1980's Government and Politics | National Politics: Republican Nomination Race 1980

Reagan Emerges Early.

Former California governor Ronald Reagan quickly became the front-runner in a crowded pack of Republican presidential hopefuls that also included Sen. Howard H. Baker Jr. of Tennessee, former UN ambassador and CIA head George Bush of Texas, Congressman John B. Anderson of Illinois, former Texas governor John B. Connally, and Sen. Robert J. Dole of Kansas. After beating Reagan by 33,530 to 31,348 votes in the Iowa precinct caucuses on 21 January 1980, Bush claimed to have the "Big Mo" (momentum) in his favor, but his campaign stalled in New Hampshire. He hurt his image when he supported the Nashua Telegraph plan to limit the debate it sponsored to the two front-runners, believing quite rightly that it was not to his advantage to split his targets and appear to be at odds with other moderates. Also realizing the problems such a debate would cause Bush, Reagan invited the others to join in the debate,...