What specific policies of Carter made him play so poorly in the west?

[Mr. Smith]

He was too conservative for the liberal base, and he never was gonna be a favorite for the more WASP-y/Country Club elements of the GOP that still saw The South as a racist place and were enamored by Reagan.

And then there was how he treated all those water projects.

Finally, the military element was not gonna be receptive to his handling of Iran or general pacifistic tone.

[Mr. Smith]

Did Carter perform so poorly in the west?
The 3 western coast states were very close, the national result was very close.
Comparing to the national vote, California was R+3,8, Oregon was R+2,2 and Washington was R+5,9.
Eugene McCarthy had some progressive votes. 

He did, he lost the entirety in the '76 primaries, he lost the NV/CA/OR/WA by at least R+2 or more (average being R+6).

Then he lost CA/AZ to Ted Kennedy in 1980.

Also Dukakis/Humphrey got the same vote...the former lost overall by 8, and the later was just behind Nixon...while Carter was ahead by 2.


Mondale literally did better in '84 too.