ronald reagan produced a major realignment with his 1980 and 1984 landslides. in 1980, the reagan coalition was possible because of democratic losses in most social-economic groups. in 1984, reagan won nearly 60% of the popular vote and carried every state except his democratic opponent walter mondale's home state of minnesota and the district of columbia, creating a record 525 electoral vote total (out of 538 possible votes). even in minnesota, mondale won by a mere 3,761 votes, meaning reagan came within less than 3,800 votes of winning in all fifty states.