1980 United States presidential election in Virginia

Main article: 1980 United States presidential election
1980 United States presidential election in Virginia
← 1976 November 4, 1980 1984 →
 
Nominee Ronald Reagan Jimmy Carter John B. Anderson
Party Republican Democratic Independent
Home state California Georgia Illinois
Running mate George H. W. Bush Walter Mondale Patrick Lucey
Electoral vote 12 0 0
Popular vote 989,609 752,174 95,418
Percentage 53.03% 40.31% 5.11%
County and Independent City Results
President before election

Jimmy Carter
Democratic

Elected President

Ronald Reagan
Republican

Elections in Virginia
Federal government
U.S. President
U.S. Senate
U.S. House
State government
Governor
Lieutenant Governor
Attorney General
Senate
House of Delegates
State elections
Ballot measures
Statewide
Fairfax County
2016
Alexandria
Mayor
(List)
Henrico County
Commonwealth's Attorney
Norfolk
Mayor
Richmond
Mayor
Virginia Beach
Mayor
City Council

The 1980 United States presidential election in Virginia took place on November 4, 1980. All 50 states and the District of Columbia, were part of the 1980 United States presidential election. Virginia voters chose twelve electors to the Electoral College, which selected the president and vice president of the United States.

Virginia had voted Republican at all but one of the previous seven presidential elections, largely due to its large white Washington and Richmond suburbs that received large-scale in-migration from the traditionally Republican Northeast,[1] alongside the Shenandoah Valley,[2] being amongst the first traditionally Democratic areas of the former Confederacy to turn Republican at both the presidential level and in federal congressional elections.[3] After the collapse of the Byrd Organization and the expansion of the state's formerly small electorate via the Voting Rights Act, these trends intensified except in the heavily unionized coalfield portions of Southwest Virginia, where unlike elsewhere in the former Confederacy, many newly registered poor and working-class whites voted Democratic. In addition to voting Republican in six of seven presidential elections, the state's Congressional delegation would gain a Republican majority as early as the 91st Congress. Nevertheless, it was 1970 before significant GOP gains occurred in the state legislature, and it was generally acknowledged that President Nixon offered no support to down-ballot Republican candidates as he was carrying the state by a landslide margin against George McGovern,[4] who lost every county or city in the state except Charles City.

Campaign

Republican nominee, former California Governor Ronald Reagan and Democratic candidate and incumbent United States President Jimmy Carter of Georgia both campaigned in Virginia during early October.[5] Independent state Senator Harry F. Byrd Jr., who like his father had never previously endorsed a presidential candidate, would endorse Reagan in the middle of October, saying that Carter had a dismal record in controlling federal spending and the Soviet military build-up.[6]

59% of white voters supported Reagan while 33% supported Carter.[7][8]

Predictions

Source Ranking As of
Kansas City Star[9] Lean R October 12, 1980
The Roanoke Times[10] Likely R October 26, 1980
Richmond Times-Dispatch[11] Likely R October 26, 1980
Daily Press[12] Likely R November 3, 1980

Results

1980 United States presidential election in Virginia[13]
Party Candidate Votes Percentage Electoral votes
Republican Ronald Reagan 989,609 53.03% 12
Democratic Jimmy Carter (inc.) 752,174 40.31% 0
Independent John B. Anderson 95,418 5.11% 0
Independent Barry Commoner 14,024 0.75% 0
Libertarian Ed Clark 12,821 0.69% 0
Independent Clifton DeBerry 1,986 0.11% 0
Totals 1,866,032 100.00% 12

