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A look at past Republican National Conventions From 1940’s controversial nomination of Wendell Willkie and 1952’s bitter feud between Dwight Eisenhower and Robert A. Taft to Alf Landon’s ill-fated acceptance in 1936 and Ronald Reagan’s plea for unity in 1968, here’s a glimpse at some of the most consequential and memorable Republican National Conventions.
This drawing depicts the scene outside of Philadelphia’s Musical Fund Hall, where the Republican Party held its first convention on June 17, 1856. The Republican Party nominated Gen. John Fremont, a Mexican War veteran. James Buchanan, the Democratic candidate, later won in the general election.
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Bettman Archive via AP
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William Howard Taft was nominated for reelection at the 1912 Republican National Convention, held at the Chicago Coliseum in Chicago from June 18 to June 22.
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AP
The 1924 Republican National Convention was held at the Public Auditorium in Cleveland from June 10 to June 12. Calvin Coolidge, the incumbent, was nominated for reelection, which he won.
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AP
August 21, 1972
Alf Landon, the Republican candidate for president in 1936 — he lost, spectacularly, to incumbent Franklin D. Roosevelt — acknowledges the ovation given him when he was introduced to the 1972 Republican National Convention in Miami Beach. Incumbent Richard M. Nixon was nominated for reelection, which he later won.
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AP
June 11, 1936
The Alf Landon for President parade passed through Cleveland’s downtown streets to the Public Auditorium where the 1936 Republican National Convention was held. Landon lost in the general election to incumbent Franklin D. Roosevelt — leading to the second of FDR’s four terms — winning only Maine and Vermont.
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AP
June 26, 1940
A demonstration broke out after Wendell Willkie became the Republican Party’s nominee for the presidency at the 1940 convention in Philadelphia. As the battle between people in favor of and in opposition to Willkie erupted, the New York delegation, as is evident in this photograph, tried to take the New York banner into the parade, while proponents of Thomas E. Dewey’s candidacy for the Republican nomination tried to keep it out.
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AP
June 23, 1948
Delegates with posters and state signs crowd the center aisle of Philadelphia’s Convention Hall during a demonstration for Thomas E. Dewey after his name was placed in nomination during the 1948 Republican National Convention. Dewey received the nomination — his second, after also being on the top of the Republican ticket in 1944. The incumbent president, Harry S. Truman, was reelected in the general election.
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AP
June 5, 1952
Gen. Dwight Eisenhower stands on the porch of a house across from the hotel in Abilene, Kan., to greet members of the 1952 Republican National Convention. Eisenhower received the nomination after a bitter contest with Ohio Senator Robert A Taft. Richard M. Nixon was nominated to be his running mate.
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AP
July 7, 1952
Gen. Douglas MacArthur gives the keynote address for the 1952 Republican National Convention at the Chicago Amphitheater in Chicago.
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AP
July 11, 1952
Senator Richard M. Nixon of California arrives at the Republican National Convention in Chicago to be selected as the Republican vice presidential candidate.
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AP
July 26, 1960
President Eisenhower squints and waves as confetti fills the air and covers his car he rides in a motorcade through downtown Chicago. Huge crowds turned out to see the president upon his arrival at the 1960 Republican National Convention, where then-Vice President Richard M. Nixon received the presidential nomination.
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AP
July 26, 1960
President Eisenhower leans forward for a closer look at a gold bracelet presented to the first lady Mamie Eisenhower at the 1960 Republican National Convention in Chicago.
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AP
July 28, 1960
Then-Vice President Richard M. Nixon appears before the 1960 Republican National Convention in Chicago to accept the presidential nomination.
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AP
Aug. 6, 1968
Yes, You're seeing double — a deliberately double-exposed film produced this composite view of Barry Goldwater as the 1964 Republican presidential candidate addressed the 1968 Republican National Convention in Miami Beach, when Richard M. Nixon again received the presidential nomination — and this time won the general election, as well.
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AP
Aug. 8, 1968
Volunteer workers for then-Gov. Ronald Reagan of California give him a cheer and wave placards as he and his wife, Nancy, arrive at their Miami Beach hotel. Reagan appeared before the 1968 Republican National Convention to move that the choice of Richard M. Nixon as the party’s presidential candidate be made unanimous. Reagan had sought the nomination for himself, but Nixon got it on the first ballot.
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AP
Aug. 8, 1968
Republican presidential candidate Richard Nixon, waving right, and his running mate Spiro Agnew react to cheers from the podium during the 1968 Republican National Convention at the Miami Beach Convention Center.
