Editing John B. Anderson (section)

== 1980 presidential campaign ==
{{See also|1980 United States presidential election}}

=== Early campaign ===

[[File:Republican Debate with Ronald Reagan, Philip Crane, George Bush and John Anderson with moderator Eric Sevareid in Chicago, Illinois.jpg|thumb|280px|right|Anderson (far right) in a [[League of Women Voters]]-sponsored presidential forum alongside fellow Republican candidates, March 13, 1980]]

In 1978, Anderson formed a presidential campaign [[exploratory committee]],<ref>Campaign Jon Moore, ed., The Campaign for President: 1980 in Retrospect (Cambridge, MA: Ballinger, 1981), p. 5</ref> finding little public or media interest. In late April 1979, Anderson made the decision to enter the [[Republican Party presidential primaries, 1980|Republican primary]], joining a field that included [[Ronald Reagan]], [[Bob Dole]], [[John Connally]], [[Howard Baker]], [[George H. W. Bush]], and the [[perennial candidate]] [[Harold Stassen]].<ref>{{cite web | url = http://archives.chicagotribune.com/1979/07/29/page/J12/article/from-back-in-the-pack-john-anderson-begins-to-move | title = From back in the pack John Anderson begins to move (July 29, 1979) | access-date = January 18, 2017}}</ref> Within the last weeks of 1979, Anderson introduced his signature campaign proposal, advocating that a 50-cent a gallon [[Fuel taxes in the United States|gas tax]] be enacted with a corresponding 50% reduction in [[Social Security (United States)#Taxation|Social Security taxes]].<ref>CBS Evening News, December 10, 1979; NBC Nightly News, December 13, 1979.</ref> Anderson built [[Republican Party presidential primaries, 1980|state campaigns]] in four targeted states—[[New Hampshire primary|New Hampshire]], [[Massachusetts]], [[Illinois]], and [[Wisconsin]].<ref name="CTobit"/> He won some political support among Republicans, picking up endorsements along the way that helped legitimize him in the race.<ref name="WPobit">{{cite news | url = https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/obituaries/john-b-anderson-fiery-third-party-candidate-in-1980-presidential-race-dies-at-95/2017/12/04/dd25dfda-d92a-11e7-b1a8-62589434a581_story.html | title = John B. Anderson, fiery third-party candidate in 1980 presidential race, dies at 95 | newspaper = [[The Washington Post]] | date = December 4, 2017 | access-date = December 4, 2017}}</ref> He began to build support among media elites, who appreciated his articulateness, straightforward manner, moderate positions, and his refusal to walk down the conservative path that all of the other Republicans were traveling.{{sfn|Mason|2011| pp = 53–119}}

Anderson often referred to his candidacy as "a campaign of ideas". He supported tax credits for businesses' research-and-development budgets, which he believed would increase American productivity; he also supported increasing funding for research at universities. He supported lowering interest rates, antitrust action, conservation, environmental protection and limiting oil companies from absorbing small businesses through legislation. He opposed Ronald Reagan's proposal to cut taxes broadly, which he feared would increase the [[National debt of the United States|national debt]] and the inflation rate (which was very high at the time of the campaign), believing it to be "[[Calvin Coolidge|Coolidge]]-era economics".<ref name="auto"/> He also supported a [[Fuel taxes in the United States|tax on gasoline]] to reduce dependence on foreign oil.<ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.4president.org/brochures/andersonlucey1980brochure.htm | title = John Anderson for President 1980 Campaign Brochure | website = www.4president.org | access-date = January 30, 2014 | archive-date = December 4, 2017 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20171204070103/http://www.4president.org/brochures/andersonlucey1980brochure.htm | url-status = dead }}</ref> He supported the [[Equal Rights Amendment]], [[LGBT rights in the United States|gay rights]] and [[Abortion in the United States|abortion rights]] generally; he also touted his perfect record of having supported all civil rights legislation since 1960. He opposed the requirement for registration for the [[Conscription in the United States|military draft]], which Jimmy Carter had reinstated. This made him appealing to many liberal college students who were dissatisfied with Carter.<ref>''A Campaign of Ideas: The 1980 Anderson/Lucey Platform (Contributions in American Studies)'' by Clifford W Brown Jr. (Author), Robert J. Walker (Author) {{ISBN|978-0313245350}}</ref> However, he also voiced support for a strong, flexible military and support for [[NATO]] against the [[USSR]], as well as several other positions associated with Republicans, including deregulation of some industries such as natural gas and oil prices, and a balanced budget to be achieved mainly by reductions in government spending.<ref>{{cite magazine | url = https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/1980/02/john-anderson-the-nice-guy-syndrome/306028/ | title = John Anderson: The Nice Guy Syndrome | first = Walter | last = Shapiro | magazine = [[The Atlantic]] | date = February 1980}}</ref><ref>{{Cite magazine|url=https://www.csmonitor.com/1980/0514/051419.html|title=John Anderson: the independent and issues|magazine=Christian Science Monitor }}</ref>

