Republican Presidential Primaries, 1996
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January 29 to June 4, 1996
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Gold denotes a state won by Pat Buchanan. Green denotes a state won by Steve Forbes. Purple denotes a state won by Bob Dole. Grey denotes a territory that did not hold a primary.
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Republican presidential candidate before election
George H. W. Bush
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Republican presidential candidate-elect
Bob Dole
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The 1996 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 1996 U.S. presidential election. Former Senator Bob Dole of Kansas, former Senate Majority Leader was selected as the nominee through a series of primary elections and caucuses culminating in the 1996 Republican National Convention held from August 12 to August 15, 1996 in San Diego, California.
Contents
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Background 1
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Primary race overview 2
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Candidates 3
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Nominee 3.1
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Withdrew during convention 3.2
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Withdrew during primaries 3.3
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Withdrew before primary elections 3.4
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Declined to run 3.5
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Results 4
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Statewide 4.1
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Nationwide 4.2
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Notable endorsements 4.3
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Convention and VP Selection 4.4
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See also 5
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References 6
Background
Following the 1994 midterm elections, many prominent candidates entered what would be a crowded field. This was expected as Democratic President Republican Party nomination, but opted against doing so.
Primary race overview
Going into the 1996 primary contest, Senate Majority Leader and former vice-presidential nominee Bob Dole was widely seen as the front runner. Dole had significant name recognition, as he was a two time presidential candidate - in 1980 and 1988, and was expected to win the nomination against underdog candidates such as the more conservative U.S. Senator Phil Gramm of Texas and more centrist U.S. Senator Arlen Specter of Pennsylvania. The fragmented field of candidates, which also included journalist and 1992 presidential candidate Pat Buchanan and magazine publisher Steve Forbes, 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.
On January 29, Buchanan won a non-binding straw poll in Alaska. Most pundits dismissed Buchanan's showing as insignificant.[1] On February 6, Buchanan won the Louisiana caucus. Buchanan and Gramm had made several trips to the state to campaign. Gramm was expected to win, due to being from neighboring Texas and having the support of many of the Louisiana party regulars.[2]
Dole won the Iowa Caucus with 26% of the vote, a considerably smaller margin of victory than was expected.
Gramm's poor showing in Louisiana plus placing 5th in Iowa's caucuses resulted in his withdrawal from the contest on the Sunday before the New Hampshire primary.
In the New Hampshire Primary, Buchanan recorded a surprising victory over Dole, who finished in second place.
Buchanan's early victories and Forbes' victories in Delaware and Arizona put Dole's expected front runner status in doubt during the formative months of the primary season. Dole won every primary after including North and South Dakota; this eventually gave him enough delegate commitments to claim status as the GOP presidential presumptive nominee.
Having collected only 21 percent of the total votes in Republican primaries and won 4 states, Buchanan suspended his campaign in March. He declared however that, if Dole were to choose a pro-choice running mate, he would run as the US Taxpayers Party (now Constitution Party) candidate.[3] Forbes also withdrew in March having won only two states.[4]
Dole resigned his Senate seat on June 11 in order to focus more intently on his presidential campaign.
Candidates
Nominee
Withdrew during convention
Withdrew during primaries
Withdrew before primary elections
Declined to run
Results
Statewide
1996 Republican primary and caucus results[5]
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Bob Dole
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Pat Buchanan
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Steve Forbes
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Lamar Alexander
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Alan Keyes
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Richard Lugar
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Phil Gramm
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Morry Taylor
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Bob Dornan
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January 29
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Alaska (caucus)
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17%
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32%
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31%
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1%
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10%
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-
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9%
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-
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-
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February 6
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Louisiana (caucus)
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-
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44%
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-
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-
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4%
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-
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42%
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-
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February 12
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Iowa Caucus
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26%
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23%
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10%
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18%
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7%
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4%
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9%
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1%
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-
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February 20
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New Hampshire primary
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26%
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27%
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12%
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22%
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2%
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5%
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-
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2%
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-
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February 24
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Delaware (primary)
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27%
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19%
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33%
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13%
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5%
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5%
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2%
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-
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-
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February 27
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Arizona (primary)
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30%
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27%
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33%
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7%
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1%
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1%
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-
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-
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-
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February 27
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North Dakota (primary)
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42%
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18%
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20%
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6%
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3%
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1%
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9%
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-
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-
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February 27
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South Dakota (primary)
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45%
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29%
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13%
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9%
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4%
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-
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-
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-
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-
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March 2
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South Carolina (primary)
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45%
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29%
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13%
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10%
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2%
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-
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-
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-
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-
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March 2
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Wyoming (caucus)
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40%
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18%
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17%
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7%
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7%
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-
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-
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-
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-
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March 3
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Puerto Rico (primary)
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98%
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-
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-
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-
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-
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-
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-
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-
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March 5
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Colorado (primary)
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43%
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21%
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21%
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10%
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4%
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1%
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-
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-
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-
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March 5
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Connecticut (primary)
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54%
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15%
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20%
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5%
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2%
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1%
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-
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-
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-
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March 5
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Georgia (primary)
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41%
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29%
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13%
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14%
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3%
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-
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-
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-
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-
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March 5
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Maine (primary)
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46%
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24%
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15%
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7%
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2%
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3%
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-
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-
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-
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March 5
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Maryland (primary)
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53%
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21%
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13%
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6%
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5%
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1%
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-
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-
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-
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March 5
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Massachusetts (primary)
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48%
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25%
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14%
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8%
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2%
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2%
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-
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-
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-
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March 5
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Minnesota (caucus)
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41%
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33%
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10%
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5%
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10%
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-
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-
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-
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-
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March 5
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Rhode Island (primary)
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64%
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3%
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1%
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19%
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-
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3%
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-
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1%
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-
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March 5
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Vermont (primary)
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40%
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17%
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16%
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11%
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-
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14%
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1%
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-
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-
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March 7
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New York (primary)
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55%
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15%
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30%
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-
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-
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March 9
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Missouri (caucus)
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28%
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36%
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1%
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-
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9%
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March 12
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Florida (primary)
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57%
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18%
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20%
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1%
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2%
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2%