Results by county or independent city

County/City[14] Ronald Reagan
Republican 		Jimmy Carter
Democratic 		John B. Anderson
Independent 		Barry Commoner
Independent 		Ed Clark
Libertarian 		Clifton DeBerry
Independent 		Margin Total votes cast
# % # % # % # % # % # % # %
Accomack 5,371 50.21% 4,872 45.54% 292 2.73% 78 0.73% 73 0.68% 12 0.11% 499 4.67% 10,698
Albemarle 10,424 53.23% 7,293 37.24% 1,435 7.33% 140 0.71% 282 1.44% 8 0.04% 3,131 15.99% 19,582
Alexandria 17,865 44.23% 17,134 42.42% 4,546 11.26% 458 1.13% 326 0.81% 59 0.15% 731 1.81% 40,388
Alleghany 2,185 45.94% 2,411 50.69% 116 2.44% 16 0.34% 26 0.55% 2 0.04% -226 -4.75% 4,756
Amelia 1,969 53.20% 1,643 44.39% 52 1.41% 8 0.22% 23 0.62% 6 0.16% 326 8.81% 3,701
Amherst 5,088 57.56% 3,476 39.32% 208 2.35% 20 0.23% 45 0.51% 3 0.03% 1,612 18.24% 8,840
Appomattox 2,548 60.42% 1,492 35.38% 85 2.02% 64 1.52% 23 0.55% 5 0.12% 1,056 25.04% 4,217
Arlington 30,854 46.15% 26,502 39.64% 8,042 12.03% 652 0.98% 744 1.11% 67 0.10% 4,352 6.51% 66,861
Augusta 11,011 64.32% 5,202 30.39% 539 3.15% 254 1.48% 100 0.58% 14 0.08% 5,809 33.93% 17,120
Bath 921 45.89% 999 49.78% 70 3.49% 1 0.05% 16 0.80% 0 0.00% -78 -3.89% 2,007
Bedford 6,608 55.81% 4,721 39.87% 336 2.84% 90 0.76% 66 0.56% 19 0.16% 1,887 15.94% 11,840
Bedford City 1,145 47.26% 1,149 47.42% 75 3.10% 32 1.32% 20 0.83% 2 0.08% -4 -0.16% 2,423
Bland 1,278 54.50% 1,002 42.73% 35 1.49% 16 0.68% 11 0.47% 3 0.13% 276 11.77% 2,345
Botetourt 4,408 51.24% 3,698 42.99% 329 3.82% 86 1.00% 71 0.83% 10 0.12% 710 8.25% 8,602
Bristol 3,432 52.68% 2,889 44.34% 160 2.46% 3 0.05% 31 0.48% 0 0.00% 543 8.34% 6,515
Brunswick 2,310 39.39% 3,430 58.49% 70 1.19% 22 0.38% 26 0.44% 6 0.10% -1,120 -19.10% 5,864
Buchanan 4,554 42.85% 5,768 54.27% 95 0.89% 167 1.57% 37 0.35% 8 0.08% -1,214 -11.42% 10,629
Buckingham 1,864 47.51% 1,933 49.27% 77 1.96% 22 0.56% 20 0.51% 7 0.18% -69 -1.76% 3,923
Buena Vista 942 45.09% 1,031 49.35% 59 2.82% 38 1.82% 12 0.57% 7 0.34% -89 -4.26% 2,089
Campbell 9,592 65.16% 4,473 30.39% 396 2.69% 167 1.13% 75 0.51% 18 0.12% 5,119 34.77% 14,721
Caroline 2,071 40.18% 2,924 56.73% 116 2.25% 15 0.29% 27 0.52% 1 0.02% -853 -16.55% 5,154
Carroll 5,905 61.29% 3,437 35.68% 183 1.90% 37 0.38% 63 0.65% 9 0.09% 2,468 25.61% 9,634
Charles City 506 23.74% 1,564 73.39% 39 1.83% 7 0.33% 10 0.47% 5 0.23% -1,058 -49.65% 2,131
Charlotte 2,322 51.26% 2,108 46.53% 59 1.30% 25 0.55% 8 0.18% 8 0.18% 214 4.73% 4,530
Charlottesville 5,907 40.56% 6,866 47.15% 1,377 9.46% 25 0.55% 8 0.18% 8 0.18% -959 -6.59% 14,562
