Republican Party presidential primaries, 1980 facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Republican Party Presidential Primaries, 1980

← 1976 January 21 to June 3, 1980 1984 →

Nominee Ronald Reagan George H. W. Bush John B. Anderson Party Republican Republican Republican Home state California Texas Illinois States carried 44 6 (D.C., PR) 0 Popular vote 7,709,793 3,070,033 1,572,174 Percentage 59.79% 23.81% 12.19%

Red indicates a win by Reagan, blue a win by Bush.

Republican presidential candidate before election Gerald Ford Republican presidential candidate-elect Ronald Reagan

The 1980 Republican presidential primaries were the selection process by which voters of the Republican Party chose its nominee for President of the United States in the 1980 U.S. presidential election.

Former California Governor Ronald Reagan was selected as the nominee through a series of primary elections and caucuses which happened in the Republican National Convention held from July 14 to July 17, 1980, in Detroit, Michigan.

Nominees

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  Former Governor Ronald Reagan of California

Withdrew during primaries

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  U.S. Congressman John B. Anderson of Illinois (withdrew April 24, 1980)

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  Senate Minority Leader Howard Baker of Tennessee (withdrew March 5, 1980)

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  Former CIA director George H. W. Bush of Texas (withdrew May 26, 1980)

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  Former Governor John Connally of Texas (withdrew March 9, 1980)

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  U.S. Congressman Phil Crane of Illinois (withdrew March 20, 1980)

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  U.S. Senator Bob Dole of Kansas (withdrew March 15, 1980)

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  Former Minnesota Governor Harold Stassen of Pennsylvania

Withdrew before primaries

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  Senator Larry Pressler of South Dakota (withdrew January 8, 1980)

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  Senator Lowell Weicker of Connecticut (withdrew May 16, 1979)

Declined to run

The following potential candidates declined to run for the Republican nomination in 1980.

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  Former Astronaut Frank Borman of Indiana

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  RNC Chairman Bill Brock of Tennessee

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  Senator John Danforth of Missouri

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  Governor Pete du Pont of Delaware

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  Former President Gerald Ford of Michigan

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  Representative Jack Kemp of New York

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  Former NATO Commander Alexander Haig of Pennsylvania

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  Senator John Heinz of Pennsylvania

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  Senator Charles Mathias of Maryland

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  Senator Chuck Percy of Illinois

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  Former Commerce Secretary Elliot Richardson of Massachusetts

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  Former FBI Director William Ruckelshaus of Indiana

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  Former Treasury Secretary Bill Simon of New Jersey

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  Governor Jim Thompson of Illinois

Images for kids

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  The Nashua debate, the 9th debate between Ronald Reagan (left) and George H. W. Bush (right)

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  Ronald Reagan delivering his acceptance speech at the Republican National Convention in Detroit, Michigan, on July 17, 1980.