The 1992 Republican Party presidential primaries were the presidential primaries and caucuses of the Republican Party, which took place in all 50 U.S. states and Washington, D.C., between February 18 to June 9, 1992, in which voters selected 2,277 delegates sent to the Republican National Convention, held in Houston, Texas, between August 17 and August 20, 1992. At the convention, Republican delegates nominated George H. W. Bush, the incumbent U.S. president, as the Republican Party's presidential nominee, and Dan Quayle, the incumbent vice president, as his vice presidential running mate.

In the presidential election held November 3, 1992, Bush and Quayle were defeated by Democrat presidential nominee Bill Clinton and Al Gore, his vice presidential running mate.

Primary race overview President George H. W. Bush was challenged for the Republican nomination by Pat Buchanan, a conservative author and commentator. During early counting in the New Hampshire primary, it appeared that the president might actually lose. However, Buchanan faded by the end of the evening, and Bush won the rest of the primaries. Bush's margins in many of the primaries were not as large as expected, and led to the rise of Ross Perot as an independent candidate.

Republican Louisiana State Representative and former Ku Klux Klan leader David Duke also ran in a number of primaries, but he did not receive any delegates. Former Governor Harold Stassen of Minnesota also made a quixotic bid for support in the Minnesota primary, winning enough votes to entitle him to one delegate, but was later denied his single vote by machinations at the Minnesota Republican Party's 1992 state convention.

New Hampshire primary

As Buchanan's candidacy relied heavily on a strong showing in the New Hampshire primary, President Bush made New Hampshire a focal point in his reelection bid. However, New Hampshire still remained a pivotal base for Buchanan's primary campaign.

Because Bush was widely perceived to have broken his "read my lips" pledge, Buchanan found support in the economically battered and conservative state of New Hampshire. Making Bush's tax-hikes a central theme of his campaign, Buchanan enjoyed healthy grass-roots support despite lagging behind the president in pre-primary polling.

Bush countered the threat posed by Buchanan by touring New Hampshire himself. He memorably told an audience at an Exeter town hall: "Message: I care". Some sources claim that this was the result of Bush mistakenly reading a cue card aloud.NG

On primary night, President Bush carried New Hampshire with 53% of the vote. Buchanan finished second with 38% of the vote.

The rest of the race Despite many in the Bush campaign attempting to push Buchanan out of the race, the strong showing made the Buchanan campaign hope for an outpouring of campaign contributions which galvanized the campaign into making efforts to pull out strong showings such as in the Georgia primary.

Despite an impressive showing, Buchanan's campaign never attracted serious opposition to President Bush in most contests. Most of Buchanan's "victories" were larger-than-expected showings that were still considered landslide Bush wins by most of the media. Still, the fact that Buchanan received more than two million votes nationwide presaged trouble for Bush in the general election.

Candidates

Nominee CandidateMost recent office Home StateCampaign Withdrawal date Popular vote Contests won Running mateGeorge H. W. BushPresident of the United States(1989–1993)Texas(Campaign)Secured nomination: May 5, 19929,199,463(72.84%)51Dan Quayle

Other candidates CandidateMost recent office Home StateCampaign Withdrawal date Popular vote Contests wonPat BuchananWhite House Communications Director(1985–1987)Virginia(Campaign)2,899,488(22.96%)N/ADavid DukeMember of the Louisiana House of Representatives(1989–1992)Louisiana (Campaign)119,115(0.94%)N/APat PaulsenComedianCalifornia10,984(0.09%)N/AHarold StassenDirector of the United States Foreign Operations Administration(1953–1955)Minnesota8,099(0.06%)N/AJack FellureFormer Engineer and Perennial CandidateWest Virginia6,296(0.05%)N/A

Campaign finance Candidate Campaign committee Raised Spent $104,974,415.00 $31,802,276.00 $31,711,102.00 $65,898,513.00 $107,637,852.00 $14,933,082.00 $7,232,943.00 $7,206,793.00 $5,351,770.00 $14,591,679.00 $372,146.00 $221,854.00 $221,945.00 $0.00 $457,449.00 $46,748.00 $1,260.00 $1,425.00 $0.00 $47,559.00

