1996 Republican Party presidential primaries explained

Election Name:1996 Republican Party presidential primaries
Country:United States
Type:primary
Ongoing:no
Previous Election:1992 Republican Party presidential primaries
Previous Year:1992
Next Election:2000 Republican Party presidential primaries
Next Year:2000
Election Date:January 29 to June 4, 1996
Colour1:73638c
Candidate1:Bob Dole
Home State1:Kansas
States Carried1:46
Popular Vote1:9,024,742
Percentage1:58.8%
Colour2:a59400
Candidate2:Pat Buchanan
Home State2:Virginia
States Carried2:4
Popular Vote2:3,184,943
Percentage2:20.8%
Candidate3:Steve Forbes
Colour3:668c63
Home State3:New Jersey
States Carried3:2
Popular Vote3:1,751,187
Percentage3:11.4%
Map Size:450px
Republican nominee
Before Election:George H. W. Bush
After Election:Bob Dole
Delegate Count1:1,437
Delegate Count2:101
Delegate Count3:51
Needed Votes:1,653 delegates 827 to win nomination

From January 29 to June 4, 1996, voters of the Republican Party chose its nominee for president in the 1996 United States presidential election. Senator Bob Dole of Kansas, the 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 15, 1996, in San Diego, California. Dole resigned from the Senate in June 1996 once he became the presumptive nominee to concentrate on his presidential campaign. He chose Jack Kemp as his running mate.

Dole and Kemp went on to lose to President Bill Clinton and Vice President Al Gore by a severe margin, thereby making this the only Republican presidential primary within the span from 1968 to 2004 in which the Republican nominee had never been nor ever became president.

Background

Following the 1994 midterm elections, many prominent candidates entered what would be a crowded field. This was expected as Democratic President Bill Clinton was unpopular in his first two years in office, eventually leading to the Republican Revolution. However, as Clinton became increasingly popular in his third year in office, several withdrew from the race or decided not to run.

In February 1995, newly inaugurated Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich declined to run, despite urging from some members of the party's conservative wing.[1]

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. Then-Texas Governor George W. Bush was also urged by some party leaders to seek the Republican Party nomination, but opted against doing so.

Primary race overview

Going into the 1996 primary contest, Senate Majority Leader 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 Republican vice-presidential nominee in 1976. He 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. Former Governor of Tennessee Lamar Alexander had promising showings in the early Iowa and New Hampshire primaries—finishing third in both contests behind only Dole and Buchanan—but his support dropped off in later primaries and he ultimately failed to win any state's delegates. (see "1996 Republican primary and caucus results" table below). Alan Keyes, who served as Reagan's Ambassador to the United Nations Economic and Social Council and Assistant Secretary of State for International Organization Affairs, was notable for being the only African American candidate in the race, but he ultimately failed to garner much support. 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.[2] 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.[3]

The candidates met in Des Moines for a Presidential Candidates Forum.[4] 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.

After disappointing showings in Iowa and New Hampshire, Steve Forbes bounced back in the primaries in Delaware and Arizona. Forbes, along with Alan Keyes, were the only two candidates for the Republican nomination who campaigned in Delaware (According to R.W. Apple writing for The New York Times, "People in Delaware began calling their primary the Rodney Dangerfield election – it couldn't get any respect. That angered many local residents, like a woman at a Wilmington polling place this evening, who said that the New Hampshire officials who twisted the candidates' arms [into not coming to Delaware to campaign while the New Hampshire primary was ongoing] had ‘acted like little kids.’"[5]) giving Forbes an easy victory in the small state. "This state is the tax-cutting capital of the country and Steve Forbes got his tax-cutting message across" former Delaware Governor Pete du Pont said following the announcement of Forbes's victory.[6] The bigger triumph for the Forbes campaign was in Arizona. Buchanan campaigned vigorously in Arizona in hopes of securing a crucial victory over Dole,[7] with Buchanan even donning a cowboy costume while on the campaign trail.[8] Faulty polling by the Dole campaign lured Dole into a false sense of security, making Dole think that the state would be an easy victory for him and he would not have to spend much time campaigning in Arizona.[9] After the votes were counted, Buchanan finished a devastating third place, Dole was the runner-up, and Forbes pulled off a shocking, come-from-behind victory. Exit polls showed that Forbes's support came from those who voted for third-party candidate Ross Perot back in 1992, as well as from the large number of voters who cited "taxes" as the most important issue of the race and those who viewed Buchanan as too "extreme" and Dole as too moderate and "mainstream". Forbes would quickly lose the momentum he built up in Delaware and Arizona, but these back-to-back victories convinced many that Forbes was a serious contender.