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AP
Aug. 22, 1972
Then-Gov. Ronald Reagan of California, temporary chairman of the Republican National Convention, turns the gavel over to the permanent chairman, Rep. Gerald R. Ford, of Michigan, at the session in Miami Beach. Richard M. Nixon was nominated for reelection, which he later won in the general election.
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AP
Aug. 15, 1976
Senator Robert Dole of Kansas looks over Kemper Arena in Kansas City, Mo. Dole was temporary chairman of the 1976 National Republican Convention, in which incumbent Gerald Ford was nominated for reelection after a fierce battle with then-Gov. Ronald Reagan of California. Jimmy Carter later won the presidency in the general election.
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AP
July 17, 1980
Republican presidential candidate Ronald Reagan and his running mate, George H.W. Bush, stand at the podium of the Joe Louis Arena in Detroit, as the final curtain draws near on the 1980 Republican National Convention. Nancy Reagan, left, stands beside her husband, as does Barbara Bush, right.
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AP
Aug. 18, 1988
Republican presidential candidate Vice President George H.W. Bush , right,and his running mate Sen. Dan Quayle (R-Ind.), wave to the assembly of the Republican National Convention in New Orleans after delivering their acceptance speeches for the presidential and vice presidential nomination.
J. Scott Applewhite
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AP
August 17, 1992
Former president Ronald Reagan laughs as his wife, Nancy, holds up a T-shirt she was given after Reagan’s speech to the Republican National Convention in Houston’s Astrodome. Reagan said he would stand by George Bush “warmly, genuinely and wholeheartedly” through his reelection campaign, which he lost to Democratic candidate Bill Clinton.
Joe Marquette
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AP
August 19, 1992
Arnold Schwarzenegger, still a decade away from his election as governor of California, stands with the California delegation during the Republican National Convention at the Houston Astrodome.
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AP
Aug. 15, 1996
Bob Dole and his wife, Elizabeth, wave from the podium on the floor of the Republican National Convention in San Diego, where Dole accepted the Republican presidential nomination.
J. Scott Applewhite
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AP
Aug. 1, 2000
From left, former first lady Betty Ford; former president Gerald Ford; former first lady Barbara Bush; former president George Bush; and former first lady Nancy Reagan applaud during the 2000 Republican National Convention in the First Union Center in Philadelphia, in which then-Gov. George W. Bush of Texas received the GOP nomination.
Ron Edmonds
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AP
Aug. 3, 2000
Actress Bo Derek leaves the stage after introducing California State Assemblyman Abel Maldonado at the 2000 Republican National Convention in Philadelphia.
Ed Reinke
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AP
Aug. 3, 2000
George P. Bush, nephew of then-Republican presidential candidate George W. Bush, gestures as he speaks at the 2000 Republican National Convention in the First Union Center in Philadelphia.
Ron Edmonds
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AP
Aug 3. 2000
Republican presidential candidate George W. Bush is joined on the stage by his wife, Laura, left, his running mate, Dick Cheney, and Cheney’s wife, Lynne, at the conclusion of the Republican National Convention in Philadelphia.
Amy Sancetta
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AP
Sept.1, 2004
Democratic Sen. Zell Miller of Georgia gives the keynote address at the 2004 Republican National Convention in New York.
Gregory Bull
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AP
Aug. 29, 2004
Demonstrators carrying flag-draped coffins walk among tens of thousands of anti-Bush protesters during a march up Seventh Avenue the day before the start of the 2004 Republican National Convention in New York.
Emile Wamsteker
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Bloomberg News
Aug. 30, 2004
Former New York mayor Rudy Giuliani speaks at the evening session of the 2004 Republican National Convention at Madison Square Garden in New York.
Gary Hershorn
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Reuters
Sept. 2, 2008
Sen. Joseph Lieberman (I-Conn.) speaks during the Republican National Convention in St. Paul, Minn., in which Sen. John McCain (Ariz.) received the Republican presidential nomination and Gov. Sarah Palin of Alaska received the vice presidential nomination.
Charles Rex Arbogast
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AP
Sept. 3, 2008
Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin is joined by Republican presidential candidate John McCain and her daughter Piper at the end of her speech at the Republican National Convention in St. Paul, Minn. The former governor later confirmed in her 2009 book “Going Rogue,” that there was substantial tension between her advisers and McCain’s.
Charlie Neibergall
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AP
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