1972 - National Convention of the Republican Party of the United States was held from August 21 to August 23, 1972 at the Miami Beach Convention Center in Miami Beach, Florida. It nominated the incumbents Richard M. Nixon of California for President and Spiro T. Agnew of Maryland for Vice President. The convention was chaired by then-U.S. House Minority Leader and future Nixon successor Gerald Ford of Michigan. The convention was targeted for widespread protests, particularly against the Vietnam War, and the Nixon administration made efforts to suppress it. The U.S. Justice Department indicted Scott Camil, John Kniffen, Alton Foss, Donald Perdue, William Patterson, Stan Michelsen, Peter Mahoney and John Briggs—collectively known as the Gainesville Eight—on charges of conspiracy to disrupt the Convention. All but Briggs (also known as Peavey John) were Vietnam Veterans. All were exonerated. The 2012 Republican National Convention held in Tampa was the first time Florida had hosted a national convention since 1972.