Chesapeake 17,888 48.47% 17,155 46.49% 1,189 3.22% 245 1.68% 148 1.02% 19 0.13% 733 1.98% 36,904
Chesterfield 37,908 70.71% 13,060 24.36% 2,182 4.07% 93 0.17% 353 0.66% 17 0.03% 24,848 46.35% 53,613
Clarke 1,876 57.44% 1,156 35.39% 177 5.42% 14 0.43% 40 1.22% 3 0.09% 720 22.05% 3,266
Clifton Forge 716 39.23% 1,012 55.45% 68 3.73% 388 1.05% 216 0.59% 68 0.18% -296 -16.22% 1,825
Colonial Heights 5,012 70.96% 1,692 23.96% 219 3.10% 21 1.15% 6 0.33% 2 0.11% 3,320 47.00% 7,063
Covington 1,187 37.68% 1,813 57.56% 101 3.21% 99 1.40% 38 0.54% 3 0.04% -626 -19.88% 3,150
Craig 768 43.17% 946 53.18% 41 2.30% 5 0.28% 18 1.01% 1 0.06% -178 -10.01% 1,779
Culpeper 4,312 59.43% 2,519 34.72% 231 3.18% 127 1.75% 55 0.76% 11 0.15% 1,793 24.71% 7,255
Cumberland 1,515 50.10% 1,355 44.81% 51 1.69% 74 2.45% 19 0.63% 10 0.33% 160 5.29% 3,024
Danville 10,665 61.43% 6,138 35.35% 296 1.70% 198 1.14% 56 0.32% 9 0.05% 4,527 26.08% 17,362
Dickenson 3,687 46.12% 4,177 52.25% 77 0.96% 16 0.20% 31 0.39% 7 0.09% -490 -6.13% 7,995
Dinwiddie 3,369 48.01% 3,475 49.52% 107 1.52% 27 0.38% 30 0.43% 10 0.14% -106 -1.51% 7,018
Emporia 988 51.95% 855 44.95% 41 2.16% 7 0.37% 8 0.42% 3 0.16% 133 7.00% 1,902
Essex 1,581 52.93% 1,280 42.85% 76 2.54% 26 0.87% 20 0.67% 4 0.13% 301 10.08% 2,987
Fairfax 137,620 57.41% 73,734 30.76% 24,605 10.26% 1,557 0.65% 1,933 0.81% 256 0.11% 63,886 26.65% 239,705
Fairfax City 4,475 55.91% 2,614 32.66% 800 10.00% 42 0.52% 65 0.81% 8 0.10% 1,861 23.25% 8,004
Falls Church 2,485 52.23% 1,703 35.79% 497 10.45% 113 0.97% 93 0.80% 15 0.13% 782 16.44% 4,758
Fauquier 6,782 58.11% 4,119 35.30% 548 4.70% 113 0.97% 93 0.80% 15 0.13% 2,663 22.81% 11,670
Floyd 2,447 56.60% 1,642 37.98% 131 3.03% 59 1.36% 42 0.97% 2 0.05% 805 18.62% 4,323
Fluvanna 1,605 50.41% 1,424 44.72% 108 3.39% 17 0.53% 28 0.88% 2 0.06% 181 5.69% 3,184
Franklin 4,993 45.02% 5,685 51.26% 304 2.74% 40 0.36% 63 0.57% 5 0.05% -692 -6.24% 11,090
Franklin City 1,045 42.55% 1,324 53.91% 62 2.52% 5 0.20% 15 0.61% 5 0.20% -279 -11.36% 2,456
Frederick 7,293 67.61% 2,948 27.33% 455 4.22% 26 0.24% 62 0.57% 3 0.03% 4,345 40.28% 10,787
Fredericksburg 2,502 50.36% 2,174 43.76% 245 4.93% 9 0.18% 34 0.68% 4 0.08% 328 6.60% 4,968
Galax 1,188 51.81% 1,061 46.27% 31 1.35% 3 0.13% 6 0.26% 4 0.17% 127 5.54% 2,293
Giles 2,978 42.91% 3,627 52.26% 211 3.04% 54 0.78% 63 0.91% 7 0.10% -649 -9.35% 6,940
Gloucester 4,261 53.96% 3,138 39.74% 354 4.48% 76 0.96% 56 0.71% 12 0.15% 1,123 14.22% 7,897
Goochland 2,423 49.68% 2,290 46.96% 113 2.32% 11 0.23% 32 0.66% 8 0.16% 133 2.72% 4,877
