President with Largest Electoral College Victory

Jimmy Carter, the incumbent Democratic president, was Ronald Reagan's Democratic opponent in the 1980 presidential election. Reagan became the 40th President of the United States after winning the most electoral votes of any non-incumbent presidential candidate. Reagan was a successful presidential candidate in 49 of the 50 states in 1984. His victory that year was the highest electoral college victory ever thanks to his 525 electoral votes, 59 percent of the popular vote, and other factors.

Ronald Reagan ran for president of the United States in 1980 against Democratic incumbent Jimmy Carter after the Republicans were unable to secure the Republican ticket in the presidential elections of 1976. Reagan easily prevailed in the election. He carried 44 states and received 489 electoral votes. Carter, in contrast, only received 49 electoral votes, which came from six states and Washington, D.C. On January 20, 1981, Reagan took the oath of office as the country's 40th president.

He was sworn in as president at age 69, making him the oldest person to do so at the time. Donald Trump beat Ronald Reagan's record in 2016 by winning the presidency at the age of 70. Reagan was re-elected in the US presidential elections of 1984. He won a record 525 electoral votes, 49 out of 50 states, and 59 percent of the popular vote. The biggest electoral college victory in American history was won by Reagan in a landslide in 1984.