From February 3 to July 13, 1968, voters of the Republican Party chose its nominee for president in the 1968 United States presidential election. Former Vice President Richard Nixon was selected as the nominee through a series of primary elections and caucuses culminating in the 1968 Republican National Convention held from August 5 to August 8, 1968, in Miami Beach, Florida.
Schedule and results 1968 Republican primaries and state conventions
Note: DateContestTotalpledged delegatesDelegates won and popular voteRichard NixonNelson RockefellerRonald ReaganGeorge RomneyFavoriteSonsHarold StassenOthersUncommitted February 3PennsylvaniaState Committee10 (of 64) - - - -10 Del. - - - February 10OklahomaDistrict Conventions12 (of 22)10 Del. -2 Del. - - - - -North CarolinaDistrict Conventions12 (of 26)10 Del. - - - - - -2 Del. February 18North CarolinaDistrict Conventions10 (of 26)5 Del. - - - - - -5 Del. February 24OklahomaState Convention10 (of 22)7 Del. -3 Del. -0 Del. - - - March 2North CarolinaState Convention4 (of 26) - - - - - - -4 Del.Tennessee5th District Convention2 (of 28) - - - -2 Del. - - - March 9Kansas4th District Convention2 (of 20) - - - -2 Del. - - - March 12New HampshirePrimary103,9388 (of 8)8 Del.80,666(77.61%)11,241 (10.82%)362 (0.35%)1,743(1.68%) -429(0.41%)9,497 (9.14%) - March 16Kansas2nd District Convention2 (of 20) - - - -2 Del. - - -Virginia1st District Convention2 (of 24)1 Del. - - - - - -1 Del. March 23Kansas1st District Convention2 (of 20) - - - -2 Del. - - - March 28Tennessee9th District Convention2 (of 28) - - - -2 Del. - - - March 30Kansas5th District Convention2 (of 20) - - - -2 Del. - - -South CarolinaState Convention22 (of 22) - - - -22 Del. - - -Tennessee3rd District Convention2 (of 28) - - - -2 Del. - - - April 2WisconsinPrimary490,73930 (of 30)30 Del.390,368(79.55%)7,995 (1.63%)50,727(10.34%)2,087 (0.43%) -28,531(5.81%)4,268 (0.87%)6,763(1.38%) April 4Tennessee8th District Convention2 (of 28) - - - -2 Del. - - - April 6Kansas3rd District Convention2 (of 20) - - - -2 Del. - - -Tennessee1st District Convention2 (of 28) - - - -2 Del. - - -Virginia2nd and 4thDistrict Conventions4 (of 24)2 Del. - - - - - -2 Del. April 13Tennessee6th District Convention2 (of 28) - - - -2 Del. - - -Virginia5th District Convention2 (of 24)2 Del. - - - - - - - April 15Virginia3rd District Convention2 (of 24)2 Del. - - - - - - - April 16IowaDistrict Conventions14 (of 24)9 Del.5 Del. - - - - - - April 17IowaState Convention10 (of 26)7 Del. - - - - - -3 Del. April 19KentuckyDistrict Conventions14 (of 24) - - - - - - -14 Del. April 20KentuckyState Convention10 (of 24) - - - - - - -10 Del.Minnesota6th District Convention2 (of 26)2 Del. - - - - - - -Virginia8th District Convention2 (of 24)2 Del. - - - - - - - April 23PennsylvaniaPres. Primary288,3840 (of 64)171,815 (59.58%)52,915 (18.35%)8,636 (3.00%) - - -55,018 (19.08%)6,763(1.38%)PennsylvaniaDel. Primary54 (of 64) - - - -54 Del. - - - April 26Tennessee7th District Convention2 (of 28) - - - -2 Del. - - -Virginia10th District Convention2 (of 24)1 Del.1 Del. - - - - - - April 27ArizonaState Convention16 (of 16)13 Del. - - - - - -3 Del.KansasState Convention10 (of 20) - - - -10 Del. - - -MichiganState Convention48 (of 48) - - -48 Del. - - - -Minnesota3rd, 5th and 7thDistrict Conventions6 (of 26)4 Del.2 Del. - - - - - -NevadaState Convention12 (of 12)8 Del.2 Del. - - - - -2 Del.Tennessee2nd and 4thDistrict Conventions4 (of 28) - - - -4 Del. - - -Virginia7th District Convention2 (of 24)2 Del. - - - - - - - April 30DelawareState Convention12 (of 12)7 Del.5 Del. - - - - - -MassachusettsPrimary106,52134 (of 34)27,447 (25.77%)34 Del.31,964 (30.01%)1,770 (1.66%)49 (0.05%)31,465(29.54%) -13,826 (12.98%) - May 4Minnesota1st and 4thDistrict Conventions4 (of 26)4 Del. - - - - - - -VirginiaState Convention4 (of 24)4 Del. - - - - - - - May 5GeorgiaState Convention30 (of 30)23 Del.1 Del.6 Del. - - - - - May 7IndianaPrimary508,36226 (of 26)26 Del.508,362(100.00%) - - - - - - -OhioPres. Primary614,4920 (of 58) - - - -614,492(100.00%) - - -OhioDel. Primary508,36258 (of 58)2 Del. - - -55 Del.1 Del. - -Washington, D.C.Primary13,4309 (of 9)9 Del.12,102(90.11%)1,328(9.89%) - - - - - May 11HawaiiState Convention14 (of 14) - - - -14 Del. - - -MaineState Convention12 (of 12)4 Del.6 