514 |
| Meigs | 1,278 | 55.18% | 999 | 43.13% | 31 | 1.34% | 6 | 0.26% | 2 | 0.09% | 279 | 12.05% | 2,316 |
| Monroe | 6,246 | 56.45% | 4,612 | 41.68% | 125 | 1.13% | 44 | 0.40% | 38 | 0.34% | 1,634 | 14.77% | 11,065 |
| Montgomery | 8,503 | 41.08% | 11,573 | 55.91% | 490 | 2.37% | 85 | 0.41% | 47 | 0.23% | -3,070 | -14.83% | 20,698 |
| Moore | 551 | 34.55% | 993 | 62.26% | 34 | 2.13% | 14 | 0.88% | 3 | 0.19% | -442 | -27.71% | 1,595 |
| Morgan | 2,823 | 56.29% | 2,094 | 41.75% | 70 | 1.40% | 21 | 0.42% | 7 | 0.14% | 729 | 14.54% | 5,015 |
| Obion | 5,397 | 47.49% | 5,766 | 50.73% | 138 | 1.21% | 34 | 0.30% | 30 | 0.26% | -369 | -3.24% | 11,365 |
| Overton | 1,869 | 35.49% | 3,343 | 63.47% | 38 | 0.72% | 15 | 0.28% | 2 | 0.04% | -1,474 | -27.98% | 5,267 |
| Perry | 783 | 35.08% | 1,401 | 62.77% | 32 | 1.43% | 13 | 0.58% | 3 | 0.13% | -618 | -27.69% | 2,232 |
| Pickett | 1,319 | 62.75% | 758 | 36.06% | 12 | 0.57% | 5 | 0.24% | 8 | 0.38% | 561 | 26.69% | 2,102 |
| Polk | 2,414 | 48.67% | 2,470 | 49.80% | 45 | 0.91% | 18 | 0.36% | 13 | 0.26% | -56 | -1.13% | 4,960 |
| Putnam | 6,235 | 42.26% | 8,084 | 54.80% | 342 | 2.32% | 66 | 0.45% | 26 | 0.18% | -1,849 | -12.54% | 14,753 |
| Rhea | 4,689 | 59.44% | 3,070 | 38.91% | 93 | 1.18% | 24 | 0.30% | 13 | 0.16% | 1,619 | 20.53% | 7,889 |
| Roane | 11,096 | 61.03% | 6,473 | 35.60% | 481 | 2.65% | 93 | 0.51% | 39 | 0.21% | 4,623 | 25.43% | 18,182 |
| Robertson | 3,560 | 32.00% | 7,381 | 66.34% | 127 | 1.14% | 45 | 0.40% | 13 | 0.12% | -3,821 | -34.34% | 11,126 |
| Rutherford | 11,208 | 40.98% | 15,213 | 55.62% | 703 | 2.57% | 153 | 0.56% | 73 | 0.27% | -4,005 | -14.64% | 27,350 |
| Scott | 3,014 | 62.38% | 1,724 | 35.68% | 63 | 1.30% | 17 | 0.35% | 14 | 0.29% | 1,290 | 26.70% | 4,832 |
| Sequatchie | 1,512 | 49.54% | 1,509 | 49.44% | 23 | 0.75% | 6 | 0.20% | 2 | 0.07% | 3 | 0.10% | 3,052 |
| Sevier | 10,576 | 73.25% | 3,450 | 23.89% | 338 | 2.34% | 48 | 0.33% | 27 | 0.19% | 7,126 | 49.36% | 14,439 |
| Shelby | 140,157 | 45.43% | 159,240 | 51.61% | 7,180 | 2.33% | 1,362 | 0.44% | 578 | 0.19% | -19,083 | -6.18% | 308,517 |
| Smith | 1,755 | 31.73% | 3,674 | 66.43% | 69 | 1.25% | 23 | 0.42% | 10 | 0.18% | -1,919 | -34.70% | 5,531 |
| Stewart | 985 | 29.69% | 2,274 | 68.54% | 42 | 1.27% | 11 | 0.33% | 6 | 0.18% | -1,289 | -38.85% | 3,318 |
| Sullivan | 25,963 | 51.44% | 22,341 | 44.27% | 1,874 | 3.71% | 196 | 0.39% | 96 | 0.19% | 3,622 | 7.17% | 50,470 |
| Sumner | 11,876 | 44.42% | 14,150 | 52.93% | 540 | 2.02% | 138 | 0.52% | 31 | 0.12% | -2,274 | -8.51% | 26,735 |
| Tipton | 4,339 | 46.15% | 4,934 | 52.48% | 109 | 1.16% | 16 | 0.17% | 3 | 0.03% | -595 | -6.33% | 9,401 |
| Trousdale | 629 | 26.72% | 1,674 | 71.11% | 30 | 1.27% | 14 | 0.59% | 7 | 0.30% | -1,045 | -44.39% | 2,354 |
| Unicoi | 3,828 | 65.50% | 1,880 | 32.17% | 97 | 1.66% | 18 | 0.31% | 21 | 0.36% | 1,948 | 33.33% | 5,844 |
| Union | 2,453 | 62.09% | 1,435 | 36.32% | 45 | 1.14% | 12 | 0.30% | 6 | 0.15% | 1,018 | 25.77% | 3,951 |
| Van Buren | 499 | 35.54% | 886 | 63.11% | 11 | 0.78% | 4 | 0.28% | 4 | 0.28% | -387 | -27.57% | 1,404 |
| Warren | 3,680 | 37.16% | 6,021 | 60.79% | 148 | 1.49% | 41 | 0.41% | 14 | 0.14% | -2,341 | -23.63% | 9,904 |
| Washington | 17,457 | 57.71% | 11,599 | 38.35% | 934 | 3.09% | 173 | 0.57% | 86 | 0.28% | 5,858 | 19.36% | 30,249 |
| Wayne | 3,418 | 64.53% | 1,633 | 30.83% | 78 | 1.47% | 38 | 0.72% | 130 | 2.45% | 1,785 | 33.70% | 5,297 |
| Weakley | 5,668 | 48.15% | 5,910 | 50.21% | 136 | 1.16% | 51 | 0.43% | 6 | 0.05% | -242 | -2.06% | 11,771 |
| White | 2,100 | 37.41% | 3,415 | 60.84% | 64 | 1.14% | 28 | 0.50% | 6 | 0.11% | -1,315 | -23.43% | 5,613 |
| Williamson | 11,597 | 54.98% | 8,815 | 41.79% | 551 | 2.61% | 104 | 0.49% | 28 | 0.13% | 2,782 | 13.19% | 21,095 |
| Wilson | 7,535 | 39.09% | 11,248 | 58.36% | 380 | 1.97% | 92 | 0.48% | 19 | 0.10% | -3,713 | -19.27% | 19,274 |
| Totals | 787,761 | 48.70% | 783,051 | 48.41% | 35,991 | 2.22% | 7,116 | 0.44% | 3,697 | 0.23% | 4,710 | 0.29% | 1,617,616 |
State and district results of the1980 United States presidential election | ||
|---|---|---|
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