Few U.S. presidents have risen as swiftly in national politics as Jimmy Carter. In 1974, as he neared the end of his single term as Georgia’s governor, Carter announced his intention to run for the presidency. Despite his modest national name recognition of just 2%, he embarked on an ambitious campaign strategy. Touring 37 states and delivering over 200 speeches before most candidates even entered the race, Carter aimed to build a grassroots connection with voters. His strategy paid off when he secured victories in Iowa and New Hampshire during the winter of 1976, momentum he carried to the Democratic nomination and ultimately to the White House in a narrow general election win.
Carter’s political career was later overshadowed by his exceptional four-decade-long post-presidential life, which ended with his death in Plains, Georgia, at the age of 100. He had battled cancer in his brain and liver during his 90s, becoming the longest-living U.S. president.
A Life Spanning Political Eras
James Earl Carter Jr., the 39th president, was elected as a Democrat in 1976, ousting Republican incumbent Gerald Ford. His presidency was marked by significant challenges, including inflation, energy crises, and foreign policy turmoil. Despite these obstacles, he won the Democratic nomination for a second term but lost the 1980 election to Republican Ronald Reagan in a landslide.
Carter was the first Deep South president since the Civil War, entering politics during the Democratic Party’s dominance in his region. After serving as a naval officer in the submarine corps, he returned to Georgia in 1953 to manage his family’s peanut business following his father’s death. His political career began with four years in Georgia’s state legislature before an unsuccessful bid for governor in 1966, where he was defeated by Lester Maddox, a populist known for confronting civil rights protesters.
While Carter shared aspects of the traditional white Southern identity, he also supported integration and Martin Luther King Jr.’s Civil Rights Movement. In 1970, he won the governorship and declared in his inaugural speech, “The time for racial discrimination is over.”
A Strategic Path to the Presidency
Carter’s rise to the presidency was rooted in a meticulous campaign strategy, capitalizing on new Democratic Party nominating rules in the early 1970s. Guided by campaign manager Hamilton Jordan, Carter leveraged early successes in the Iowa caucuses and New Hampshire primary to build national momentum. By January 1976, Carter was polling at just 4% among Democrats, but his early wins allowed him to capture the attention of voters nationwide.
He outperformed segregationist George Wallace in Southern primaries and dominated industrial states in the North and Midwest. Of the 48 primaries and caucuses that year, Carter won 30, far surpassing any other candidate.
Challenges in the White House
Carter’s presidency faced mounting difficulties, particularly in foreign policy. The Iranian Revolution overthrew the U.S.-backed Shah, leading to the establishment of a theocratic regime under Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini. When Carter allowed the Shah into the U.S. for cancer treatment, Iranian students stormed the U.S. Embassy in Tehran, taking 52 Americans hostage for 444 days. Carter’s attempts to resolve the crisis, including a failed rescue mission that left eight U.S. service members dead, were unsuccessful and severely damaged his administration’s standing.
The Soviet invasion of Afghanistan further strained his presidency. While opposing Soviet aggression was popular, Carter’s decision to boycott the 1980 Moscow Olympics was met with mixed reactions.
Despite these challenges, Carter secured the Democratic nomination in 1980, fending off a primary challenge from Senator Edward Kennedy. Carter framed the primaries as a referendum on the Iranian hostage crisis, which helped him maintain enough party support to defeat Kennedy. However, the intraparty struggle weakened him ahead of the general election.
The Reagan Challenge
Carter faced Ronald Reagan, a former California governor, in the 1980 election. Reagan united voters with promises of tax cuts, increased defense spending, and a return to traditional values of “faith, freedom, family, work, and neighborhood.” His opposition to abortion, school busing, and his support for school prayer resonated with conservative Americans.
After early successes in Southern primaries, Reagan solidified his position at the Republican National Convention. The election initially appeared close, but Reagan’s performance in their sole debate on October 28, 1980, tilted the scales. Reagan’s optimistic demeanor and criticisms of Carter’s handling of the economy resonated with voters, leading to a decisive victory.
A Transformative Post-Presidency
Despite the challenges of his presidency, Carter’s post-presidential years transformed his legacy. Historian Douglas Brinkley noted that within 20 years of leaving office, Carter had become “renowned the world over as the epitome of the caring, compassionate, best sort of American statesman.”
Carter dedicated himself to humanitarian causes, working with Habitat for Humanity to build homes for low-income families and establishing the Carter Center, which promoted democracy, human rights, and health initiatives worldwide. He also authored more than two dozen books and taught at Emory University.
His global advocacy earned him numerous accolades, including the U.N. Prize in the Field of Human Rights in 1998 and the Nobel Peace Prize in 2002.
A Controversial Yet Principled Figure
Carter often courted controversy in his later years, particularly regarding Middle Eastern policy. He opposed the Gulf War in 1991 and the 2003 U.S. invasion of Iraq. His comparison of Israel’s treatment of Palestinians to South African apartheid sparked intense debate, as did his suggestion that opposition to President Barack Obama was partly rooted in racism.
Carter also criticized then-President Donald Trump, drawing admiration and criticism for his outspoken views.
Bridging a Complex Legacy
Jimmy Carter’s life bridged eras of U.S. history, from the Civil Rights Movement to modern global conflicts. While his presidency faced significant struggles, his post-presidential work elevated him as a global humanitarian and advocate for peace. Carter’s unwavering commitment to his principles and tireless efforts to better the world left an indelible mark on history.