=== Republican primary ===
On January 5, 1980, in the Republican candidates' debate in [[Des Moines, Iowa]],<ref>{{cite web | url = https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ygGL9DGeSGM  | archive-url = https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211211/ygGL9DGeSGM | archive-date = December 11, 2021 |url-status = live | title = Republican Debate, Iowa 1980 | publisher = YouTube | date = January 5, 1980 | access-date = January 7, 2019}}{{cbignore}}</ref> unlike the other candidates, Anderson said lowering taxes, increasing defense spending, and balancing the budget were an impossible combination.<ref name="WPobit"/> In a stirring summation,{{sfn|Mason|2011| pp = 120–127}} Anderson invoked his father's immigration to the United States and said that Americans would have to make sacrifices "for a better tomorrow."<ref name="WPobit"/> For the next week, Anderson's name and face were all over the national news programs, in newspapers, and in national news magazines.{{sfn|Mason|2011| pp = 120–127}} Anderson spent less than $2000 in Iowa, but he finished with 4.3% of the vote.<ref name="CTobit"/> The television networks were covering the event, portraying Anderson to a national audience as a man of character and principle.{{sfn|Mason|2011| pp = 133–156}} When the voters in New Hampshire went to the polls, Anderson again exceeded the expectations, finishing fourth with just under 10% of the vote.{{sfn|Mason|2011| pp = 133–156}}

Anderson was declared the winner in both Massachusetts and Vermont by the Associated Press,<ref>CBS Evening News, western edition, March 4, 1980; MacPherson, "Wow! Said John Anderson", March 6, 1980.</ref>{{sfn|Bisnow|1983| p = 146}} but the following morning ended up losing both primaries by a slim margin.<ref name="WPobit"/> In Massachusetts, he lost to George Bush by 0.3% and in Vermont he lost to Reagan by 690 votes.<ref name="WPobit"/> Anderson arrived in Illinois following the New England primaries and had a lead in the state polls,<ref name="NYTobit"/> but his Illinois campaign struggled despite endorsements from the state's two largest newspapers. Reagan defeated him, 48% to 37%. Anderson carried Chicago and Rockford, the state's two largest cities at the time, but he lost in the more conservative [[Southern Illinois|southern section of the state]].<ref name="CTobit"/> The next week, there was a primary in Connecticut, which (while Anderson was on the ballot) his team had chosen not to campaign actively in.<ref name="NYTobit" /> He finished third in Connecticut with 22% of the vote, and it seemed to most observers like any other loss, whether Anderson said he was competing or not.<ref name="WPobit"/> Next was Wisconsin, and this was thought to be Anderson's best chance for victory, but he again finished third, winning 27% of the vote.{{sfn|Mason|2011| p = 238}}

=== Independent campaign ===

[[File:AndersonButton.jpg|thumb|180px|left|A [[campaign button]] for Anderson's independent campaign]]

The Republican platform failed to endorse the [[Equal Rights Amendment]] or support extension of time for its ratification.<ref>[http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/ws/?pid=25844 Republican Party Platform of 1980] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131219225439/http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/ws/?pid=25844 |date=December 19, 2013 }}, July 15, 1980. ''The American Presidency Project''</ref> Anderson was a strong supporter of both.<ref>[http://www.4president.org/brochures/andersonlucey1980brochure.htm John Anderson for President 1980 Campaign Brochure] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171204070103/http://www.4president.org/brochures/andersonlucey1980brochure.htm |date=December 4, 2017 }}, www.4president.org</ref> Pollsters were finding that Anderson was much more popular across the country with all voters than he was in the Republican primary states.<ref name="CBSobit">{{cite web | url = https://www.cbsnews.com/news/john-anderson-former-illinois-congressman-presidential-candidate-dead-at-95/ | title = John Anderson, former congressman and 1980 presidential candidate, dies at 95 | work =[[CBS News]] | date = December 4, 2017 | access-date = December 4, 2017}}</ref> Without any campaigning, he was running at 22% nationally in a three-way race.<ref name="CBSobit"/> Anderson's personal aide and confidant, Tom Wartowski, encouraged him to remain in the Republican Party.{{sfn|Mason|2011| p = 264}} Anderson faced a huge number of obstacles as a non-major party candidate: having to qualify for 51 ballots (which the major parties appeared on automatically), having to raise money to run a campaign (the major parties received close to $30 million in [[Presidential election campaign fund checkoff|government money for their campaigns]]), having to win national coverage, having to build a campaign overnight, and having to find a suitable running mate among them.<ref name="CBSobit"/> He built a new campaign team, qualified for every ballot, raised a great deal of money, and rose in the polls to as high as 26% in one [[Gallup poll]].{{sfn|Mason|2011| pp = 
264–308}}

