
Jimmy Carter faced a tough challenge from Massachusetts Senator Edward Kennedy for the 1980 Democratic presidential nomination but entered the general election weakened, struggling against a strong Republican adversary.
During their debates, Ronald Reagan, the conservative challenger, effectively kept Carter on the defensive. At one point, Reagan dismissively remarked, “There you go again,” when he felt Carter had misrepresented his views.
In the 1980 election, Carter lost to Reagan, who won 44 of the 50 states, securing a decisive Electoral College victory.
James Earl Carter Jr. was born on October 1, 1924, in Plains, Georgia, to a farmer and shopkeeper. After graduating from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1946, he served in the nuclear submarine program before returning to manage his family’s peanut farming business.
Carter married Rosalynn in 1946, describing her as “the most important thing in my life.” The couple had three sons and a daughter.
He later became a millionaire, served as a Georgia state legislator, and was elected governor of Georgia from 1971 to 1975. In 1976, Carter launched an underdog bid for the Democratic presidential nomination and outmaneuvered his rivals to face incumbent Gerald Ford in the general election.
With Walter Mondale as his vice presidential running mate, Carter gained momentum after Ford’s gaffe during a debate, where Ford incorrectly claimed there was “no Soviet domination of Eastern Europe.” Though Ford won more states, Carter won the election, securing 23 states to Ford’s 27.
Post-presidency, Carter’s diplomatic efforts were not always well-received. Both George W. Bush and his father, George H.W. Bush, were reportedly displeased with Carter’s independent diplomacy, particularly regarding Iraq. In 2004, Carter criticized the Iraq war as one of the “gross and damaging mistakes” in U.S. history, calling George W. Bush’s presidency “the worst in history” and Vice President Dick Cheney a “disaster for our country.”
In 2019, Carter questioned Donald Trump’s legitimacy as president, suggesting that Russian interference had helped Trump win the election. Trump responded by labeling Carter as “a terrible president.”
Carter also made significant diplomatic efforts in North Korea. His 1994 visit helped defuse a nuclear crisis, leading to an agreement in which North Korea froze its nuclear program in exchange for resumed dialogue with the U.S. Despite this success, Carter’s unilateral announcement of the deal angered the Clinton administration.
In 2010, Carter successfully negotiated the release of an American sentenced to hard labor in North Korea for illegal entry.
Carter wrote more than two dozen books, including a presidential memoir, children’s books, poetry, and works on faith and diplomacy. His 2018 book Faith: A Journey for All reflected his deeply held religious beliefs.