Button, Ronald Reagan, 1980

There are restrictions for re-using this image. For more information, visit the Smithsonian's Terms of Use page .

IIIF provides researchers rich metadata and media viewing options for comparison of works across cultural heritage collections. Visit the IIIF page to learn more.

View manifest View in Mirador Viewer

Object Details

associated person

Reagan, Ronald

Bush, George, H. W.

associated institution

Republican National Party

Description

The 1980 Republican presidential candidate Ronald Reagan, former governor of California, chose George H.W. Bush, his chief competitor for the nomination, to be his running mate. Although they had disagreed on several substantive issues, when asked to join the ticket, Bush assured Reagan that he would support the Republican platform in its entirety. Reagan and Bush defeated their Democratic opponents President Jimmy Carter and Vice President Walter Mondale by almost ten percentage points. This was the biggest deficit suffered by an incumbent president since President Herbert Hoover lost to Franklin D. Roosevelt by more than 17 percentage points in 1932. John Anderson and Patrick Lucey (Independent) also lost to Reagan, finishing a distant third.

date made

1980

associated date

1980

ID Number

1980.0516.56

accession number

1980.0516

catalog number

1980.0516.56

Object Name

Badge

Physical Description

textile; metal (overall material)

white, red (ribbon color)

red, white, blue (button color)

Measurements

overall: 6 1/2 in x 1 1/2 in; 16.51 cm x 3.81 cm

See more items in

Political History: Political History, Campaign Collection

Government, Politics, and Reform

American Democracy: A Great Leap of Faith

Exhibition

American Democracy

Exhibition Location

National Museum of American History

Data Source