Former governor Ronald Reagan of California was the odds-on favorite to win his party 's nomination for president after nearly beating incumbent President Gerald Ford just four years earlier . Reagan dominated the primaries , early driving from the field Senate Minority Leader Howard Baker from Tennessee , former governor John Connally of Texas , Senator Robert Dole from Kansas , Representative Phil Crane from Illinois , and Representative John Anderson from Illinois , who dropped out of the race to run as an Independent . George Bush from Texas posed the strongest challenge to Reagan with his victories in the Pennsylvania and Michigan primaries , but it was not enough to turn the tide . Reagan won the nomination on the first round at the 1980 Republican National Convention in Detroit , Michigan , in July , then chose George H. W. Bush , his top rival , as his running mate
1980 Republican National Convention
1980 Republican National Convention
1980 United States presidential election