Greatest landslide

[skybridge]

1. In 1936, when FDR was up for re-election, an unprecedented 60.8% of the PV answered FDR's call, "Do you want the New Deal or not?" giving him 523 EVs from all but two states, a record 98.49%. (At this time the US consisted of 48 states.)

2. Following president Kennedy's assassination in 1963, Johnson rides a record 61.05% of the PV wave of sympathy to the White House. He carries all but 6 six states against an opponent who many consider too right-wing at the time, giving him him 486 EVs--90.33% of the college.

3. With a divided opposition, Nixon coasts to victory with the largest PV difference in history (17,995,488 votes)--60.67% of the PV. He is the the first carry 49 states (minus D.C.) giving him 520 EVs, 96.65% of the college.

4. The endlessly popular Reagan falls just .18% short (in MN) of winning all 50 states (minus D.C.) receiving a record 525 EVs--or 97.58%--from 58.77% of the voting population.

[Rob]

Close call between FDR and Nixon. I chose Nixon, because he came close to FDR's percentage while losing only one state. I would have included on this list 1920: Harding beat Cox 60-34, the largest percentage gap in history(although Cox did carry most of the Solid South).

[KEmperor]

Close call between Reagan and Nixon.

[PBrunsel]

Write-in: 1928.

Solid South is cracked for the first time ever.

[Beet]

Write-in: 1920, Harding vs Cox

[nclib]

FDR

[○∙◄☻¥tπ[╪AV┼cVê└]

1964.

LBJ won quite a few counties that FDR never won.

[A18]

One of those happened because of a terrible opponent. The other one happened because of Kennedy sympathy and a terrible opponent.

Reagan's the only one to almost sweep the states.

[skybridge]

One of those happened because of a terrible opponent. The other one happened because of Kennedy sympathy and a terrible opponent.

Reagan's the only one to almost sweep the states.

I did bring all these points up, though Nixon was only a state short (and D.C. too) as well.

I considered 1920 and one of Eisenhower's years. However, they're just not quite up there with these other four. Perhaps someone can make a good case for 1920? Personally, it amazes me how popular Harding must have been at some point.

[A18]

Yes, but Nixon lost by several points in Massachusetts. Reagan lost Minnesota by less than a fifth of a percentage point.

Same thing with FDR. He won every state except two, but those two voted for the other guy by fair amounts.

Harding won because of widespread distaste for Wilson.

[minionofmidas]

Effectively a tie between FDR, Johnson and Nixon (and Harding too), with all those even considering Reagan struck from voter roll due to mental incapacity

[skybridge]

Yes, but Nixon lost by several points in Massachusetts. Reagan lost Minnesota by less than a fifth of a percentage point.

I mentioned that!

Harding won because of widespread distaste for Wilson.

Wilson wasn't running.

[dazzleman]

Harding won because of widespread distaste for Wilson.

Wilson wasn't running.

True, but the distaste toward Wilson spilled over to the Democratic Party.  Harding promised a return to "normalcy" while Cox was forced to at least partially defend Wilson, so the distaste toward Wilson helped Harding.

[Filuwaúrdjan]

Tie between Harding, FDR, Johnson and Nixon. Depends what you define "greatest" as really.

[skybridge]

Of the four I listed Johnson did best in the popular vote but worst in the college. FDR did second best in the popular vote and best in the college. Nixon is tied third. Reagan did worst in the popular vote but second best in the college. Thus, I would conclude FDR to be the winner.

So would someone explain why so many of you are voting for Reagan? (Note, all these figures are percentage wise.)

[dazzleman]

Of the four I listed Johnson did best in the popular vote but worst in the college. FDR did second best in the popular vote and best in the college. Nixon is tied third. Reagan did worst in the popular vote but second best in the college. Thus, I would conclude FDR to be the winner.

So would someone explain why so many of you are voting for Reagan? (Note, all these figures are percentage wise.)

It depends on the criteria.  Reagan came closest to winning all 50 states, and that's the only real reason to vote for him.

[BobOMac2k2]

I went with Reagan...

[True Democrat]

Greatest Landslide: 1936

My Favorite Landslide: 1964

[King]

FDR '36, Roosevelt finished with a LBJ popular vote and a Reagan electoral vote.

