Grand Old Parties

The Republican Party has held 36 national conventions since it met in 1856 to nominate explorer and former Sen. John C. Fremont for president. His slogan: “Free soil, free labor, free speech, Fremont.” Some conventions have been models of party unity, as in 1956 when Dwight D. Eisenhower was nominated unanimously on the first ballot. Others have been contentious. In 1912 Theodore Roosevelt lost the nomination and left the party to run on the Progressive ticket. Of the 36 nominees at these conventions, 21 won the presidency. This year will be the sixth time the convention is held in Philadelphia.

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1856

Philadelphia

John C. Fremont

The Republicans are considered a third party, next to the Democrats and Whigs, but Fremont goes on to receive 33% of the vote.

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1860

Chicago

Abraham Lincoln *

California’s eight delegates initially vote for William Seward, but five delegates later shift to Lincoln.

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1864

Baltimore

Abraham Lincoln *

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1868

Chicago

Ulysses S. Grant *

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1872

Philadelphia

Ulysses S. Grant *

A dissident GOP faction forms the Liberal Republican Party and nominates Horace Greeley. The Republican gathering is uneventful, and Grant is renominated on the first ballot.

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1876

Cincinnati

Rutherford B. Hayes *

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1880

Chicago

James A. Garfield *

Garfield is nominated on the 36th ballot, the all-time record number of ballots for the party.

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1884

Chicago

James G. Blaine

Rep. John Roy Lynch of Mississippi is the first African American elected temporary chairman of a national nominating convention.

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1888

Chicago

Benjamin Harrison *

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1892

Minneapolis

Benjamin Harrison

Harrison renominated on first ballot.

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1896

St. Louis

William McKinley *

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1900

Philadelphia

William McKinley *

Of 926 delegates, one is a woman. (There is also one woman among 936 delegates at the Democratic convention.)

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1904

Chicago

Theodore Roosevelt *

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1908

Chicago

William H. Taft *

The first time that delegates are elected by primary method in some states.

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1912

Chicago

William H. Taft

A bitter credentials fight between President William Howard Taft and Theodore Roosevelt includes 72 delegate challenges.

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1916

Chicago

Charles E. Hughes

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1920

Chicago

Warren G. Harding *

For the first time, women attend conventions in significant numbers.

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1924

Cleveland

Calvin Coolidge *

For the first time, convention is broadcast on radio.

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1928

Kansas City, Mo.

Herbert Hoover *

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1932

Chicago

Herbert Hoover

Platform proposal calling for repeal of Prohibition is defeated by a 3-2 margin.

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1936

Cleveland

Alfred M. Landon

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1940

Philadelphia

Wendell L. Willkie

First televised convention.

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1944

Chicago

Thomas E. Dewey

Breaking with tradition, Gov. Dewey of New York becomes the first Republican to accept the nomination in person.

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1948

Philadelphia

Thomas E. Dewey

This is last time it takes the GOP more than one ballot to settle on its nominee. Dewey is chosen on the third roll call.

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1952

Chicago

Dwight D. Eisenhower *

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1956

San Francisco

Dwight D. Eisenhower *

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1960

Chicago

Richard M. Nixon

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1964

San Francisco

Barry Goldwater

For the first time, a woman, Sen. Margaret Chase Smith of Maine, is placed in nomination for president by a major party.

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1968

Miami Beach

Richard M. Nixon *

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1972

Miami Beach

Richard M. Nixon *

Nixon and running mate Spiro Agnew receive near-unanimous nomination.

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1976

Kansas City, Mo.

Gerald Ford

Incumbent President Ford narrowly survives a challenge from former California Gov. Ronald Reagan.

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1980

Detroit

Ronald Reagan *

After efforts to nominate former President Ford as Reagan’s running mate fail, Reagan chooses George Bush.

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1984

Dallas

Ronald Reagan *

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1988

New Orleans

George Bush *

A platform including a constitutional amendment outlawing abortion is approved by near-unanimous vote.

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1992

Houston

George Bush

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1996

San Diego

Bob Dole

Dole vows to restore heartland values to a White House he calls captive to elitists “who never sacrificed, never suffered.”

* Elected president

Sources: Republican National Committee; “National Party Conventions: 1831-1996”; Harry Rubenstein, curator, political history collections, National Museum of American History; Encyclopaedia Britannica; Bruce Newman, DePaul University; AP wire reports.