Final answer:
Religion influenced Carter's victory due to his personal religious beliefs, support for liberal views, and popularity among working-class voters and social conservatives.
Step-by-step explanation:
Religion influenced Carter's victory in the 1980 election for several reasons:
- Jimmy Carter was a born-again Christian, which appealed to Evangelicals who valued religious faith.
- Evangelicals believed that Carter's personal religious beliefs would not influence policy and that he supported their more liberal views.
- Carter's opponent, Ronald Reagan, proposed tax cuts that were popular with working-class voters, who believed it would create more jobs.
- Many social conservatives were also hostile toward unions due to scandals involving union leaders.
These factors combined to attract support from religious groups and working-class voters, ultimately contributing to Carter's victory.