The Georgia Politics Podcast

Welcome to The Georgia Politics Podcast! On today’s episode, we dive into Part 2 of our spotlight on the John Anderson campaign for President in 1980. We focus on his decision to run as an independent and the later stages and decisions of the campaign that ultimately led to garnering only 6.6% of the popular vote. John Anderson, a Republican congressman from Illinois, ran as an independent candidate in the 1980 U.S. presidential election. Dissatisfied with the conservative shift of the Republican Party under Ronald Reagan, Anderson campaigned on a platform of fiscal responsibility, social liberalism, and bipartisan cooperation. Despite initial enthusiasm, his campaign struggled to maintain momentum against the major party candidates, Ronald Reagan and incumbent President Jimmy Carter. Anderson proposed a 50-cent gas tax to reduce dependence on foreign oil and supported the Equal Rights Amendment. Ultimately, he garnered 6.6% of the popular vote, showcasing the challenges third-party candidates face in U.S. e