[skybridge]

Who won more countines, Nixon or Reagan?

[minionofmidas]

Probably Nixon, but should be very close.
Mondale won far more Southern (Black) counties than McGovern, also there's a big cluster in NE Ohio and SW Pennsylvania that's Dem in 84, Rep in 72.
McGovern won a lot of counties in SD, and quite a few more counties than Mondale in MN and MA.

[minionofmidas]

Of course, all that info is on the Atlas already...
Nixon won 2980 counties, Reagan 2781.

2004 Bush 2530, Kerry 583
2000 Bush 2439, Gore 674
1996 Dole 1587, Clinton 1526
1992 Bush 1582, Clinton 1519, Perot 15
1988 Bush 2295, Dukakis 820
1984 Reagan 2781, Mondale 334
1980 Reagan 2213, Carter 900
1976 Carter 1711, Ford 1403 (yes, that's right.)
1972 Nixon 2980, McGovern 131
1968 Nixon 1849, Humphrey 684, Wallace 578
1964 Johnson 2275, Goldwater 826, unpledged 6 [Ala Democrat. Should for practical purposes be included with Johnson tally]
1960 Nixon 1848, Kennedy 1186, unpledged 71 [Ala Dem counties apparently included in Kennedy total. Ala Dem slate was only partly pledged to Kennedy, partly unpledged]

[skybridge]

Of course, all that info is on the Atlas already...
Nixon won 2980 counties, Reagan 2781.

2004 Bush 2530, Kerry 583
2000 Bush 2439, Gore 674
1996 Dole 1587, Clinton 1526
1992 Bush 1582, Clinton 1519, Perot 15
1988 Bush 2295, Dukakis 820
1984 Reagan 2781, Mondale 334
1980 Reagan 2213, Carter 900
1976 Carter 1711, Ford 1403 (yes, that's right.)
1972 Nixon 2980, McGovern 131
1968 Nixon 1849, Humphrey 684, Wallace 578
1964 Johnson 2275, Goldwater 826, unpledged 6 [Ala Democrat. Should for practical purposes be included with Johnson tally]
1960 Nixon 1848, Kennedy 1186, unpledged 71 [Ala Dem counties apparently included in Kennedy total. Ala Dem slate was only partly pledged to Kennedy, partly unpledged]

Thanks! I really had no idea the site offered this service. Is part of the reason the Republicans win so many counties that the bread-basket states have so many whereas the coastal states have so few?

[Notre Dame rules!]

I voted for Reagan's '84 landslide, of course.  However, that's because it a victory that is still fresh in my memory, since it was the first Presidential election I was old enough to vote in.  I only directly remember Nixon's landslide through Schoolhouse Rock!

While Ragan ranked 4th in popular vote percentage, that must be balanced by recognizing the part the media played in influencing the outcomes of past elections.

The media was very pro-Roosevelt, especially during the Great Depression, and probably rightly so.  That was no doubt very helpful to him in a time when nearly everyone relied on radio and print for virtually all their information.

Johnson rides in on the coat-tails of a martyred President, whom the media also loved, and continues to do so to this very day.

Nixon tapped into that whole "Silent Majority" thing and that rolled him on to a landslide victory.  It didn't hurt that he promised to get us out of Johnson's war in Vietnam, while saying he wouldn't cut and run. 

Reagan, on the other hand, was despised by the media, but the people loved him in spite of his negative press.  Given that the new media wasn't around then, Reagan's victory is most impressive.

[minionofmidas]

The media was very pro-Roosevelt, especially during the Great Depression, and probably rightly so.  That was no doubt very helpful to him in a time when nearly everyone relied on radio and print for virtually all their information.

The print media was about as hostile to Roosevelt in 1936 as it was hostile to Goldwater in 1964...Radio is a little different. The moneyed part of America was pretty confident that Roosevelt would lose in 1936.

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This is true.

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McGovern got destroyed by the media...and the fact that he was a very bad candidate.
Mondale hardly got a good press either.

What is impressive about 1984 is that a landslide didn't appear to be on the cards in the summer. Only election in recent memory where the campaign really made a huge difference.