1980 Republican National Convention

1980 Republican National Convention
1980 presidential election
Nominees
Reagan and Bush
Convention
Date(s)July 14–17, 1980
CityDetroit, Michigan
VenueJoe Louis Arena
Keynote speakerGuy Vander Jagt
Candidates
Presidential nomineeRonald Reagan of California
Vice-presidential nomineeGeorge H. W. Bush of Texas
Voting
Total delegates1,990
Votes needed for nomination996
Results (president)Reagan (CA): 1,939 (97.44%)
Anderson (IL): 37 (1.86%)
Bush (TX): 13 (0.65%)
Armstrong (TX): 1 (0.05%)
Results (vice president)Bush (TX): 1,832 (93.33%)
Helms (NC): 54 (2.75%)
Kemp (NY): 42 (2.14%)
Crane (IL): 23 (1.17%)
Thompson (IL): 5 (0.26%)
‹ 1976 · 1984 ›
Ronald Reagan giving his Acceptance Speech

The 1980 Republican National Convention convened at Joe Louis Arena in Detroit, Michigan, from July 14 to July 17, 1980. The Republican National Convention nominated retired Hollywood actor and former Governor Ronald Reagan of California for president and former Representative George H. W. Bush of Texas for vice president.[1]

Reagan, running on the theme "Let's Make America Great Again," stayed at the Detroit Plaza Hotel in the Renaissance Center, at the time the world's tallest hotel, and delivered his acceptance speech at Joe Louis Arena.[2] It remains the only major party national political convention to have been held in Detroit.

In addition to Reagan, Bush and keynote speaker Guy Vander Jagt; other notable speakers included former Treasury Secretary William E. Simon; former Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld and former President Gerald Ford (the convention's opening night coincided with Ford's 67th birthday, and following his speech Ford was presented with a check to help fund the Gerald Ford Presidential Library); former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger; Arizona Senator and 1964 Republican presidential nominee Barry Goldwater (introduced by his son, California Congressman Barry Goldwater Jr.); New York Congressman Jack Kemp; National Association for the Advancement of Colored People executive director Benjamin Hooks; Kansas Senator Nancy Kassebaum (introduced by a film by her father, 1936 Republican presidential nominee Alf Landon); former Texas Governor John Connally and former Ambassador to the United Kingdom Anne Armstrong.

  1. ^ "It's Reagan plus Bush". New Straits Times. 18 July 1980. Retrieved 16 January 2014.
  2. ^ "Address Accepting the Presidential Nomination at the Republican National Convention in Detroit". Presidency.ucb.edu. Archived from the original on 16 January 2014. Retrieved 16 January 2014.