1988 United States presidential election
The 1988 United States presidential election happened on November 8, 1988. George H. W. Bush, the Republican candidate and Vice President of the United States, won the election. He defeated the Democratic candidate, Governor Michael Dukakis of Massachusetts.
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538 members of the Electoral College 270 electoral votes needed to win | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Turnout | 50.2%[1]  3.1 pp | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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  Presidential election results map. Red denotes states won by Bush/Quayle and blue denotes those won by Dukakis/Bentsen. Light blue is the electoral vote for Bentsen/Dukakis by a West Virginia faithless elector. Numbers indicate electoral votes cast by each state and the District of Columbia. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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This presidential election was the first since 1948, as well as the most recent one to date, in which a political party won a third presidential election in a row. This also remains the most recent in which a candidate won over 400 electoral votes. Since the 1988 election, no candidate has managed to equal or surpass Bush's number of electoral votes won or popular vote percentage.
Bush ran an aggressive campaign taking advantage of a good economy, a stable international stage, and President Ronald Reagan's popularity. Meanwhile, Dukakis's campaign suffered from several miscues, including failure to defend from Bush's attacks. This allowed Bush to win with a substantial margin of the popular vote; while winning the Electoral College by a landslide.
Bush won the election by 426 electoral votes. Governor of Massachusetts Michael Dukakis got 111 electoral votes. Lloyd Bentsen got 1 electoral vote by a West Virginia faithless elector.
Candidates
Democratic Party
Democratic candidates:
- Michael Dukakis, governor of Massachusetts[3]
- Jesse Jackson, reverend and civil rights leader from South Carolina[4]
- Al Gore, U.S. senator from Tennessee[5]
- Dick Gephardt, U.S. representative from Missouri[6]
- Paul Simon, U.S. senator from Illinois[7]
- Gary Hart, former U.S. senator from Colorado[8]
- Bruce Babbitt, former governor of Arizona[9]
- Joe Biden, U.S. senator from Delaware[10]
- Lyndon LaRouche, activist from Virginia[11]
- David Duke, activist from Louisiana[12]
- James Traficant, U.S. representative from Ohio[13]
- Douglas Applegate, U.S. representative from Ohio[14]
- Andy Martin, perennial candidate from Connecticut[15]
Candidates Gallery
Vice President George H. W. Bush of Texas
Representative Jack Kemp of New York
Former Secretary of State Alexander Haig of Virginia
Former Senator Paul Laxalt of Nevada
Former Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld of Illinois
Former Governor Harold E. Stassen of Minnesota
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Republican Party
Republican candidates:
- George H. W. Bush, Vice President of the United States from Texas[16]
- Bob Dole, U.S. senator from Kansas[17]
- Pat Robertson, televangelist from Virginia[18]
- Jack Kemp, U.S. representative from New York[19]
- Pete du Pont, Governor of Delaware[20]
- Alexander Haig, former Secretary of State from Pennsylvania[21]
- Ben Fernandez, former Special Ambassador to Paraguay from California[22]
- Paul Laxalt, former Senator from Nevada[23]
- Donald Rumsfeld, former Secretary of Defense from Illinois[24]
- Harold E. Stassen, former Governor of Minnesota[25]
- Isabell Masters, perennial candidate from Kansas[26]
1988 United States Presidential Election Media
Republican Party (United States)
George H. W. Bush's presidential portrait
Department of Defense portrait of Vice President Dan Quayle
Bush Quayle 1988 campaign logo
Democratic Party (United States)
Democratic Texas senator Lloyd Bentsen, who shared an unsuccessful presidential campaign with Michael Dukakis, running as the latter's vice president.
Michael Dukakis presidential campaign, 1988
Portrait of presidential candidate Jesse Jackson
Official portrait of Tennessee Senator Al Gore. Cropped 4x5
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References
- ↑ "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved October 21, 2012.
- ↑ A faithless Democratic elector voted for Bentsen for president and Dukakis for vice president
- ↑ "Dukakis announces bid for presidential nomination". The Milwaukee Sentinel. April 30, 1987. https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=rI5QAAAAIBAJ&sjid=hxIEAAAAIBAJ&pg=4542,7945718&dq=dukakis+announces&hl=en. Retrieved February 16, 2013.
- ↑ Mattiace, Peter (September 8, 1987). "Jesse Jackson announces plan to seek nomination". Gettysburg Times. https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=LMElAAAAIBAJ&sjid=qvwFAAAAIBAJ&pg=1944,5920744&dq=jesse+jackson+announces&hl=en. Retrieved February 16, 2013.
- ↑ "Sen. Gore announces presidential aspiration". Bangor Daily News. April 12, 1987. https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=4q1JAAAAIBAJ&sjid=pQ4NAAAAIBAJ&pg=7016,1631410&dq=al+gore+announces&hl=en. Retrieved February 16, 2013.
- ↑ "Gephardt Announces Bid For White House". The Dispatch. February 23, 1987. https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=m44bAAAAIBAJ&sjid=3VEEAAAAIBAJ&pg=4320,5734439&dq=dick+gephardt+announces&hl=en. Retrieved February 16, 2013.
- ↑ "Sen. Simon announces candidacy". The Lewiston Daily Sun. April 10, 1987. https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=SjspAAAAIBAJ&sjid=cmUFAAAAIBAJ&pg=3173,1888124&dq=al+gore+announces&hl=en. Retrieved February 16, 2013.
- ↑ "Gary Hart announces he will seek the presidency in 1988". The Fort Scott Tribune. April 13, 1987. https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=ZP8fAAAAIBAJ&sjid=MAYFAAAAIBAJ&pg=4910,4333290&dq=gary+hart+announces&hl=en. Retrieved February 16, 2013.