Declined Former Governor Pete du Pont of Delaware

Results Source DateTotal pledgeddelegatesContestDelegates won and popular voteTotalGeorge H. W. BushPat BuchananOthersFebruary 100Iowa caucusCancelled.February 1823New Hampshire primary1492,271 (53.2%) 965,106 (37.5%) 3,779 (2.3%)February 1922South Dakota primary1430,964 (69.3%) — 513,707 (30.68%)March 3(131) 37 Colorado primary26132,049 (68.2%) 1158,730 (30.3%) 2,957 (1.53%) 42 Maryland primary42168,898 (69.9%) 72,701 (30.1%) —52Georgia primary52291,905 (64.3%)162,085 (35.7%) — March 7 36 South Carolina primary 3699,558 (66.9%) 38,247 (25.7%) 11,035 (7.41%)March 10(Super Tuesday)(441) 99 Florida primary 67607,522 (68.1%) 32285,074 (31.9%) – 41 Louisiana primary2583,747 (62.0%)1136,526 (27.0%)514,84140 Massachusetts primary28176,868 (65.6%)1274,797 (27.7%)24,18234Mississippi primary25111,794 (72.3%)625,891 (16.7%)417,023 (10.6%)38Oklahoma primary27151,612 (69.6%)1157,933 (26.6%)8,176 (2.6%)16Rhode Island primary119,853 (63.0%)54,967 (31.8%)816 (4.9%)49Tennessee primary38178,216 (72.5%)1154,585 (22.2%)12,849 (5.2%)124Texas primary92556,280 (69.8%)32190,572 (23.9%)50,294 (6.0%)March 17(162)88Illinois primary68556,280 (76.4%)20186,915 (22.5%)9,637 (1.2%)74Michigan primary54301,948 (67.2%)20112,122 (25.0%)35,063 (7.7%)March 2438Connecticut primary2966,356 (66.7%)921,815 (22.0%)11,475 (11.4%)April 520Puerto Rico primary20260,2001,0312,104April 7(205)31Kansas primary21132,131 (62.0%)532,494 (14.8%)49,571 (20.8%)34Minnesota primary2584,841 (63.9%)932,094 (24.2%)15,821 (8.8%)103New York [?]103––37Wisconsin primary30364,507 (75.6%)778,516 (16.3%)39,225 (5.3%)April 2892Pennsylvania primary71774,865 (76.7%)21233,912 (23.2%)—May 5(144)13District of Columbia primary114,265 (81.5%)2970 (18.5%)–20Delaware caucus20——52Indiana primary42374,666 (80.1%)1092,949 (19.9%)—59North Carolina primary46200,387 (70.7%)1355,420 (19.5%)27,764 (9.8%)May 1020Montana primary1465,176 (71.6%)210,701 (11.8%)315,098 (16.6%)May 12(46)27Nebraska primary23156,346 (81.4%)425,847 (13.5%)9,905 (1.5%)19West Virginia primary1699,994 (80.5%)318,067 (14.6%)6,096 (4.9%)May 19(62)25Oregon primary17203,957557,730342,47237Washington primary2586,839 (67.0%)413,273 (10.2%)829,543 (20.8%)May 26(92)31Arkansas primary2745,590 (83.1%)46,551 (11.9%)2,742 (5.0%)23Idaho primary1573,297 (63.5%)315,167 (13.1%)527,038 (23.4%)38Kentucky primary2875,371 (74.5%)—1025,748 (25.5%)June 2(439)41Alabama primary33122,703 (74.3%)12,588 (7.6%)829,830 (18.1%)203California primary1491,587,369 (73.6%)54568,892 (26.4%)—63New Jersey primary53240,535 (77.5%)1046,432 (15.0%)(7.5%)27New Mexico primary1955,522 (63.8%)7,871 (9.1%)823,574 (27.1%)20North Dakota primary1739,863 (83.4%)—37,945 (16.6%)85Ohio primary71716,76614143,687—TotalOur Campaigns - US President - R Primaries Race - Feb 01, 19921,9731,5449,199,463 (72.8%)3672,899,488 (23.0%)62497,650 (4.2%)12,596,601

Nationwide Popular vote result:Our Campaigns - US President - R Primaries Race - Feb 01, 1992 George H. W. Bush (inc.) - 9,199,463 (72.84%) Pat Buchanan - 2,899,488 (22.96%) Unpledged delegates - 287,383 (2.28%) David Duke - 119,115 (0.94%) Ross Perot - 56,136 (0.44%) Pat Paulsen - 10,984 (0.09%) Maurice Horton - 9,637 (0.08%) Harold Stassen - 8,099 (0.06%) Jack Fellure - 6,296 (0.05%)

See also 1992 Democratic Party presidential primaries George H. W. Bush 1992 presidential campaign Supermarket scanner moment David Duke 1992 presidential campaign

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