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-
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-
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1%
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March 12
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Louisiana (primary)
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48%
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33%
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12%
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2%
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3%
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-
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1%
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March 12
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Mississippi (primary)
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60%
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26%
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8%
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2%
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2%
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2%
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March 12
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Oklahoma (primary)
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59%
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22%
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14%
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1%
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2%
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-
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-
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-
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-
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March 12
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Oregon (primary)
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51%
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21%
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13%
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7%
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4%
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1%
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-
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-
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-
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March 12
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Tennessee (primary)
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51%
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25%
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8%
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11%
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3%
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-
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-
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-
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March 12
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Texas (primary)
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56%
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21%
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13%
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2%
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4%
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-
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2%
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-
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-
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March 19
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Illinois (primary)
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65%
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23%
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5%
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1%
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4%
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1%
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1%
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-
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-
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March 19
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Michigan (primary)
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51%
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34%
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5%
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1%
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3%
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-
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-
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-
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-
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March 19
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Ohio (primary)
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66%
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22%
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6%
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3%
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2%
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1%
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-
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-
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-
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March 19
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Wisconsin (primary)
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53%
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34%
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6%
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2%
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3%
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-
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-
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-
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-
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March 26
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California (primary)
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66%
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18%
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7%
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2%
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4%
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1%
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1%
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-
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1%
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March 26
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Nevada (primary)
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52%
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15%
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19%
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2%
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1%
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-
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-
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-
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-
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March 26
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Washington (primary)
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63%
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21%
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9%
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1%
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5%
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-
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-
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-
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-
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April 23
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Pennsylvania (primary)
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64%
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18%
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8%
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-
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6%
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5%
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-
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-
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-
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May 7
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Washington D.C. (primary)
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75%
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9%
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-
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-
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-
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-
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-
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May 7
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Indiana (primary)
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71%
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19%
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10%
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-
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-
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-
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-
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-
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-
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May 7
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North Carolina (primary)
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71%
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13%
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4%
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2%
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4%
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1%
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-
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-
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-
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May 14
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Nebraska (primary)
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76%
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10%
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6%
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3%
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3%
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-
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-
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-
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-
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May 14
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West Virginia (primary)
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69%
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16%
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5%
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3%
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4%
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1%
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2%
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-
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-
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May 21
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Arkansas (primary)
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76%
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23%
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-
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-
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-
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-
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-
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-
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-
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May 28
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Idaho (primary)
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66%
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22%
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-
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-
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5%
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-
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-
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-
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-
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June 4
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Alabama (primary)
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76%
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16%
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-
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-
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3%
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-
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-
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-
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-
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June 4
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Montana (primary)
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61%
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24%
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7%
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-
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-
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-
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-
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-
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-
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June 4
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New Jersey (primary)
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82%
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11%
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-
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-
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7%
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-
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-
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-
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-
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June 4
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New Mexico (primary)
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76%
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8%
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6%
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4%
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3%
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-
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-
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-
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1%
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Nationwide
Overall popular primaries vote[6]
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Bob Dole - 9,024,742 (58.82%)
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Pat Buchanan - 3,184,943 (20.76%)
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Steve Forbes - 1,751,187 (11.41%)
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Lamar Alexander - 495,590 (3.23%)
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Alan Keyes - 471,716 (3.08%)
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Richard Lugar - 127,111 (0.83%)
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Unpledged - 123,278 (0.80%)
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Phil Gramm - 71,456 (0.47%)
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Bob Dornan - 42,140 (0.28%)
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Morry Taylor - 21,180 (0.14%)
Convention tally:
Notable endorsements
Bob Dole
Pat Buchanan
Steve Forbes
Lamar Alexander
W. Phillip Gramm
Pete Wilson
Convention and VP Selection
The delegates at the Republican National Convention formally nominated Dole on August 15, 1996 as the GOP presidential candidate for the general election. Dole was the oldest first-time presidential nominee at the age of 73 years, 1 month (Ronald Reagan was 73 years, 6 months in 1984, for his second presidential nomination).
Former Congressman and Cabinet secretary Jack Kemp was nominated by acclamation as Dole's running mate the following day. Republican Party of Texas convention delegates informally nominated Alan Keyes as their preference for Vice President.
Other politicians mentioned as possible GOP V.P. nominees before Kemp was selected included:
See also
References
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^ Anchorage Daily News. Jan. 31, 1996. p. 1b
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^ The Advocate [Baton Rouge]. Feb.7, 1996. p. A1
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^ .
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^ AllPolitics - Steve Forbes
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^ 1996 Republican Primary Election Events Timeline
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^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m
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^
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^
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^
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^
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^ "Dole wins both Dakotas, but is lagging in Arizona." Toledo Blade. February 28, 1996. Accessed December 2, 2009. Final paragraph: Mr. Mecham is supporting Buchanan "all the way," and he still has an effective organization in the state.
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Election timelines
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National polling
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State polling
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Fundraising
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Debates
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Straw polls
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Major events
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Caucuses
and primaries
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Results breakdown
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National
conventions
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Reforms
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