Bush announced his reelection bid in early 1992 ; with a coalition victory in the Persian Gulf War and high approval ratings , Bush 's reelection initially looked likely . Many pundits believed that Democrats were unlikely even to improve on Dukakis 's 1988 showing . As a result , many leading Democrats , including Mario Cuomo , Dick Gephardt , and Al Gore , declined to seek their party 's presidential nomination . However , Bush 's tax increase had angered many conservatives , and he faced a challenge from the right in the 1992 Republican primaries . Conservative political columnist Pat Buchanan rallied the party 's right-wing with attacks on Bush 's flip-flop on taxes and his support for the Civil Rights Act of 1991 . Buchanan shocked observed by finishing a strong second in the New Hampshire Republican presidential primary . Bush fended off Buchanan 's challenge and won his party 's nomination at the 1992 Republican National Convention , but the convention adopted a socially conservative platform strongly influenced by the Christian right
1992 Republican National Convention
1992 Republican National Convention
Presidency of George H. W. Bush