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1996 Republican Party presidential primaries

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Republican Party nomination

A number of Republican candidates entered the field to challenge the incumbent Democratic President, Bill Clinton. The list included:

The fragmented field of candidates debated issues such as a flat tax and other tax cut proposals, and a return to supply-side economic policies popularized by Ronald Reagan. More attention was drawn to the race by the budget stalemate in 1995 between the Congress and the President, which caused temporary shutdowns and slowdowns in many areas of federal government service.

Potential candidates who did not run

Former U.S. Army Gen. Colin L. Powell was widely courted as a potential Republican nominee. However, on November 8, 1995, Powell announced that he would not seek the nomination. Former Secretary of Defense and future Vice President of the United States Dick Cheney was touted by many as a possible candidate for the presidency, but he declared his intentions not to run in early 1995. Former and future Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld formed a Presidential Campaign Exploratory Committee, but declined to formally enter the race. Then-Texas Governor George W. Bush was also urged by some party leaders to seek the Republican Party nomination, but opted against doing so.

Primaries and convention

Going into the 1996 primary contest, Senate majority leader and former vice-presidential nominee Bob Dole was seen as the most likely winner. However, in the primaries and caucuses, social conservative Pat Buchanan received early victories in Alaska, Louisiana and New Hampshire, and Steve Forbes in Delaware and Arizona which put Dole's leadership in doubt. However, Dole won every primary starting with North and South Dakota, which gave him a lock on the party nomination. Dole resigned his Senate seat on June 11. The Republican National Convention formally nominated Dole on August 15, 1996 as the GOP candidate for the fall election.

1996 Republican primary and caucus results
Bob Dole Pat Buchanan Steve Forbes Lamar Alexander Alan Keyes Dick Lugar Phil Gramm Morry Taylor Bob Dornan
February 12 Iowa Caucus 26% 23% 10% 18% 7% 4% 9% 1% -
February 20 New Hampshire Primary 26% 27% 12% 22% 2% 5% - 2% -
February 24 Delaware (primary) 27% 19% 33% 13% 5% 5% 2% - -
February 27 Arizona (primary) 30% 27% 33% 7% 1% 1% - - -
February 27 North Dakota (primary) 42% 18% 20% 6% 3% 1% 9% - -
February 27 South Dakota (primary) 45% 29% 13% 9% 4% - - - -
March 2 South Carolina (primary) 45% 29% 13% 10% 2% - - - -
March 3 Puerto Rico (primary) 98% - - - - - - - -
March 5 Colorado (primary) 43% 21% 21% 10% 4% 1% - - -
March 5 Connecticut (primary) 54% 15% 20% 5% 2% 1% - - -
March 5 Georgia (primary) 41% 29% 13% 14% 3% - - - -
March 5 Maine (primary) 46% 24% 15% 7% 2% 3% - - -
March 5 Maryland (primary) 53% 21% 13% 6% 5% 1% - - -
March 5 Massachusetts (primary) 48% 25% 14% 8% 2% 2% - - -
March 5 Rhode Island (primary) 64% 3% 1% 19% - 3% - 1% -
March 5 Vermont (primary) 40% 17% 16% 11% - 14% 1% - -
March 7 New York (primary) 55% 15% 30% - - - - - -
March 12 Florida (primary) 57% 18% 20% 1% 2% 2% - - 1%
March 12 Louisiana (primary) 48% 33% 12% 2% 3% - - 1% -
March 12 Mississippi (primary) 60% 26% 8% 2% 2% - - - 2%
March 12 Oklahoma (primary) 59% 22% 14% 1% 2% - - - -
March 12 Oregon (primary) 51% 21% 13% 7% 4% 1% - - -
March 12 Tennessee (primary) 51% 25% 8% 11% 3% - - - -
March 12 Texas (primary) 56% 21% 13% 2% 4% - 2% - -
March 19 Illinois (primary) 65% 23% 5% 1% 4% 1% 1% - -
March 19 Michigan (primary) 51% 34% 5% 1% 3% - - - -
March 19 Ohio (primary) 66% 22% 6% 3% 2% 1% - - -
March 19 Wisconsin (primary) 53% 34% 6% 2% 3% - - - -
March 26 California (primary) 66% 18% 7% 2% 4% 1% 1% - 1%
March 26 Nevada (primary) 52% 15% 19% 2% 1% - - - -
March 26 Washington (primary) 63% 21% 9% 1% 5% - - - -
April 23 Pennsylvania (primary) 64% 18% 8% - 6% 5% - - -
May 7 Washington D.C. (primary) 75% 9% - - - - - - -
May 7 Indiana (primary) 71% 19% 10% - - - - - -
May 7 North Carolina (primary) 71% 13% 4% 2% 4% 1% - - -
May 14 Nebraska (primary) 76% 10% 6% 3% 3% - - - -
May 14 West Virginia (primary) 69% 16% 5% 3% 4% 1% 2% - -
May 21 Arkansas (primary) 76% 23% - - - - - - -
May 28 Idaho (primary) 66% 22% - - 5% - - - -
June 4 Alabama (primary) 76% 16% - - 3% - - - -
June 4 Montana (primary) 61% 24% 7% - - - - - -
June 4 New Jersey (primary) 82% 11% - - 7% - - - -
June 4 New Mexico (primary) 76% 8% 6% 4% 3% - - - 1%

Convention tally:

Former Congressman and Cabinet secretary Jack Kemp was nominated by acclamation as Dole's running mate the following day.

Other politicians mentioned as possible GOP V.P. nominees before Kemp was selected were Ohio Governor George Voinovich, Michigan Governor John Engler, and Texas Governor George W. Bush.

Notable endorsements

Bob Dole

Pat Buchanan

Steve Forbes

Lamar Alexander

W. Phillip Gramm

Pete Wilson

See also