Buchanan's and Forbes's early victories put Dole's expected front runner status in doubt during the formative months of the primary season. Although he lost Arizona, Dole had wins in North Dakota and South Dakota on the same day before looking to win in Wyoming and South Carolina, the latter being the first of the Southern states with a primary that was also three days before the multi-state primary Super Tuesday. Dole prevailed over Buchanan by 15 points, where exit polls showed Dole siphoning those identifying as part of the Christian right (that Buchanan anticipated having a large majority over) to go with voters who regarded Buchanan as either too extreme or not extreme.[10] He proceeded to win the rest of the states, eventually giving 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 four 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.[11] Forbes also withdrew in March having won only two states.[12]

Dole resigned his Senate seat on June 11 to focus more intently on his presidential campaign. After becoming the nominee, Dole selected the former secretary of housing and urban development of the Bush administration, Jack Kemp, as his running mate.

Candidates

Nominee

CandidateExperienceHome stateCampaignannouncedSecurednominationdata-sort-type="date" CampaignPopular voteContests wonRunning mate
Bob DoleSenate Majority Leader
(1985–1987, 1995–1996)
United States Senator from Kansas
(1969–1996)

United States Representative from Kansas
(1961–1969)
County Attorney of Russell County
(1953–1961)
Kansas State Representative
(1951–1953)
March 19, 1996data-sort-value="0"
(Campaign)
data-sort-value="14,015,993" 9,024,742
(58.8%)
data-sort-value="44" 46Jack Kemp

Withdrew during convention or primaries

CandidateExperienceHome stateCampaign
announced
Campaign
suspended
data-sort-type="date" CampaignPopular voteContests won
Pat BuchananWhite House Communications Director
(1985–1987)
data-sort-value="0"
(Campaign)
data-sort-value="3,184,943" 3,184,943
(20.8%)
data-sort-value="2" 2
Steve ForbesPublisher and editor-in-chief of Forbes magazine
(1990–)
March 14, 1996Campaigndata-sort-value="1,751,187" 1,751,187
(11.4%)
data-sort-value="2" 2
Lamar AlexanderUnited States Secretary of Education
(1991–1993)

Governor of Tennessee
(1979–1987)
March 9, 1996
(endorsed Dole)
Campaigndata-sort-value="495,590" 495,590
(3.2%)
data-sort-value="0" 0
Morry TaylorPresident of Titan InternationalMarch 9, 19960
Richard LugarUnited States Senator from Indiana
(1977–2013)

Mayor of Indianapolis
(1968–1976)
April 19, 1995March 6, 1996
(endorsed Dole)

Campaign
data-sort-value="127,111" 127,111
(0.8%)
data-sort-value="0" 0
Phil GrammUnited States Senator from Texas
(1985–2002)

United States Representative from Texas
(1979–1985)
February 14, 1996
(endorsed Dole)
Campaign0
Bob DornanUnited States Representative from California
(1977–1983, 1985–1997)

Candidate for United States Senate in 1982
Campaign0
Alan KeyesAssistant Secretary of State for International Organization Affairs
(1985–1987)

Candidate for United States Senate in 1988 and 1992
Campaign0

Withdrew before primary elections

CandidateExperienceHome stateCampaign
announced
Campaign
suspended
data-sort-type="date" Campaign
Arlen SpecterUnited States Senator from Pennsylvania
(1981–2011)

District Attorney of Philadelphia
(1966–1974)
March 31, 1995November 23, 1995
(endorsed Dole)
data-sort-value="0" Campaign
Pete WilsonGovernor of California
(1991–1999)

United States Senator from California
(1983–1991)
Mayor of San Diego
(1971–1983)
California State Representative
(1967–1971)
August 28, 1995September 29, 1995[13] [14] Campaign
Arthur FletcherChair of the United States Commission on Civil Rights(1990–1993)July 9, 1995[15]

Minor candidates

Formed exploratory committee but did not run

Declined to run

Results

Date
Total pledged
delegates
ContestDelegates won and popular voteTotal
Bob DolePat BuchananSteve ForbesLamar AlexanderOthers
January 2920Alaska caucus3
1,569 (17%)
7
2,991 (32%)
6
2,822 (31%)