Grayson 3,494 53.37% 2,875 43.91% 106 1.62% 26 0.40% 39 0.60% 7 0.11% 619 9.46% 6,547
Greene 1,702 60.55% 925 32.91% 105 3.74% 47 1.67% 22 0.78% 10 0.36% 777 27.64% 2,811
Greensville 1,583 41.66% 2,142 56.37% 39 1.03% 18 0.47% 12 0.32% 6 0.16% -559 -14.71% 3,800
Halifax 5,088 51.73% 4,528 46.03% 125 1.27% 57 0.58% 30 0.31% 8 0.08% 560 5.70% 9,836
Hampton 17,023 45.08% 18,517 49.03% 1,598 4.23% 329 0.87% 234 0.62% 64 0.17% -1,494 -3.95% 37,765
Hanover 14,262 70.02% 5,383 26.43% 589 2.89% 32 0.16% 99 0.49% 3 0.01% 8,879 43.59% 20,368
Harrisonburg 3,388 58.45% 1,896 32.71% 403 6.95% 61 1.05% 39 0.67% 9 0.16% 1,492 25.74% 5,796
Henrico 50,505 66.85% 21,023 27.83% 2,956 3.91% 595 0.79% 422 0.56% 50 0.07% 29,482 39.02% 75,551
Henry 8,258 46.44% 8,800 49.49% 355 2.00% 247 1.39% 103 0.58% 20 0.11% -542 -3.05% 17,783
Highland 751 58.76% 487 38.11% 25 1.96% 10 0.78% 5 0.39% 0 0.00% 264 20.65% 1,278
Hopewell 4,423 56.19% 3,102 39.41% 178 2.26% 97 1.23% 57 0.72% 15 0.19% 1,321 16.78% 7,872
Isle of Wight 3,526 45.30% 3,951 50.76% 197 2.53% 35 0.45% 64 0.82% 11 0.14% -425 -5.46% 7,784
James City 4,289 53.29% 3,068 38.12% 551 6.85% 71 0.88% 55 0.68% 14 0.17% 1,221 15.17% 8,048
King and Queen 949 44.14% 1,128 52.47% 43 2.00% 5 0.23% 21 0.98% 4 0.19% -179 -8.33% 2,150
King George 1,784 53.54% 1,318 39.56% 185 5.55% 7 0.21% 35 1.05% 3 0.09% 466 13.98% 3,332
King William 2,036 56.54% 1,446 40.16% 80 2.22% 14 0.39% 24 0.67% 1 0.03% 590 16.38% 3,601
Lancaster 2,780 61.01% 1,567 34.39% 106 2.33% 69 1.51% 24 0.53% 11 0.24% 1,213 26.62% 4,557
Lee 4,417 47.10% 4,758 50.74% 137 1.46% 28 0.30% 33 0.35% 4 0.04% -341 -3.64% 9,377
Lexington 956 45.90% 963 46.23% 129 6.19% 16 0.77% 19 0.91% 0 0.00% -7 -0.33% 2,083
Loudoun 12,076 58.93% 6,694 32.67% 1,312 6.40% 201 0.98% 166 0.81% 43 0.21% 5,382 26.26% 20,492
Louisa 2,633 46.14% 2,809 49.23% 160 2.80% 38 0.67% 58 1.02% 8 0.14% -176 -3.09% 5,706
Lunenburg 2,045 49.44% 1,958 47.34% 59 1.43% 55 1.33% 8 0.19% 11 0.27% 87 2.10% 4,136
Lynchburg 15,245 62.44% 7,783 31.88% 854 3.50% 373 1.53% 128 0.52% 34 0.14% 7,462 30.56% 24,417
Madison 1,959 55.64% 1,351 38.37% 156 4.43% 27 0.77% 27 0.77% 1 0.03% 608 17.27% 3,521
Manassas 3,009 60.76% 1,565 31.60% 318 6.42% 23 0.46% 31 0.63% 6 0.12% 1,444 29.16% 4,952
Manassas Park 729 58.13% 447 35.65% 52 4.15% 7 0.56% 19 1.52% 0 0.00% 282 22.48% 1,254
Martinsville 3,433 48.82% 3,337 47.45% 162 2.30% 70 1.00% 22 0.31% 8 0.11% 96 1.37% 7,032
Mathews 2,204 59.31% 1,300 34.98% 148 3.98% 37 1.00% 19 0.51% 8 0.22% 904 24.33% 3,716
Mecklenburg 4,853 54.45% 3,790 42.52% 142 1.59% 81 0.91% 32 0.36% 15 0.17% 1,063 11.93% 8,913
