1968 Republican vice presidential nomination
← 1964 August 8, 1968 (1968-08-08) 1976 →
 
Nominee Spiro Agnew
Home state Maryland
Previous Vice Presidential nominee

William E. Miller

 Vice Presidential nominee

Spiro Agnew

This article lists those who were potential candidates for the Republican nomination for Vice President of the United States in the 1968 election. After winning the Republican presidential nomination at the 1968 Republican National Convention, former Vice President Richard Nixon convened a series of meetings with close advisers and party leaders such as Strom Thurmond in order to choose his running mate.[1] Nixon ultimately asked the convention to nominate Maryland Governor Spiro Agnew as his running mate. By a large margin, Agnew won the vice presidential nomination on the first ballot over Michigan Governor George W. Romney, who was supported by a faction of liberal Republicans.[1] Nixon chose Agnew because he wanted a centrist who was broadly acceptable to the party, had experience with domestic issues, and appealed to Southern voters (to counter the third party candidacy of former Alabama Governor George Wallace).[2] The Nixon–Agnew ticket defeated the Humphrey–Muskie ticket, and also won re-election in 1972, defeating the McGovern–Shriver ticket. However, Agnew was forced to resign as vice president in 1973 due to a controversy regarding his personal taxes.

Despite being his running mate in 1960, Henry Cabot Lodge Jr. was not considered as a potential running mate for Nixon in 1968.

Potential running mates

Finalists

[3]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b Wainstock, Dennis (18 October 2013). Election Year 1968: The Turning Point. Enigman Books. pp. 115–119. ISBN 9781936274413. Retrieved 6 October 2015.
  2. ^ Lippman, Theo (5 April 1998). "How the 1968 riots made Agnew's career". Baltimore Sun. Retrieved 6 October 2015.
  3. ^ Times, Tom Wickerspecial To the New York (1968-08-09). "NIXON SELECTS AGNEW AS HIS RUNNING MATE AND WINS APPROVAL AFTER FIGHT ON FLOOR;; REBELS PUT DOWN Fail in Effort to Have Convention Choose Romney Instead Nixon Selects Agnew for Running Mate; Decision Is Approved After a Floor Fight REBELS PUT DOWN BY A HEAVY VOTE They Fail in Effort to Have the Republican Convention Name Romney Instead". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2022-11-27.
Categories