page_title: 2020 Republican Party presidential primaries
section_title: 2017–18
hierarchical_section_title: 2020 Republican Party presidential primaries / Timeline / 2017–18
caption_attribution_description: English: President Donald Trump at a Rally in Melbourne, Florida.
context_page_description: The 2020 Republican Party presidential primaries and caucuses were a series of electoral contests that took place in many U.S. states, the District of Columbia, and five U.S. territories to elect most of the 2,550 delegates to send to the Republican National Convention. Delegates to the national convention may otherwise be elected by the respective state party organizations. The delegates to the national convention will vote, by ballot, to select the Republican Party's nominee for president of the United States in the 2020 election, where the majority will be bound by the results of their respective state contests on the first ballot. The delegates also approve the party platform and vice-presidential nominee.
  President Donald Trump informally launched his bid for reelection on February 18, 2017. He launched his reelection campaign earlier in his presidency than any of his predecessors did. He was followed by former governor of Massachusetts Bill Weld, who announced his campaign on April 15, 2019, and former Illinois congressman Joe Walsh, who declared his candidacy on August 25, 2019.
context_section_description: February 18, 2017: Donald Trump informally announces his candidacy for a second term and holds the first of a series of occasional reelection campaign rallies in Melbourne, Florida, only one month after assuming office.
  June 23, 2018: Trump delivers remarks at the Nevada Republican Convention in Las Vegas.
  July 18, 2018: Charlotte, North Carolina is chosen as the site for the 2020 Republican National Convention.
  November 7, 2018: Trump confirms that Mike Pence will remain his vice presidential pick.
caption: Incumbent President Donald Trump speaking at his first campaign rally in Melbourne, Florida, on February 18, 2017
exif: {}