Middlesex 1,810 54.13% 1,395 41.72% 90 2.69% 25 0.75% 15 0.45% 9 0.27% 415 12.41% 3,344
Montgomery 8,222 47.41% 7,455 42.98% 1,400 8.07% 93 0.54% 161 0.93% 13 0.07% 767 4.43% 17,344
Nelson 1,866 41.50% 2,410 53.60% 143 3.18% 35 0.78% 41 0.91% 1 0.02% -544 -12.10% 4,496
New Kent 1,739 57.30% 1,204 39.67% 68 2.24% 9 0.30% 15 0.49% 0 0.00% 535 17.63% 3,035
Newport News 22,423 47.73% 22,066 46.97% 2,068 4.40% 114 0.24% 268 0.57% 43 0.09% 357 0.76% 46,982
Norfolk 27,506 40.93% 35,118 52.26% 3,333 4.96% 623 0.93% 488 0.73% 132 0.20% -7,612 -11.33% 67,200
Northampton 2,165 45.65% 2,363 49.82% 114 2.40% 53 1.12% 34 0.72% 14 0.30% -198 -4.17% 4,743
Northumberland 2,598 60.00% 1,551 35.82% 109 2.52% 42 0.97% 20 0.46% 10 0.23% 1,047 24.18% 4,330
Norton 572 40.86% 762 54.43% 42 3.00% 12 0.86% 11 0.79% 1 0.07% -190 -13.57% 1,400
Nottoway 2,813 50.13% 2,593 46.21% 113 2.01% 63 1.12% 22 0.39% 7 0.12% 220 3.92% 5,611
Orange 3,381 54.90% 2,420 39.30% 241 3.91% 54 0.88% 58 0.94% 4 0.06% 961 15.60% 6,158
Page 4,297 60.20% 2,607 36.52% 161 2.26% 27 0.38% 41 0.57% 5 0.07% 1,690 23.68% 7,138
Patrick 3,436 56.12% 2,382 38.90% 105 1.71% 154 2.52% 35 0.57% 11 0.18% 1,054 17.22% 6,123
Petersburg 5,001 37.67% 7,931 59.73% 254 1.91% 21 0.16% 63 0.47% 7 0.05% -2,930 -22.06% 13,277
Pittsylvania 12,022 59.28% 7,653 37.74% 250 1.23% 275 1.36% 54 0.27% 26 0.13% 4,369 21.54% 20,280
Poquoson 2,338 68.78% 877 25.80% 158 4.65% 5 0.15% 21 0.62% 0 0.00% 1,461 42.98% 3,399
Portsmouth 13,660 38.00% 20,900 58.14% 1,124 3.13% 79 0.22% 171 0.48% 15 0.04% -7,240 -20.14% 35,949
Powhatan 2,933 64.18% 1,484 32.47% 98 2.14% 9 0.20% 39 0.85% 7 0.15% 1,449 31.71% 4,570
Prince Edward 2,774 49.55% 2,553 45.61% 137 2.45% 82 1.46% 41 0.73% 11 0.20% 221 3.94% 5,598
Prince George 3,389 57.56% 2,310 39.23% 130 2.21% 12 0.20% 40 0.68% 7 0.12% 1,079 18.33% 5,888
Prince William 23,061 58.95% 12,787 32.69% 2,676 6.84% 226 0.58% 313 0.80% 56 0.14% 10,274 26.26% 39,119
Pulaski 5,747 47.73% 5,769 47.92% 343 2.85% 92 0.76% 81 0.67% 8 0.07% -22 -0.19% 12,040
Radford 1,964 44.01% 2,225 49.85% 233 5.22% 18 0.40% 21 0.47% 2 0.04% -261 -5.84% 4,463
Rappahannock 1,179 49.81% 1,055 44.57% 99 4.18% 11 0.46% 21 0.89% 2 0.08% 124 5.24% 2,367
Richmond 1,567 62.81% 854 34.23% 49 1.96% 8 0.32% 14 0.56% 3 0.12% 713 28.58% 2,495
Richmond City 34,629 39.76% 47,975 55.08% 3,502 4.02% 330 0.38% 625 0.72% 45 0.05% -13,346 -15.32% 87,106
Roanoke 17,182 55.76% 12,114 39.31% 1,286 4.17% 45 0.15% 180 0.58% 7 0.02% 5,068 16.45% 30,814
