| 1956 presidential election | |
  Nominees Eisenhower and Nixon | |
| Convention | |
|---|---|
| Date(s) | August 20–23, 1956 |
| City | Daly City, California |
| Venue | Cow Palace |
| Candidates | |
| Presidential nominee | Dwight D. Eisenhower ofPennsylvania[1] |
| Vice-presidential nominee | Richard M. Nixon ofCalifornia |
| ‹ 1952 · 1960 › | |
The1956 Republican National Convention was held by theRepublican Party of theUnited States at theCow Palace inSan Francisco,California, from August 20 to August 23, 1956. U.S. SenatorWilliam F. Knowland was temporary chairman and former speaker of the HouseJoseph W. Martin Jr. served as permanent chairman. It renominated PresidentDwight D. Eisenhower and Vice PresidentRichard M. Nixon as the party's candidates for the1956 presidential election.
On August 23, 1956, singerNat King Cole spoke at the Republican Convention.
The 1956 Republican convention was held afterthat year's Democratic National Convention. This was unusual, as since1864, in every election but1888, Democrats had held their convention second.[2] It has become an informal tradition that the party holding the White House (which, accordingly, in 1956 had been the Republican Party) hosts their convention second, but it is unclear when this tradition began (Democrats had held the White House and held their conventions second between1936 and1952, but it is unclear whether they scheduled their conventions second in these years because of their White House incumbency, or whether they scheduled them second because it was traditional that Democratic National Conventions had been held after the Republican National Convention).[2]
President Eisenhower was unanimously re-nominated by the Republican delegates for President of the United States.
| Presidential Balloting | |
| Candidate | 1st |
|---|---|
| Eisenhower | 1,323 |
Presidential Balloting / 3rd Day of Convention (August 22, 1956)
Eisenhower had considered other running mates, but with his health a concern, he ultimately decided that Vice President Richard Nixon was best prepared to assume the presidency. By the time of the convention, a unanimous renomination for Nixon was expected until one renegade delegate, former Democratic Congressman andperennial candidateTerry Carpenter, decided to place in nomination for Vice President a man named Joe Smith, from Carpenter's ownTerrytown, Nebraska.[3] When asked who Joe Smith was at the 1956 convention, Carpenter mysteriously replied, "Oh, he is a symbol of an open convention, in that sense of the word."[4][3] It was eventually revealed that there was no such man, and that his nomination was a protest against the perceived political theater of the closed 1956 Republican National Convention.[5] Carpenter ultimately did cast his one dissenting vote for Vice President for Joe Smith.
| Vice Presidential Balloting | |
|---|---|
| Candidate | 1st |
| Nixon | 1,322 |
| Smith | 1 |
Vice Presidential Balloting / 3rd Day of Convention (August 22, 1956)
At 9:13, Ike, Mamie and Dr. Snyder departed by car for Gettysburg, where the Eisenhowers, as Pennsylvania residents, were obligated to vote.
| Preceded by 1952 Chicago, Illinois | Republican National Conventions | Succeeded by 1960 Chicago, Illinois |
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