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Ronald Reagan Was elected president of the United States in 1980 and won a second term in 1984. He had served two terms as governor of California before he became president. In 1980, Ronald Reagan defeated President Jimmy Carter, the Democratic candidate. In 1984, Reagan defeated former Vice President Walter F. Mondale, the Democratic nominee, in a landslide. The president won 525 electoral votes, more than any other presidential candidate in the nation's history. Before Reagan entered politics, he had …

…budget deficits (shortages) reached record levels. Reagan was a skillful campaigner and a gifted speaker. He stressed such traditional values as work, the family, patriotism, and self-reliance. At the age of 69, Reagan was the oldest man ever elected president. But he looked far younger and was vigorous and athletic. Reagan listed his chief interests as drama, politics, and sports. Reagan especially enjoyed horseback riding at his weekend ranch, Rancho del Cielo, near Santa Barbara, California.