53 (1%)
4
1,806 (19%)
9,241
February 621Louisiana caucus13
(44%)
8
(46%)
February 1225Iowa caucus7
25,461 (26%)
6
22,578 (23%)
2
9,861 (10%)
4
17,052 (18%)
6
21,810 (21%)
96,762
February 2016New Hampshire primary4
54,738 (26%)
4
56,874 (27%)
2
25,505 (12%)
4
47,148 (22%)
2
24,478 (9%)
208,743
February 2413Delaware primary4
8,909 (27%)
3
6,118 (19%)
5
10,709 (33%)
2
4,375 (13%)

2,662 (12%)
32,773
February 27
(78)
38Arizona primary12
102,980 (30%)
12
95,742 (27%)
14
115,962 (33%)

24,765 (7%)

8,033 (2%)
347,482
20North Dakota primary9
26,832 (42%)
4
11,653 (18%)
4
12,455 (20%)

4,008 (6%)
3
8,786 (13%)
63,734
20South Dakota primary10
30,918 (45%)
7
19,780 (29%)
3
8,831 (13%)

6,037 (9%)

3,604 (4%)
69,170
March 2
(58)
38South Carolina primary18
124,904 (45%)
11
80,824 (29%)
5
35,039 (13%)
4
28,647 (10%)

7,327 (2%)
276,741
20Wyoming caucus10
370 (40%)
5
181 (18%)
5
161 (17%)

66 (7%)

61 (7%)
839
March 320Puerto Rico primary20
233,743 (98%)

844 (0%)

1,078 (0%)

1,273 (0%)

1,604 (0%)
238,541
March 5
(Super Tuesday)
(252)
28Colorado primary14
108,123 (43%)
7
53,376 (21%)
7
51,592 (21%)

24,184 (10%)

10,655 (5%)
247,930
28Connecticut primary17
70,998 (54%)
5
19,664 (15%)
6
26,253 (20%)

6,985 (5%)

6,518 (3%)
130,418
43Georgia primary18
226,732 (41%)
13
162,627 (29%)
6
71,276 (13%)
6
75,855 (14%)

21,916 (3%)
558,406
16Maine primary9
31,147 (46%)
5
16,478 (24%)
3
9,991 (15%)

4,450 (7%)

5,214 (5%)
67,280
34Maryland primary21
135,522 (53%)
8
53,585 (21%)
5
32,207 (13%)

14,061 (6%)

18,871 (6%)
254,246
40Massachusetts primary22
135,946 (48%)
12
71,688 (25%)
6
39,605 (14%)

21,456 (8%)

16,138 (4%)
284,833
34Minnesota caucus17
11,641 (41%)
13
9,353 (33%)
4
2,910 (10%)

1,300 (5%)

2,684 (10%)
27,888
16Rhode Island primary11
9,706 (64%)

387 (3%)

128 (1%)

2,866 (19%)
2
1,971 (4%)
15,058
13Vermont primary5
23,419 (40%)
2
9,730 (17%)
2
9,066 (16%)
1
6,145 (11%)
2
9,757 (15%)
58,117
March 7New York primary
(55%)

(15%)

(30%)
March 9Missouri caucus
(28%)

(36%)

(1%)

(9%)
March 12Florida primary
(57%)

(18%)

(20%)

(1%)

(5%)
Louisiana primary
(48%)

(33%)

(12%)

(2%)

(1%)
Mississippi primary
(60%)

(26%)

(8%)

(2%)

(4%)
Oklahoma primary
(59%)

(22%)

(14%)

(1%)

(2%)
Oregon primary
(51%)

(21%)

(13%)

(7%)

(5%)
Tennessee primary
(51%)

(25%)

(8%)

(11%)

(3%)
Texas primary
(56%)

(21%)

(13%)

(2%)

(6%)
March 19Illinois primary
(65%)

(23%)

(5%)

(1%)

(6%)
Michigan primary
(51%)

(34%)

(5%)

(1%)

(3%)
Ohio primary
(66%)

(22%)

(6%)

(3%)

(3%)
Wisconsin primary
(53%)

(34%)

(6%)

(2%)

(3%)
March 26California primary
(66%)

(18%)

(7%)

(2%)

(7%)
Nevada primary
(52%)

(15%)

(19%)

(2%)

(1%)
Washington primary
(63%)

(21%)

(9%)

(1%)

(5%)
April 23Pennsylvania primary
(64%)

(18%)

(8%)

(11%)
May 7Washington D.C. primary
(75%)

(9%)
Indiana primary
(71%)

(19%)

(10%)
North Carolina primary
(71%)

(13%)

(4%)

(2%)

(5%)
May 14Nebraska primary
(76%)

