Former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney , the 2012 GOP presidential nominee , lost the 2012 election to incumbent Democratic president Barack Obama . The Republican National Committee , believing that the long , drawn-out 2012 primary season had politically and personally damaged Romney , drafted plans to condense the 2016 primary season . As part of these plans , the 2016 Republican National Convention was scheduled for the relatively early date of July 18 – 21 , 2016 , the earliest date since Republicans nominated Thomas Dewey in June 1948
2016 Republican National Convention
2016 Republican National Convention
2016 Republican Party presidential primaries