Republican Party presidential primaries, 1984 facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Republican Presidential Primaries, 1984

← 1980 February 20 to July 1, 1984 1988 →

Nominee Ronald Reagan Party Republican Home state California States carried 50+D.C. Popular vote 6,484,987 Percentage 98.8%

Reagan won every statewide contest.

President before election Ronald Reagan Republican presidential candidate-elect Ronald Reagan

The 1984 Republican presidential primaries were a way for members of the Republican Party to choose their candidate for President of the United States. This happened before the main U.S. presidential election in 1984.

The person chosen was the current President, Ronald Reagan. He was selected through many special elections and meetings called primaries and caucuses. These events led up to the 1984 Republican National Convention. The convention was held in Dallas, Texas, from August 20 to August 23, 1984.

The primaries were not very exciting because President Reagan was very popular. Everyone expected him to win the nomination easily.

What Are Presidential Primaries?

Before a big election, political parties need to pick their best candidate. They do this through a series of smaller elections. These are called primaries or caucuses.

• Primaries are like regular elections. People go to a polling place and vote for their favorite candidate.
• Caucuses are meetings where party members discuss candidates. Then they vote for their choice.

The winners of these primaries and caucuses get "delegates." These delegates then go to a big national meeting. This meeting is called a national convention. At the convention, the delegates officially choose the party's presidential candidate.

The 1984 Republican Race

In 1984, the Republican Party was looking for its presidential candidate. Since Ronald Reagan was already president, he wanted to run again. This meant he needed to win his party's support first.

Who Ran?

Most of the time, many people try to become president. But in 1984, it was different for the Republicans. President Reagan was so popular that not many other people challenged him.

The Winner: Ronald Reagan

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  President Ronald Reagan from California was the clear favorite.

Ronald Reagan was the sitting president. He had been elected in 1980. His supporters believed he was doing a great job. Because of his strong support, he won every single primary and caucus. This made his path to the nomination very smooth.

Other Candidates

Even though Reagan was expected to win, a few other people did try to run. They hoped to gain some support. However, they did not win any states. They eventually stopped their campaigns during the primaries.

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  Former Governor Harold Stassen from Minnesota

• Ben Fernandez was a former ambassador. He was from California, just like President Reagan.
• Harold Stassen was a very experienced politician. He had been a governor of Minnesota many years before. He had also run for president many times in the past.

Images for kids

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  Ronald Reagan announcing his reelection campaign from the Oval Office on January 29, 1984.

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  Reagan campaigning in Fairfield, Connecticut near the end of the general election campaign.

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  Former Governor Harold Stassen from Minnesota.