Governor George Bush has made a triumphant entry here, expressing confidence he will defeat Vice-President Al Gore next November and telling supporters, "If all goes well, you're looking at the next President of the United States."
A daily tracking poll showed Mr Bush getting a five-point "bounce" in the past 24 hours, putting him 13 percentage points ahead of Mr Gore. Other polls have shown Mr Bush's leads ranging from 16 to five percentage points.
The Republican Convention last night formally nominated Mr Bush as the party candidate, following the roll-call vote of the 50 states. He will deliver his acceptance speech tonight.
Delegates, who are whooping it up here, were saddened to hear that former President Gerald Ford (87) had been hospitalised after suffering a stroke. He had been in the convention hall the night before to hear a tribute to himself and other former presidents.
Last night, Mr Bush's running mate, Mr Dick Cheney, addressed the convention and defended his conservative credentials. Mr Cheney was applauded strongly for a speech calling for tax reform, better schools and a stronger military.
Mr Bush, who will not appear at the convention until tonight, flew into a small airport outside Philadelphia after campaigning in key states in recent days.
He was greeted by a band wearing colonial-era costumes and by characters dressed as George Washington, Benjamin Franklin and Thomas Jefferson.
Mr Bush then addressed a rally of Hispanic supporters on the steps of the city's Museum of Modern Art, a setting made famous by a scene in the film, Rocky. The candidate, speaking a few words in Spanish, thanked the crowd for its support.
He said Americans were ready for change. "They don't want four more years of Clinton-Gore," but someone like himself, who will "appeal to their better angels and not their darker spirits."
Mrs Nancy Reagan appeared before the Californian delegation and used a phrase that made her husband famous.
"One last word, one last time, make it one more for the Gipper," she begged, before returning to nurse her husband, who is suffering from Alzheimer's disease.
Last night's session at the convention was called to order by the World Wrestling Federation Champion, "The Rock". This has incensed some conservative family organisations, who object to the raunchy TV presentation of the wrestling programmes.