BBC News: 'US Elections Five Moments From US Elections Past '1980 Election Jimmy Carter Loses'

Source:BBC News- President James E. Carter (Democrat, Georgia) conceding the 1980 presidential election to Ronald Reagan.

"Four years later, then-incumbent President Jimmy Carter didn't just lose to Republican challenger Ronald Regan - he lost big.

Carter, hampered by the Iran hostage crisis and saddled with a poor economic record, won only 49 electoral votes (out of 538). He gave his concession speech even before polls had closed on the West Coast.

In reporting on this loss, the BBC's Martin Bell previewed what was expected from Reagan, a relative newcomer to national and international politics, when he took office.

Unlike the liberal Carter, who emphasised environmentalism and poverty issues, Reagan's conservative credentials seemed to promise a leaner government with an focus on business - as well as the return of Henry Kissinger to the national stage."

Source:News & Offers Now 

This was a short election night with President Carter, only winning 6 states and around 44% of the vote. The sun might have still been up on the West Coast by the time it looked it was obvious that President Carter would not only lose to Ronald Reagan, but that he might not win a state even and struggle to win 45% of the popular vote, even though he was the incumbent President.