Del. - - - - -4 Del.Minnesota2nd and 8thDistrict Conventions4 (of 26)4 Del. - - - - - - -WyomingState Convention12 (of 12)10 Del. - - - - - -2 Del. May 12AlaskaState Convention12 (of 12) - - - -12 Del. - - - May 14NebraskaPres. Primary200,7070 (of 10)140,336(69.92%)10,225 (5.09%)42,703(21.28%)40 (0.02%) -2,638(1.31%)4,765 (2.37%) -NebraskaDel. Primary16 (of 16)15 Del. - - - - - -1 Del.West VirginiaDel. Primary14 (of 14)7 Del.1 Del. - - - - -6 Del. May 15Missouri3rd District Convention2 (of 24)2 Del. - - - - - - -Rhode IslandState Convention14 (of 14) -14 Del. - - - - - - May 17Missouri6th District Convention2 (of 24)2 Del. - - - - - - - May 18Missouri2nd District Convention2 (of 24)1 Del. - - - - - -1 Del.VermontState Convention12 (of 12)9 Del.2 Del. - - - - -1 Del. May 22Louisiana8th District Convention2 (of 26)2 Del. - - - - - - -Missouri1st District Convention2 (of 24)2 Del. - - - - - - - May 23Louisiana5th District Convention2 (of 26) - -2 Del. - - - - - May 25Colorado1st District Convention2 (of 18)1 Del. -1 Del. - - - - -Louisiana4th and 6thDistrict Conventions4 (of 26)4 Del. - - - - - - -Missouri4th, 9th and 10thDistrict Convention6 (of 24)6 Del. - - - - - - -TennesseeState Convention10 (of 28)10 Del. - - - - - - - May 26Louisiana3rd District Convention2 (of 26) - -2 Del. - - - - - May 28FloridaPrimary51,50936 (of 36) - - - - - - -36 Del.51,509(100.00%)Louisiana7th District Convention2 (of 26) - - - - - - -2 Del.Missouri5thDistrict Convention2 (of 24)2 Del. - - - - - - -OregonPrimary312,15918 (of 18)18 Del.203,037(65.04%)36,305 (11.63%)63,707(20.41%) - - -9,110 (2.92%) - May 30Louisiana1st and 2ndDistrict Conventions4 (of 26)4 Del. - - - - - - - June 1MississippiState Convention20 (of 20)7 Del. -2 Del. - - - -11 Del. June 4CaliforniaPrimary1,525,09186 (of 86) - -86 Del.1,525,091(100.00%) - - - - -Colorado2nd District Convention2 (of 18)2 Del. - - - - - - -New JerseyPres. Primary88,5920 (of 40)71,809 (81.06%)11,530 (13.02%)2,737 (3.09%) - - -2,516 (2.84%) -New JerseyDel. Primary40 (of 40) - - - -40 Del. - - -South DakotaPrimary68,11314 (of 14)14 Del.68,113(100.00%) - - - - - - - June 7Colorado3rd and 4thDistrict Convention4 (of 18)4 Del. - - - - - - -Missouri8thDistrict Convention2 (of 24)2 Del. - - - - - - - June 8ColoradoState Convention10 (of 18)8 Del. - - - - - -2 Del.Missouri7thDistrict Convention2 (of 24)2 Del. - - - - - - - June 11IllinoisPres. Primary22,4030 (of 58)17,490 (78.07%)2,165 (9.66%)1,601 (7.15%)16 (0.07%) - -1,131 (5.05%) -IllinoisDel. Primary48 (of 58)40 Del. - - - - - -8 Del.TexasState Convention56 (of 56) - - - -56 Del. - - - June 14MinnesotaState Convention4 (of 26)3 Del.7 Del. - - - - - -North DakotaState Convention8 (of 8)6 Del. - - - - - -2 Del. June 15ConnecticutState Convention16 (of 16)3 Del.13 Del. - - - - - -IdahoState Convention14 (of 14)8 Del. -6 Del. - - - - - June 18New YorkDel. Primary82 (of 82)4 Del.78 Del. - - - - - - June 22LouisianaState Convention20 (of 30)7 Del. -2 Del. - - - -1 Del.MarylandState Convention26 (of 26) - - - -26 Del. - - -MontanaState Convention14 (of 14)13 Del. -1 Del. - - - - -New MexicoState Convention12 (of 12)6 Del. -3 Del. - - - -5 Del.WashingtonState Convention24 (of 24)23 Del. - - - - - -1 Del. June 28AlabamaDistrict Conventions16 (of 26)7 Del. -2 Del. - - - -7 Del. June 29AlabamaState Convention10 (of 26) - - - - - - -10 Del.ArkansasState Convention18 (of 18) - - - -18 Del. - - -IllinoisState Convention10 (of 58)8 Del. - - - - - -2 Del.MissouriState Convention4 (of 24)1 Del. - - - - - -3 Del.Virginia6th and 9thDistrict Conventions4 (of 24)4 Del. - - - - - - - July 13UtahState Convention8 (of 8)3 Del. -5 Del. - - - - - 1,333 delegates 475 174 123 48 345 1 0 151Suspected delegate countAugust 4, 1968 619(46.44%) 267(20.03%) 192(14.40%) 48(3.60%) 157(11.78%) - - 50(3.75%)
Candidates The following political leaders were candidates for the 1968 Republican presidential nomination:
Nominee CandidateMost recent officeHome stateCampaign Withdrawal datePopular voteContests won Running mateRichard NixonVice President of the United States(1953–1961)] California(Campaign)Secured nomination: August 8, 19681,679,443(37.5%)10 Spiro Agnew
Other major candidates These candidates participated in multiple state primaries or were included in multiple major national polls.