However, in the summer of 1980, he had an overseas campaign tour to show his foreign policy credentials and it took a drubbing on national television. The major parties, particularly the [[1980 Republican National Convention|Republicans]], basked in the spotlight of their [[United States presidential nominating convention|national conventions]] where Anderson was left out of the coverage.<ref name="CBSobit" /> Anderson made an appearance with [[Ted Kennedy]] and it, too, was a huge error.<ref name="WPobit" /> By the third week of August he was in the 13–15% range in the polls.<ref>{{cite news |title=With Kennedy Aid, Carter Cuts Reagan Lead in Poll |newspaper=[[The New York Times]] |date=August 19, 1980 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1980/08/19/archives/with-kennedy-aid-carter-cuts-reagan-lead-in-poll-carter-gains-in.html }}</ref> A critical issue for Anderson was appearing in the fall [[1980 United States presidential debates|presidential debates]] after the League of Women Voters invited him to appear due to popular interest in his candidacy, although he was only polling 12% at that time.<ref>{{cite web| url=http://www.democracynow.org/2016/8/18/open_up_the_debates_green_partys| title=Open Up the Debates: Green Party's Jill Stein Accuses Democrats & GOP of Rigging Debate Rules| website=Democracy Now!| date=August 18, 2016}}</ref> In late August, he named [[Patrick Lucey]], the former two-term Democratic Governor of Wisconsin and Ambassador to Mexico as his running mate.<ref name="CBSobit" /> Late in August, Anderson released a 317-page comprehensive platform, under the banner of the National Unity Party,{{sfn|Mason|2011| p = 352}} that was very well received. In early September, a court challenge to Federal Election Campaign Act was successful and Anderson qualified for post-election public funding.<ref name="Bloomberg">{{cite web|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2017-12-04/john-anderson-third-party-candidate-for-president-dies-at-95|title=John Anderson, Independent Who Ran for President, Dies at 95|website=Bloomberg|date=December 4, 2017|access-date=December 4, 2017}}</ref> Also, Anderson submitted his petitions for his fifty-first ballot.<ref name="Bloomberg" /> Then, the League ruled that the polls showed that he had met the qualification threshold and said he would appear in the debates.{{sfn|Mason|2011| pp = 332–369}}

=== Fall campaign ===

[[File:Windblown Independent Presidential Candidate John Anderson speaks to students at the University of Michigan, September 3, 1980. (7670512080).jpg|thumb|210px|right|Anderson speaking to students at the [[University of Michigan]], September 3, 1980]]

Carter said that he would not appear on stage with Anderson, and sat out the debate, which hurt the President in the eyes of voters.<ref name="Bloomberg"/> Reagan and Anderson had a [[1980 United States presidential debates#First presidential debate (Convention Center)|debate]] in Baltimore on September 21, 1980.<ref name="CBSobit"/><ref>{{cite web | url = https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wiAf2Ch9QbM  | archive-url = https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211211/wiAf2Ch9QbM | archive-date = December 11, 2021 | url-status = live | title = 1980 Presidential Candidate Debate: Governor Ronald Reagan and Congressman John Anderson – 9/21/80 | publisher = YouTube | date = September 21, 1980 | access-date = January 7, 2019}}{{cbignore}}</ref> Anderson did well, and polls showed he won a modest debate victory over Reagan, but Reagan, who had been portrayed by Carter throughout the campaign as something of a warmonger, was seen as a reasonable candidate who carried himself well in the debate.<ref name="Bloomberg"/> The debate was Anderson's big opportunity as he needed a break-out performance, but what he got was a modest victory.<ref name="CBSobit"/> In the following weeks, Anderson slowly faded out of the picture with his support dropping from 16% to 10–12% in the first half of October.<ref name="NYT1980"/> By the end of the month, [[1980 United States presidential debates#Second presidential debate (Music Hall)|Reagan debated Carter]] alone, but [[CNN]] attempted to let Anderson participate in the 2nd debate by tape delay. [[Daniel Schorr]] asked Anderson the questions from the Carter-Reagan debate,<ref>{{cite web | url = https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dEHGr4VuBYI | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20200608021410/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dEHGr4VuBYI&gl=US&hl=en | archive-date = June 8, 2020 | url-status = dead | title = Carter/Reagan/Anderson Debate | publisher = YouTube | date = October 28, 1980 | access-date = January 7, 2019}}</ref> and then CNN interspersed Anderson's live answers with tape delayed responses from Carter and Reagan.<ref>{{cite journal | url = https://www.csmonitor.com/1980/1027/102722.html | title = Anderson to debate, too, via cable-TV network | date = October 27, 1980 | access-date = January 5, 2019 | journal = Christian Science Monitor}}</ref><ref>{{cite book | url = https://books.google.com/books?id=K3q0CwAAQBAJ&pg=PA263 
 | title = Presidential Debates: Risky Business on the Campaign Trail | via = Google Books | year = 2016 | access-date = January 5, 2019 | isbn = 978-0231541503 | last1 = Schroeder | first1 = Alan | publisher = Columbia University Press }}</ref><ref>{{cite news | url = https://www.nytimes.com/1980/10/29/archives/a-carter-flipflop-is-seen-by-anderson-responding-to-2-debaters.html | title = A Carter 'Flip-Flop' is Seen by Anderson; Responding to 2 Debaters' Views, He Says on Cable TV That Tax Cuts Are 'Irresponsible' Carter's Earlier Position Repeating Charges of Past Service in World War II | work = [[The New York Times]] | date = October 29, 1980 | access-date = January 5, 2019}}</ref>