Roanoke City 15,164 43.39% 18,139 51.91% 1,350 3.86% 75 0.21% 207 0.59% 11 0.03% -2,975 -8.52% 34,946
Rockbridge 2,784 49.04% 2,475 43.60% 296 5.21% 62 1.09% 54 0.95% 6 0.11% 309 5.44% 5,677
Rockingham 11,397 63.82% 5,294 29.64% 771 4.32% 233 1.30% 143 0.80% 21 0.12% 6,103 34.18% 17,859
Russell 4,778 43.94% 5,764 53.01% 125 1.15% 159 1.46% 38 0.35% 10 0.09% -986 -9.07% 10,874
Salem 4,862 51.78% 4,091 43.57% 359 3.82% 17 0.18% 50 0.53% 10 0.11% 771 8.21% 9,389
Scott 4,744 50.54% 4,314 45.96% 153 1.63% 145 1.54% 27 0.29% 4 0.04% 430 4.58% 9,387
Shenandoah 7,517 67.10% 3,137 28.00% 385 3.44% 59 0.53% 95 0.85% 10 0.09% 4,380 39.10% 11,203
Smyth 6,033 50.86% 5,335 44.98% 224 1.89% 190 1.60% 64 0.54% 15 0.13% 698 5.88% 11,861
South Boston 1,615 60.97% 971 36.66% 51 1.93% 5 0.19% 6 0.23% 1 0.04% 644 24.31% 2,649
Southampton 2,997 45.50% 3,347 50.81% 163 2.47% 24 0.36% 49 0.74% 7 0.11% -350 -5.31% 6,587
Spotsylvania 5,385 53.82% 4,039 40.37% 464 4.64% 29 0.29% 72 0.72% 16 0.16% 1,346 13.45% 10,005
Stafford 7,106 58.85% 4,211 34.87% 623 5.16% 28 0.23% 100 0.83% 7 0.06% 2,895 23.98% 12,075
Staunton 4,819 60.79% 2,658 33.53% 311 3.92% 89 1.12% 42 0.53% 8 0.10% 2,161 27.26% 7,927
Suffolk 7,179 42.82% 9,064 54.07% 360 2.15% 56 0.33% 98 0.58% 8 0.05% -1,885 -11.25% 16,765
Surry 962 34.10% 1,756 62.25% 63 2.23% 9 0.32% 24 0.85% 7 0.25% -794 -28.15% 2,821
Sussex 1,664 38.94% 2,447 57.27% 86 2.01% 31 0.73% 26 0.61% 19 0.44% -783 -18.33% 4,273
Tazewell 7,021 48.67% 7,003 48.55% 225 1.56% 110 0.76% 61 0.42% 5 0.03% 18 0.12% 14,425
Virginia Beach 47,936 60.50% 24,895 31.42% 4,830 6.10% 690 0.87% 764 0.96% 120 0.15% 23,041 29.08% 79,235
Warren 3,861 55.79% 2,597 37.53% 297 4.29% 104 1.50% 46 0.66% 15 0.22% 1,264 18.26% 6,920
Washington 8,402 53.87% 6,390 40.97% 382 2.45% 320 2.05% 79 0.51% 24 0.15% 2,012 12.90% 15,597
Waynesboro 3,697 61.84% 1,926 32.22% 255 4.27% 72 1.20% 23 0.38% 5 0.08% 1,771 29.62% 5,978
Westmoreland 2,510 50.31% 2,271 45.52% 133 2.67% 44 0.88% 24 0.48% 7 0.14% 239 4.79% 4,989
Williamsburg 1,344 45.51% 1,199 40.60% 340 11.51% 41 1.39% 26 0.88% 3 0.10% 145 4.91% 2,953
Winchester 4,240 64.02% 2,006 30.29% 320 4.83% 18 0.27% 34 0.51% 5 0.08% 2,234 33.73% 6,623
Wise 5,767 43.89% 6,779 51.59% 258 1.96% 267 2.03% 50 0.38% 20 0.15% -1,012 -7.70% 13,141
Wythe 4,758 54.28% 3,677 41.95% 164 1.87% 95 1.08% 61 0.70% 11 0.13% 1,081 12.33% 8,766
York 6,744 55.58% 4,532 37.35% 723 5.96% 36 0.30% 95 0.78% 3 0.02% 2,212 18.23% 12,133
Totals 989,609 53.03% 752,174 40.31% 95,418 5.11% 14,024 0.75% 12,821 0.69% 1,986 0.11% 237,435 12.72% 1,866,032

