John Anderson presidential campaign, 1980
| John B. Anderson | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Chairman of the House Republican Conference | |
|
In office January 3, 1969 – January 3, 1979 |
|
| Leader |
Gerald Ford John Jacob Rhodes |
| Preceded by | Melvin Laird |
| Succeeded by | Samuel L. Devine |
| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Illinois's 16th district |
|
|
In office January 3, 1961 – January 3, 1981 |
|
| Preceded by | Leo E. Allen |
| Succeeded by | Lynn Morley Martin |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
John Bayard Anderson February 15, 1922 Rockford, Illinois, U.S. |
| Died | December 3, 2017 (aged 95) Washington, D.C., U.S. |
| Political party | Independent (after 1980) |
| Other political affiliations |
Republican (before 1980) |
| Spouse(s) | Keke Machakos (m. 1953) |
| Children | 5 |
| Alma mater |
University of Illinois (BA, JD) Harvard Law School (LLM) |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance | United States of America |
| Service/branch | United States Army |
| Years of service | 1943–1945 |
| Rank | Staff sergeant |
| Battles/wars | World War II |
John Bayard Anderson (February 15, 1922 – December 3, 2017) was a United States Congressman and presidential candidate from Illinois. As a member of the Republican Party, he represented Illinois's 16th congressional district from 1961 through 1981. In 1980, he ran an independent campaign for president, taking 6.6% of the popular vote.
Born in Rockford, Illinois, Anderson practiced law after serving in the Army during World War II. After a stint in the United States Foreign Service, he won election as the State's Attorney for Winnebago County, Illinois. He won election to the House of Representatives in 1960 in a strongly Republican district. Initially one of the most conservative members of the House, Anderson's views moderated during the 1960s, particularly regarding social issues. He became Chairman of the House Republican Conference in 1969 and remained in that position until 1979. He strongly criticized the Vietnam War as well as President Richard Nixon's actions during the Watergate scandal.
Anderson entered the 1980 Republican presidential primaries, introducing his signature campaign proposal of raising the gas tax while cutting social security taxes. He established himself as a contender for the nomination in the early primaries, but eventually dropped out of the Republican race, choosing to pursue an independent campaign for president. In the election, he finished third behind Republican nominee Ronald Reagan and Democratic President Jimmy Carter. He won support among Rockefeller Republicans, independents, liberal intellectuals, and college students.
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