CandidateMost recent officeHome stateCampaign Withdrawal dateNelson RockefellerGovernorof New York(1959–1973)New York(Campaign)Ronald ReaganGovernorof California(1967–1975)California(Campaign)Accepted draft: August 5, 1968George W. RomneyGovernorof Michigan(1963–1969)Michigan(Campaign)Announced: Nov. 18, 1967Withdrew: February 28, 1968Harold StassenDirectorof the Foreign Operations Administration(1953–1955)Pennsylvania(Campaign)
Favorite sons The following candidates ran only in their home state's primary, caucus, or convention. They ran for the purpose of controlling their state's respective delegate slate at the national convention and did not appear to be considered national candidates by the media. The media referred to them as "favorite son" candidates.
Declined to run The following persons were listed in two or more major national polls or were the subject of media speculation surrounding their potential candidacy, but declined to actively seek the nomination.
Polling National polling
Before November 1966 Poll sourcePublication GallupJan. 10, 1965–18%15%27%–14%6%8%9%3%GallupMarch 24, 1965–16%11%36%–14%4%8%8%3%GallupJune 27, 19657%14%13%25%3%11%6%7%11%3%GallupSep. 26, 19655%12%9%28%2%15%7%8%9%8%GallupOct. 19656%11%12%26%3%15%7%7%6%7%GallupDec. 5, 19655%12%13%34%1%11%4%5%10%5%GallupFeb. 6, 19665%15%11%33%3%10%5%5%11%2%GallupApril 10, 19667%12%13%27%4%14%5%6%3%9%GallupApril 1966––––11%34%–17%18%20%GallupJuly 10, 1966––––17%38%–20%11%14%
After November 1966 Poll sourcePublication GallupNov. 25, 196631%–8%39%5%11%7%GallupFeb. 12, 196739%6%7%28%11%5%4%GallupMarch 19, 196739%4%8%30%9%6%4%GallupMay 21, 196743%6%7%28%7%5%4%GallupJuly 12, 196739%7%11%25%10%4%4%GallupAug. 23, 196733%6%15%26%12%5%3%GallupAug. 22–26, 196735%6%11%24%14%4%6%GallupSep. 15–19, 196740%9%16%14%17%2%2%GallupNov. 19, 196742%5%13%14%15%6%5%GallupJan 196842%5%8%12%27%4%2%GallupFeb. 21, 196851%3%8%7%25%5%1%GallupJuly 28, 196860%2%7%–23%6%
Head-to-head polling Nixon v. Romney Poll sourceDate(s) GallupNov. 25, 196555%38%7%GallupJuly 10, 196655%40%5%GallupNov. 196765%31%4%GallupJan. 31, 196868%26%6%
Statewide polling New Hampshire Poll sourcePublication Roper Research AssociatesMarch 4, 196865%9%13%13%
Primary race Nixon was the front-runner for the Republican nomination and to a great extent the story of the Republican primary campaign and nomination is the story of one Nixon opponent after another entering the race and then dropping out.
Nixon's first challenger was Michigan Governor George W. Romney. Romney's grandfather, a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, had emigrated to Mexico in 1886 with his three wives and their children, after the U.S. federal government outlawed polygamy. However Romney's parents (monogamous under new church doctrine) retained their U.S. citizenship and returned to the United States with him and his siblings in 1912. Questions were occasionally asked about Romney's eligibility to hold the office of President due to his birth in Mexico, given an asserted ambiguity in the United States Constitution over the phrase "natural-born citizen". By February 1967, some newspapers were questioning Romney's eligibility given his Mexican birth.