Democratic National Convention 1980 Blue

Blue text on a white background with inset portrait photograph of Jimmy Carter bordered by red fleur-de-lis.  Illustration of unrolled blue scroll with white text along bottom of button.  White text on blue outer border.

Voters elected Georgia Governor Jimmy Carter, a Democrat, as the 39th president of the United States in 1976 over Republican candidate Gerald Ford. Carter was the Democratic nominee for president in 1980 as well. Massachusetts Senator Ted Kennedy was Carter’s main rival at the 1980 Democratic National Convention. Senator William Proxmire of Wisconsin also competed for the nomination. Carter received 64.04 percent of the votes compared to Kennedy’s 34.72 percent and Proxmire’s 0.3 percent. Carter lost the 1980 election to former California Governor Ronald Reagan and his running mate George H.W. Bush. After losing the election, Carter returned to his hometown of Plains, Georgia, and his peanut farm.