In the 1964 U.S. presidential election , Senator Barry Goldwater quickly became the likely Republican Party nominee . Goldwater represented a new wave of American conservatism , of which the moderate Romney was not a part . Romney also felt that Goldwater would be a drag on Republicans running in all the other races that year , including Romney 's own ( at the time , Michigan had two-year terms for its governor ) . Finally , Romney disagreed strongly with Goldwater 's views on civil rights ; he would later say , " Whites and Negroes , in my opinion , have '' got '' to learn to know each other . Barry Goldwater did n't have any background to understand this , to fathom them , and I could n't get through to him . " During the June 1964 National Governors ' Conference , 13 of 16 Republican governors present were opposed to Goldwater ; their leaders were Jim Rhodes of Ohio , Nelson Rockefeller of New York ( whose own campaign had just stalled out with a loss to Goldwater in the California primary ) , William Scranton of Pennsylvania , and Romney . In an unusual Sunday press conference , Romney declared , " If Goldwater 's views deviate as indicated from the heritage of our party , I will do everything within my power to keep him from becoming the party 's presidential nominee . " Romney had , however , previously vowed to Michigan voters that he would not run for president in 1964 . Detroit newspapers indicated they would not support him in any such bid , and Romney quickly decided to honor his pledge to stay out of the contest . Scranton entered instead , but Goldwater prevailed decisively at the 1964 Republican National Convention . Romney 's name was entered into nomination as a favorite son by U.S. Representative Gerald Ford of Michigan ( who had not wanted to choose between candidates during the primary campaign ) and he received the votes of 41 delegates in the roll call ( 40 of Michigan 's 48 and one from Kansas )
1964 Republican National Convention
1964 Republican National Convention
George W. Romney