The 1964 Republican National Convention took place in Cow Palace, San Francisco, California, July 13 - 16 1964.

Before the Convention

The Republican primaries in 1964 had been a battle between Liberal New York Republican Nelson Rockefeller and Arizona Conservative Barry Goldwater, the divorce and remarriage of Rockefeller shortly before the California primary hurt him among the Western Conservatives and made Goldwater the winner of the primary. A stop-Goldwater group tried to put forward the candidacy of Pennsylvania Governor William Scranton but failed, former President Dwight D. Eisenhower reluctantly endorsed Goldwater but the Arizona Senator got an enthusiastic support from former President Herbert Hoover, who died later in 1964. Thus was the Goldwater nomination secured.

The Convention

Goldwater was nominated in the Cow Palace, San Francisco, July 1964 with Conservative New York Representative William E. Miller as running mate. In his acceptance address he among other said that "we brand Communism as a principle disturber of peace in the world today". But more famously (and corrupted by President Johnson) he said that "I would remind you that extremism in the defense of liberty is no vice. And let me remind you also that moderation in the pursuit of justice is no virtue". When Rockefeller tried to make a speech he was booed by the convention delegates which was substanced by Conservatives who deplored Rockefeller as a member of "the eastern liberal establishment", Rockefeller remarked to the delegates it still was a free country. Representative Gerald R. Ford tried to nominate Michigan Governor George W. Romney for the nomination but failed.

Former GOP presidential candidate Richard M. Nixon introduced the Arizonian as "Mr Conservative" and "Mr Republican" and he continued that "he is the man who, after the greatest campaign in history will be Mr President - Barry Goldwater", fortunately for Nixon, Goldwater lost election in a landslide.

The Platform

The 1964 Republican Platform was dominated by Goldwater conservatives, which made the platform dominated by calls for limited government, condemnations of the Kennedy and Johnson foreign and domestic policy, calls for more open space for free enterprise, a hard-line against Communist North Vietnam, calls for reform of the United Nations, a staunch support of NATO, calls for lower taxes and a hard-line against international Communism.

Candidates for the Nomination before or under the Convention

• Richard M. Nixon
• Henry Cabot Lodge
• Nelson Rockefeller
• Margaret Chase Smith (the first woman to be nominated at a National Convention)
• William A. Scranton
• Harold Stassen
• James A. Rhodes
• Frank Beckwith
• John W. Byrnes
• Joseph Ettl
• Robert E. Ennis
• John W. Steffey