this author is an idiot. Mondale came close???
Reagan 55.1% of the vote in West Virginia
Mondale 44.6% of the vote.
Normally in a presidential election, a 10% nationwide MOV is considered a landslide, although perhaps not a for a state. Still, a 10.5% margin of victory is nowhere in the same solar system as “close”.
http://www.uselectionatlas.org/RESULTS/state.php?year=1984&fips=54&f=0&off=0&elect=0
Reagan had 18% of the national vote. Mondale was the fat chick to Reagan’s sweet talking hoodrat with saggy pants.