(10%)

(6%)

(3%)

(3%)
West Virginia primary
(69%)

(16%)

(5%)

(3%)

(7%)
May 21Arkansas primary
(76%)

(23%)
May 28Idaho primary
(66%)

(22%)

(5%)
Kentucky primary
(48%)

(33%)

(13%)

(2%)

(4%)
June 1Virginia caucusUnknown
June 4Alabama primary
(76%)

(16%)

(3%)
Montana primary
(61%)

(24%)

(7%)
New Jersey primary
(82%)

(11%)

(7%)
New Mexico primary
(76%)

(8%)

(6%)

(4%)

(4%)
Total[17] 9,024,742 (58.8%)3,184,943 (20.8%)1,751,187 (11.4%)495,590 (3.2%)856,881 (5.6%)

Nationwide

Convention tally:

Notable endorsements

Bob Dole

Pat Buchanan

Steve Forbes

Lamar Alexander

Phil Gramm

Pete Wilson

Convention and vice presidential 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 Representative 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

External links

Notes and References

  1. News: Merida . Kevin . 1995-02-14 . Gingrich Says He Won't Run For President . 2023-12-07 . Washington Post.
  2. Anchorage Daily News. January 31, 1996. p. 1b
  3. The Advocate [Baton Rouge]. Feb.7, 1996. p. A1
  4. News: Republican Presidential Candidates Forum in Des Moines, Iowa. The American Presidency Project. April 7, 2021.
  5. News: Apple . R.W. . FORBES BEATS DOLE IN DELAWARE VOTE . The New York Times . April 8, 2021 . The New York Times . February 25, 1996.
  6. News: POLITICS: STEVE FORBES;Delaware Backs Him Because He Was There. The New York Times. Apple, R.W.. February 26, 1996. April 7, 2021.
  7. News: Forbes Bounces Back With a Convincing Victory in Arizona. The Los Angeles Times. Sahagun, Louis. February 28, 1996. April 7, 2021.
  8. News: POLITICS: MOVING WEST; Buchanan Steps Into an Arizona Crossfire. The New York Times. Nagourney, Adam. February 23, 1996. April 7, 2021.
  9. News: POLITICS: THE OVERVIEW;Forbes Claims Victory in Arizona Race. The New York Times. Berke, Richard. February 28, 1996. April 7, 2021.
  10. News: POLITICS: CHANGING DIRECTION;DOLE EASILY BEATS BUCHANAN TO WIN IN SOUTH CAROLINA . The New York Times . March 3, 1996 . 2024-01-31 . Berke . Richard L. .
  11. .
  12. http://www.cnn.com/ALLPOLITICS/1996/candidates/republican/withdrawn/forbes.shtml AllPolitics – Steve Forbes
  13. News: September 29, 1995 . Wilson drops out of presidential race . UPI.
  14. News: Ayres . B. Drummond Jr. . September 30, 1995 . WILSON, TRAILING IN VOTERS' POLLS, DROPS 1996 QUEST . New York Times.
  15. News: 9 July 1995 . Civil Rights Official Joins G.O.P. Field for 1996 . The New York Times . 21 Sep 2023.
  16. Web site: AmericaLive . dead . Donald Rumsfeld Biography . . . November 2, 2010. April 17, 2017 . https://web.archive.org/web/20150528031323/http://ireport.cnn.com/docs/DOC-521030 . May 28, 2015.
  17. Web site: US President – R Primaries Race – July 07, 1996 . March 10, 2008 . Our Campaigns.com.
  18. Web site: AZ US President – R Primary Race – Feb 27, 1996 . Our Campaigns . June 17, 2010.
  19. Web site: Senator Hatfield Backs Dole: Column. The American Presidency Project. https://web.archive.org/web/20220815214331/https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/press-release-senator-hatfield-backs-dole . August 15, 2022 .
  20. Web site: DE US President – R Primary Race – Feb 24, 1996 . Our Campaigns . June 17, 2010.
  21. Web site: Candidate – George Corley Wallace . Our Campaigns . June 17, 2010.
  22. Web site: Donor Lookup .
  23. Web site: LA US President – R Primary Race – Mar 12, 1996 . Our Campaigns . June 17, 2010.
  24. "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.
  25. https://web.archive.org/web/20040713093002/http://karenforus.com/
  26. Web site: Why I Support Patrick J. Buchanan for President . Buchanan for President . https://web.archive.org/web/19970214224910/http://www.buchanan.org/psupport.html . February 14, 1997 . dead.