PRESIDENT GEORGE H.W. BUSH - TYPED LETTER SIGNED 01/27/1980 - HFSID 172142

GEORGE BUSH
George Bush sends a typed letter of thanks after his victory in the first Republican contest of 1980.
Typed Letter Signed: "George" with postscript: "Thanks so much", 1p, 7¼x10½. Houston, Texas, 1980 January 27. To Julius Klein, Chicago, Illinois. In full: "I have just returned to Houston to find your great wire. I really appreciate your thoughtfulness. Needless to say, Bar and I are tremendously pleased by the results in Iowa. It shows what a lot of hard work by some fantastic people can do. I'm even more convinced now that we're going all the way. Thanks again for your support." In January 1980, with approximately 106,000 people involved, George Bush won 31.6 percent support and Reagan 29.5 percent. His victory was regarded as a springboard for his campaign but there was never a full count of the ballots; a blizzard closed the state down and stopped the process. (Perhaps Reagan should have demanded that all ballots be counted...) It was the first contest among Republicans seeking the 1980 Republican presidential nomination. "Bar" is his wife Barbara. At the Republican National Convention held in Detroit, July 14-17, 1980, Reagan was nominated on the first ballot. Reagan selected Bush as his running-mate on July 17th. The Reagan-Bush ticket defeated Democrats Carter-Mondale in the November 4, 1980 election in a landslide, 489-49 electoral votes and 44 to six states and Washington, D.C. Light soil mark at lower left blank edge. Fine condition.