First lady Betty Ford, at left, stands surrounded by signs supporting President Gerald Ford and candidate Ronald Reagan at the nominating session of the GOP convention on Aug. 18, 1976, in Kansas City. Son Jack and daughter Susan stand with their mother. Associated Press …  A general view of the Republican National Convention at the Chicago Coliseum in Chicago in 1912. President William Howard Taft received the Republican nomination after a battle with Theodore Roosevelt but lost the general election to the Democratic candidate, Woodrow Wilson. Associated Press …  Moments before a night session of the Republican National Convention in Chicago on July 8, 1952, the seats of New York delegates were covered with “Ike” straw hats. Although not a straw vote, as one observer joked, Dwight D. Eisenhower was nominated at the convention and went on to defeat Adlai Stevenson for the presidency. Associated Press …  President Richard M. Nixon, left, and Vice President Spiro T. Agnew, on Aug. 23, 1972 at the Republican National Convention in Miami Beach, Fla., where they were nominated for second terms. Associated Press …  Mr. Nixon the day before at a youth rally in Marine Stadium in Miami, Fla., flanked by Pam Powell, head of Young Voters for the President, and Sammy Davis Jr., the rally master of ceremonies. Associated Press …  Shopping bags with kits for delegates are piled high at Ford campaign headquarters in Union Station in Kansas City on Aug. 10, 1976. John Filo/Associated Press …  Mr. Reagan kisses wife Nancy at a Dallas hotel as Barbara Bush watches on August 22, 1984, after the Republican National Convention voted to nominate him for a second term in office. J. Scott Applewhite/Associated Press …  From left, Ed Rollins, Mr. Reagan's campaign director; Lee Atwater, deputy campaign director; and Lyn Nofziger, a Republican Party consultant, smoke cigars and applaud during the final session of the Republican National Convention in Dallas on Aug. 23, 1984. Ed Kolenovsky/Associated Press …  Presidential candidate Vice President George H.W. Bush, right, and his running mate, Indiana Sen. Dan Quayle, wave to the assembly of the Republican National Convention in New Orleans after their acceptance speeches for the presidential and vice-presidential nominations Aug. 18, 1988. J. Scott Applewhite/Associated Press …  President George W. Bush accepts the party nomination at the Republican National Convention on Sept. 2, 2004, in New York. Paul Sancya/Associated Press …  John McCain, Republican presidential nominee, and his running mate, Sarah Palin, acknowledge the audience at the end of the Republican National Convention on Sept. 4, 2008, at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul, Minn. EMMANUEL DUNAND/Agence France-Presse/Getty Images …  Actor Clint Eastwood addresses an empty chair and questions it as if it is President Barack Obama as he endorses Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney during the final session of the Republican National Convention on Aug. 30, 2012, in Tampa, Fla. Eric Thayer/Reuters …  Mr. Romney arrives to formally accept the presidential nomination during the final session of the Republican National Convention on Aug. 30, 2012. Joe Skipper/Reuters …
Republicans gather this week in Cleveland to decide on their presidential candidate and party leader. Here’s a look at past GOP conventions.