Describe a Reagan 1980, Mondale 1984 voter

[The Mikado]

I figure this one should be tough, but such people exist somewhere. Go for it.

[Sumner 1868]

Not tough at all - farmers. Particularly Midwestern farmers, and above all Iowan farmers.

[Matty]

an air traffic controller.

[Arbitrage1980]

Not tough at all - farmers. Particularly Midwestern farmers, and above all Iowan farmers.

Yup. Farmers did badly during the Reagan presidency.  It's the reason why Dukakis did better than  his national average in the rural midwest.

[Landslide Lyndon]

Eugene McCarthy?

[Sir Mohamed]

A liberal Republican from the North who strongly dislikes Carter.

[DINGO Joe]

A liberal Republican from the North who strongly dislikes Carter.

Well they had John Andersen to vote for in 1980.  Farmers really didn't turn until 1988.  Coal miners definitely swung away from Reagan in 1984 and further in 1988

[Indy Texas]

Someone who consistently votes against whoever the incumbent president is so they can "stick it to the Man" or something.

[sg0508]

There were PLENTY of these voters

1) Minorities didn't care for Reagan
2) Small business owners who saw the first major turn to the power of Corporate America.  This was VERY common in 1984.

[Kingpoleon]

Minorities in North Dakota, South Dakota, and Minnesota, alongside the mid-upper class whites in those states.

[Since I'm the mad scientist proclaimed by myself]

Young people who grew more liberal between the two elections.(One of my grandmothers voted Nixon 1968, McGovern 1972, and has voted straight D ever since as far as I know).

[OSR stands with Israel]

Young people who grew more liberal between the two elections.(One of my grandmothers voted Nixon 1968, McGovern 1972, and has voted straight D ever since as far as I know).

Young people were Reagan best age group in 84

[Hilldog]

Blue collar, socially conservative, some union members.

[Rules for me, but not for thee]

A proud, centrist Minnesotan

[Kingpoleon]

A proud, centrist Minnesotan

So either a union worker suburbanite, or a rural, somewhat populist farmer?

[HisGrace]

1. A Democrat who thought Carter was incompetent and wanted him out but returned to voting straight ticket Dem thereafter

2. A independent or Republican who was a "Minnesota loyalist"

[Thunderbird is the word]

Union members, maybe a gay Republican angry over his lack of reaction to the AIDS crisis.

[/]

Quite a few states in the Midwest and northwest actually swung towards Mondale

1980 and 1984 actually had much more similar results than most people think

[Bojack Horseman]

My dad.

[Fuzzy Says: "Abolish NPR!"]

Ted Kennedy primary voters in 1980 who wanted Carter to lose so a more liberal Democrat could be the Democratic nominee, and not some Southern moderate.

[sg0508]

Good answers. There were MANY Mondale voters in '84 that were Reagan supports in '80. Minorities, small business owners, etc.

Reagan won the second landslide because at least short-term, Reaganomics produced a Corporate Boom, which we know long-term (as Mondale told us), would hurt the average American, and it has.

But, when the economy was so bad in the 70s with stagflation and then the bad recession from '81-82, the temporary recovery was going to fuel a second term.  Again though, think about the types of people and groups that did not and would not benefit from Reaganomics...those are the ones who likely supported Mondale in 1984 if they voted Republican in 1980.