Nov. 7, 1984 | Reagan wins big

Democratic candidate Walter Mondale appeared to be winning a total of only 13 electoral votes — Minnesota and the District of Columbia — in a race that represents the greatest margin of victory since Nixon’s defeat of McGovern in 1972.

The three major television networks predicted a landslide Regan victory of 59 percent to 41 percent of the popular vote at about 8:15 p.m. last night.

Struggle for Congress

Democrats fought to a narrow 55 to 45 GOP majority in the Senate, as election results revealed a Democratic gain of one seat as of late last night. In the House, Republicans were better able to close the 266 to 167 seat gap, reducing the Democratic majority to a projected 17 seats.

The 90 million voter turnout, representing 52 percent of the voting age population, defied the predictions of political analysts in not significantly surpassing the turnout of previous elections.

A New York Times-CBS News poll found that the economy was the issue that received primary consideration from the majority of voters—and those voters went heavily for Regan.

The poll also revealed that Regan did well among groups of voters that traditionally cast Democratic ballots: young voters, Southern whites, and households with at least one union member. As expected, Mondale carried the black vote by a large margin.

The influence of Geraldine Ferraro on the Democratic ticket appeared to be more harmful than helpful according to network television exit polls. Twenty-six percent of the more than 8,000 respondents said they were less likely to vote Democratic because there was a woman on the ballot, while only 16 percent said they were more likely to do so because of Ferraro.

Reagan’s popularity appeared to have a coattail effect that helped swing several Senate contests. Most notable was the heated race in North Carolina between Republican incumbent Jesse Helms, the projected winner late last night, and Democratic Gov. James Hunt. In Kentucky, Democratic incumbent Walter Huddleston was upset by Mitch McConnell.

Not all Republican senatorial candidates were bolstered by the Regan landslide, however, as Illinois incumbent Charles Percy and Iowa incumbent Roger Jepsen were losing their reelection campaigns.

The President received news of his victory in Los Angeles, where he and his wife watched the returns in a Century Plaza Hotel suite equipped with four television sets. The president insisted all day he was superstitiously avoiding predictions, but felt confident enough to outline his goals for a second term in an interview with the Washington Post. He said he would push again for congressional approval of a balanced budget amendment to the Constitution and the right to veto individual sections of spending bills, two measures he wants to help reduce federal spending.

Mondale conceded defeat, telephoned his congratulations to Reagan and told cheering supporters in St. Paul, Minn., “He has won. We are all American; he is our president and we honor him tonight.”

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Mondale urged supporters to continue to fight for fairness, environmental protection, employment, and progress in arms control. “In every defeat lies the seeds of victory. Let’s fight on,” he said.

Mondale’s running mate, Geraldine Ferraro, hailed Mondale in a concession from New York City, saying, “he waged a battle for equal opportunity, and that battle Walter Mondale won. My candidacy has said the days of discrimination are numbered—women are no longer second class citizens,” she said.

— Pam Belluck

(Compiled with the assistance of Associated Press dispatches)