United States Presidential Election, 1980 (Dewey Defeats Truman)

The United States presidential election of 1980 was the 49th quadrennial presidential election, held on Tuesday, November 4, 1980. Vice President Henry Jackson, the Democratic nominee, defeated Bob Dole, the Republican nominee, in a landslide.

Many have attributed Jackson's victory to his increased saber-rattling against Vietnam and the Soviet Union, as well as the increasingly robust economy. Late in the campaign, Dole made an ill-advised swerve to the right, advocating open war against the Soviets, which, in the eyes of many, went far beyond what most voters wanted. Jackson was elected with the largest landslide since Muskie's in 1968.