Dole first ran for President of the United States in 1980 for the Republican nomination, eventually won by Ronald Reagan. He finished behind Reagan, George H. W. Bush and four others in Iowa and New Hampshire, receiving only 2.5% and 0.4% of votes cast in those contests. Dole ended his campaign after New Hampshire and announced his formal withdrawal from the race on March 15, instead being re-elected to his third term as Senator that year.