- ↑ Gailey, Phil (January 8, 1987). "BABBITT OF ARIZONA FIRST DEMOCRAT TO FORM KEY PRESIDENTIAL GROUP". The New York Times: 24. https://www.nytimes.com/1987/01/08/us/babbitt-of-arizona-first-democrat-to-form-key-presidential-group.html. Retrieved February 16, 2013.
- ↑ "Sen. Biden announces candidacy". The Milwaukee Journal. June 9, 1987. https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=oV0aAAAAIBAJ&sjid=8yoEAAAAIBAJ&pg=5986,167224&dq=biden+announces&hl=en. Retrieved February 16, 2013.
- ↑ "LaRouche announces candidacy". Eugene Register-Guard. January 27, 1987. https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=ZCgzAAAAIBAJ&sjid=feEDAAAAIBAJ&pg=2541,5939742&dq=larouche+announces&hl=en. Retrieved February 16, 2013.
- ↑ "Former Klan leader announces bid". Spokane Chronicle. June 9, 1987. https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=woZOAAAAIBAJ&sjid=7_oDAAAAIBAJ&pg=1841,1553457&dq=duke+announces&hl=en. Retrieved February 16, 2013.
- ↑ Wilkinson, D.A. (December 4, 1987). "Traficant hat tossed into ring". The Vindicator. https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=B84_AAAAIBAJ&sjid=61cMAAAAIBAJ&pg=3639,1284676&dq=traficant+announces&hl=en. Retrieved February 16, 2013.
- ↑ "Applegate To Run As Favorite Son". Portsmouth Daily Times. November 24, 1987. https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=nJA_AAAAIBAJ&sjid=r1UMAAAAIBAJ&pg=5474,1827674&dq=douglas+applegate&hl=en. Retrieved February 16, 2013.
- ↑ "Man causes Statehouse Stir". The Day. May 8, 1987. https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=hiAiAAAAIBAJ&sjid=KnIFAAAAIBAJ&pg=4418,1973583&dq=anthony+martin-trigona&hl=en. Retrieved February 16, 2013.
- ↑ "Bush Announces Quest for Presidency". Sarasota Herald-Tribune. October 13, 1987. https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=3_McAAAAIBAJ&sjid=rnIEAAAAIBAJ&pg=6869,4085135&dq=george+bush+announces&hl=en. Retrieved February 16, 2013.
- ↑ "Dole announces presidential hopes in hometown talk". Star-News. November 10, 1987. https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=K5s0AAAAIBAJ&sjid=CxQEAAAAIBAJ&pg=5835,4017707&dq=bob+dole+announces&hl=en. Retrieved February 16, 2013.
- ↑ "Robertson announces". Ellensburg Daily Record. October 2, 1987. https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=-otUAAAAIBAJ&sjid=XI8DAAAAIBAJ&pg=4675,159477&dq=pat+robertson+announces&hl=en. Retrieved February 16, 2013.
- ↑ "Kemp announces bid for nomination". The Bryan Times. April 6, 1987. https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=GbFPAAAAIBAJ&sjid=U1IDAAAAIBAJ&pg=3541,486109&dq=jack+kemp+announces&hl=en. Retrieved February 16, 2013.
- ↑ Dionne Jr., E. J. (September 17, 1986). "DU PONT ENTERS THE G.O.P. RACE FOR PRESIDENT". The New York Times: 1. https://www.nytimes.com/1986/09/17/us/du-pont-enters-the-gop-race-for-president.html. Retrieved February 16, 2013.
- ↑ "Haig announces his bid for presidency". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. March 24, 1987. https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=BtU0AAAAIBAJ&sjid=6G0DAAAAIBAJ&pg=2317,6652737&dq=haig+announces&hl=en. Retrieved February 16, 2013.
- ↑ Wallace, David (August 6, 1987). "GOP PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE MAKES STOP IN SOUTH FLORIDA". Sun Sentinel. http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/sun_sentinel/access/88010221.html?dids=88010221:88010221&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=Aug+06%2C+1987&author=DAVID+WALLACE%2C+Staff+Writer&pub=South+Florida+Sun+-+Sentinel&desc=GOP+PRESIDENTIAL+CANDIDATE+MAKES+STOP+IN+SOUTH+FLORIDA&pqatl=google. Retrieved February 16, 2013.
- ↑ Witt, Evans (April 29, 1987). "Laxalt announces bid for presidency, says 'there is unfinished work to do'". Gettysburg Times. https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=7MUlAAAAIBAJ&sjid=iPwFAAAAIBAJ&pg=1271,170287&dq=laxalt+announces&hl=en. Retrieved February 16, 2013.
- ↑ "Rumsfeld enters race". The Telegraph-Herald. January 20, 1987. https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=VpddAAAAIBAJ&sjid=tFwNAAAAIBAJ&pg=6853,3241160&dq=rumsfeld+president&hl=en. Retrieved February 16, 2013.
- ↑ "Stassen announces his candidacy". The Milwaukee Journal. September 22, 1987. https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=iG0aAAAAIBAJ&sjid=pCoEAAAAIBAJ&pg=4462,5711800&dq=stassen&hl=en. Retrieved February 16, 2013.
- ↑ "'Super Tuesday' Ballots Ready; Some Unfamiliar Names Explained". The Durant Daily Democrat. March 6, 1988. https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=y_ZDAAAAIBAJ&sjid=L7AMAAAAIBAJ&pg=1553,418010&dq=isabell-masters&hl=en. Retrieved February 16, 2013.