Anderson's support continued to fade down to 5%, although rose up to 8% just before election day.<ref name="NYT1980" /> Although Reagan would win a sizable victory, the polls showed the two major party candidates closer (Gallup's final poll was 47–44–8<ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.gallup.com/poll/9442/election-polls-accuracy-record-presidential-elections.aspx | title = Election Polls – Accuracy Record in Presidential Elections | website = Gallup | url-status = dead | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20150216181548/http://www.gallup.com/poll/9442/election-polls-accuracy-record-presidential-elections.aspx | archive-date = February 16, 2015 | df = mdy-all }})</ref> going into the election and it was clear that many would-be Anderson supporters had been pulled away by Carter and Reagan.<ref name="WPobit"/> In the end, Anderson finished with 6.6% of the vote.{{sfn|Mason|2011| pp = 366–408}} Most of Anderson's support came from those [[Rockefeller Republican|Liberal Republicans]] who were suspicious of, or even hostile to, Reagan's conservative record.<ref name="Bloomberg"/> Many prominent intellectuals, including ''[[All in the Family]]'' creator [[Norman Lear]], and the editors of the liberal magazine ''[[The New Republic]]'', also endorsed the Anderson campaign.<ref name="Bloomberg"/> Cartoonist [[Garry Trudeau]]'s ''[[Doonesbury]]'' ran several strips sympathetic to the Anderson campaign.<ref name="Doonesbury @ 30">{{cite web | url = http://doonesbury.washingtonpost.com/strip/archive/timeline/1980 | title = Doonesbury's Timeline: 1980s | access-date = February 16, 2015}}</ref> Former First Lady [[Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis]], actor [[Paul Newman]] and historian [[Arthur M. Schlesinger Jr.]] were also reported to be Anderson supporters.<ref>{{cite web | url = https://historynewsnetwork.org/article/165276|title = The Last Serious, Qualified Third-Party Candidate for President Was … ? | date = March 5, 2017 | website = [[History News Network]] | publisher = [[George Washington University]] | last = Feinman | first = Ronald L. | access-date = June 15, 2019}}</ref>

Although the Carter campaign feared Anderson could be a [[spoiler effect|spoiler]], Anderson's campaign turned out to be "simply another option" for frustrated voters who had already decided not to back Carter for another term. Polls found that around 37% of Anderson voters favored Reagan as their second choice over Carter.<ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.salon.com/2011/04/04/third_party_myth_easterbrook/ | date = April 4, 2011 | title = The myths that just won't die | first = Steve | last = Kornacki | work = Salon}}</ref> Anderson did not carry a single precinct in the country.{{sfn|Mason|2011| pp = 409}}{{sfn|Mason|2011| pp = 529}} Anderson's finish was still the best showing for a [[third party (United States)|third-party]] candidate since [[George Wallace]]'s 14% in 1968 and stands as the seventh-best for any such candidate since [[American Civil War|the Civil War]] (trailing [[James B. Weaver]]'s 8.5% in 1892, [[Theodore Roosevelt]]'s 27% in 1912, [[Robert M. La Follette, Sr.|Robert La Follette]]'s 17% in 1924, Wallace, and [[Ross Perot]]'s 19% and 8% in 1992 and 1996, respectively).<ref>{{Cite book |last1=Tarr |first1=David R |title=Elections A to Z |last2=Benenson |first2=Bob |last3=Moore |first3=John Leo |publisher=CQ Press/Sage Publications |year=2012 |isbn=978-0872897694 |edition=4th |location=Thousand Oaks, CA |page=629 |language=en}}</ref> He pursued Ohio's refusal to provide ballot access to the U.S. Supreme Court and won 5–4 in ''[[Anderson v. Celebrezze]]''. His inability to make headway against the ''de facto'' two-party system as an independent in that election would later lead him to become an advocate of [[instant-runoff voting]], helping to found [[FairVote]] in 1992.<ref name="NYTobit" /><ref name="Bloomberg" />