2008 Republican Party presidential primaries

2008 Republican Party presidential primaries

January 3 to June 3, 2008

2,173 delegates to the Republican National Convention
1,087 (majority) votes needed to win
 
Candidate John McCain Mike Huckabee
Home state Arizona Arkansas
Delegate count 1,575 278
Contests won 37 8
Popular vote 9,902,797 4,276,046
Percentage 46.7% 20.1%

 
Candidate Mitt Romney Ron Paul
Home state Massachusetts Texas
Delegate count 271 35
Contests won 11 0
Popular vote 4,699,788 1,160,403
Percentage 22.2% 5.6%

First place by popular vote and plurality of delegates

Previous Republican nominee

George W. Bush

Republican nominee

John McCain

From January 3 to June 3, 2008, voters of the Republican Party chose their nominee for president in the 2008 United States presidential election. Senator John McCain of Arizona was selected as the nominee through a series of primary elections and caucuses culminating in the 2008 Republican National Convention held from Monday, September 1, through Thursday, September 4, 2008, in Saint Paul, Minnesota. President George W. Bush was ineligible to be elected to a third term due to the term limits established by the 22nd Amendment.

In a crowded primary of several prominent Republicans eyeing the nomination, former New York City mayor Rudy Giuliani was the early frontrunner. However, former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee won the Iowa Caucuses as he gained momentum just two months prior to the primary. Moderate U.S. Senator and former presidential candidate John McCain won the New Hampshire and Florida primaries. After failing to win in Florida, Giuliani ended his campaign.

McCain ultimately won the nomination after winning most of the primaries on Super Tuesday. He was officially nominated at the 2008 Republican National Convention on September 4, 2008, but went on to lose the general election to Barack Obama.