Counties and independent cities that flipped from Democratic to Republican

Counties and independent cities that flipped from Republican to Democratic

Results by congressional district

Reagan won 9 of 10 congressional districts. Carter and Reagan each won a district won by the other party.[15]

District Reagan Carter Representative
1st 50% 44% Paul Trible
2nd 51% 41% G. William Whitehurst
3rd 55% 40% Thomas J. Bliley Jr.
4th 46% 50% Robert W. Daniel jr.
5th 56% 40% Dan Daniel
6th 53% 42% M. Caldwell Butler
7th 57% 36% J. Kenneth Robinson
8th 56% 33% Herbert E. Harris
Stanford Parris
9th 49% 47% Will Wampler
10th 54% 34% Joseph L. Fisher
Frank R. Wolf

Analysis

Virginia was ultimately won by Reagan with a substantially larger majority than predicted by the Roanoke Times a week before the poll. Reagan received 53.03 percent of the vote to Carter's 40.31 percent and Independent Representative John B. Anderson of Illinois’s 5.11 percent, which was still Anderson's second-best performance in a former Confederate state.[16] The national election was ultimately won by Reagan with 50.75 percent of the vote.[17] In this election, Virginia voted 2.98 points to the right of the nation at-large.

As of the 2020 presidential election, this is the last occasion when Franklin County, Isle of Wight County, Craig County, Louisa County and Pulaski County have voted for a Democratic presidential candidate. It is also the last time Arlington County and Alexandria City have voted for a Republican presidential candidate.[18]

References

  1. ^ Heinemann, Ronald L. (2008). Old Dominion, New Commonwealth: A History of Virginia, 1607-2007. Charlottesville: University of Virginia Press. p. 357. ISBN 0813927692.
  2. ^ Phillips, Kevin P. (1969). The Emerging Republican Majority. pp. 260–266. ISBN 0870000586.
  3. ^ Atkinson, Frank B. (2006). The Dynamic Dominion: Realignment and the Rise of Two-party Competition in Virginia, 1945-1980. Rowman & Littlefield. ISBN 9780742552098.
  4. ^ Evans, Rowland; Novak, Robert (October 16, 1972). "Consider Virginia: McGovern, Nixon Creating a No-Party System in South". The Miami Herald. pp. 7-A.
  5. ^ Wharton, Elizabeth (October 3, 1980). "Carter, Reagan Stump Virginia". Ukiah Daily Journal. Ukiah, California. p. 2.
  6. ^ "Byrd Says He'll Vote for Reagan". Daily Press. Newport News, Virginia. October 15, 1980. p. 3.
  7. ^ Black & Black 1992, p. 295.
  8. ^ Black & Black 1992, p. 335.
  9. ^ Mears, Walter R. (October 26, 1980). "Carter–Reagan Race Tightens Near Finish". Kansas City Star. pp. 1A, 14A.
  10. ^ Beagle, Ben (October 26, 1980). "Survey Says Reagan Leading by 9% in Virginia". The Roanoke Times. Roanoke, Virginia. pp. 1, 3.
  11. ^ "Survey Says Reagan is 68 Votes Short". Richmond Times-Dispatch. Richmond, Virginia. October 26, 1980. p. A-2.
  12. ^ "Down by the Wire: State by State, It's Just too Close to Call". Daily Press. Victorville, California. November 3, 1980. p. B-1.
  13. ^ "Statistics of the Congressional Election of November 4, 1980" (PDF). clerk.house.gov. Archived (PDF) from the original on March 20, 2022.
  14. ^ "1980 President General Election". Virginia Department of State: Historical Elections Database. Retrieved September 13, 2024.
  15. ^ Politics in America (Report). Congressional Quarterly, inc. 1981. pp. 1234–1251.
  16. ^ "1980 Presidential General Election Results — Virginia". uselectionatlas.org. Dave Leip’s Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections. Retrieved May 25, 2023.
  17. ^ "1980 Presidential General Election Data — National". uselectionatlas.org. Dave Leip’s Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections. Retrieved May 25, 2023.
  18. ^ Sullivan, Robert David; ‘How the Red and Blue Map Evolved Over the Past Century’; America Magazine in The National Catholic Review; June 29, 2016

Works cited