1988 Presidential Election

1988 Presidential Election Second Round	1988 Presidential Election Second Round	1988 Presidential Election Second Round	1988 Presidential Election Second Round	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	
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{| cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" style="background:transparent; width:100%;"	1984←	November 8, 1988	→ 1992
The 1988 United States presidential election held on Tuesday, November 8, 1988. Incumbent Liberty Coalition President Kevin O'Leary won a decisive victory over Senator James Brown, marking the first time a presidential candidate not from the Democratic nor Republican parties won reelection since Abraham Lincoln in 1864.
O'Leary was renominated without incident by the Liberty Coalition Party; however, incumbent Vice President Conan O'Brien stepped down from renomination, which subsequently followed by the nomination of Iris Stanford, the Secretary of Economics, as the Vice President. Numerous candidates entered the 1988 Democratic primaries, with Lincoln Senator Walter White considered the early frontrunner. James Brown, a Southern Democrat Senator, managed to just clinch the nomination, with a strong showing across the South & the Midwest. 
President O'Leary's chances of reelection were considered high due to the strong economic recovery experienced during his administration, with O'Leary touting his tax cuts and falling unemployment rates. Initial head-to-head polling between O'Leary and Brown indicated a landslide race; however, Brown throughout the race reoriented his campaigning message towards more liberal voters, running on a pledge to increase the education & welfare budgets, liberal abortion policies, and touting bills such as the Violence Against Women Act, while appealing to Southern conservatives with "tough-on-crime" rhetoric. 
O'Leary maintained a consistent polling advantage over Brown, and won re-election by a substantial electoral college and popular vote margin. Despite Brown's loss, every single state won by Brown with the exception of Georgia voted for President O'Leary in 1984, with almost every state except Maryland, Hawaii, and D.C. voting for Brown by a close margin, as well as O'Leary just clinching the states of Pennsylvania, Washington, and Florida. Even with O'Leary large victory, Brown's performance was considered impressive, and cemented the Democrat's position as a strong opposition party to O'Leary and the Conservative Bloc as a whole. 
==Nominations and Primaries==
===Liberty Coalition Primary===
====Nominee====
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Kevin O'Leary 	Iris Stanford 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
for President 	for Vice President 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
IncumbentPresident of the United States	Secretary of Economics 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
====Candidates====
*Kevin O'Leary, Incumbent Presdident; Liberty Coalition House Leader (1983-1985); House Rep. from CA-2 (1983-1985)
===Democrat Primary ===
==== Nominee====
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James Brown 	Joe Swanson 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
for President 	for Vice President 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
thumb|200x200px 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
US Senator fromDixie 	US Senator fromLincoln 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
====Candidates====
*Walter White, Senator from Lincoln (1987-Present); Governor of Indiana (1985-1987)
*James Brown, Senator From Dixie (1987-Present); Governor of Georgia (1983-1987)
*Rudy Perpich, Governor of Minnesota (1983-1987)
====Withdrew Before Primary==== 
*Marianne Williamson, Author
*Ross Parrot, House Rep. From KS-1 (1987-Present)
*Blanche Lincoln, House Rep. From VA-2 (1987-Present);Governor of Virginia (1986-1987)
====Primary Results====
1988 Democratic Primaries
Candidate 	Delegates	Caucus 	Contests Won	Map
James Brown 	928 	Blue Dog 	24 	
Walter White	887 	Action 	26 	
Rudy Perpich	210 	Great Society	0 	
Convention Roll Call
Candidate 	Delegates	Caucus
James Brown 	1,813 	Blue Dog
Walter White	188 	Action
Rudy Perpich	24 	Great Society
===Christian Democratic Union Primary===
====Nominee====
Rather then hold a primary the CDU chose to endorse incumbent Kevin O'Leary rather then run their own candidate. To quote from Randy Economy
"The CDU and Liberty Coalition are and will continue to be separate parties, with different ideals and policies. We will continue to push for the values and ideas brought to us in the words and teachings of Jesus Christ"
====Candidates====
*Jet Comet, Governor of Nebraska (1983-1987)
*Elizabeth Harris, House Rep. From UT-1 (1985-1987)
==Opinion Polling==
===Democratic Primary===
Q1, 1985
Candidate 	Caucus 	%
Walter White 	Action 	38%
James Brown 	Blue Dog 	28%
Blanche Lincoln 	Blue Dog 	18%
Ross Parrot 	Blue Dog 	16%
Marianne Williamson	Great Society	0%
Q1, 1987
Candidate 	Caucus 	%
Walter White 	Action 	31%
James Brown 	Blue Dog 	27%
Rudy Perpich 	Great Society	24%
Blanche Lincoln	Blue Dog 	18%
===Pre-Primary===
1988 Hypothetical Head-to-head
(Note: All states MOE: +/- 3.0%)
Candidate 	Party 	% 	EC Vote	Map
Kevin O'Leary	Liberty Coalition	54.43%	361 	
Walter White 	Democratic 	46.57%	178 	
Candidate 	Party 	% 	EC Vote	Map
Kevin O'Leary	Liberty Coalition	56.91%	438 	
Rudy Perpich 	Democratic 	43.09%	101 	
Candidate 	Party 	% 	EC Vote	Map
Kevin O'Leary	Liberty Coalition	55.70%	496 	
James Brown 	Democratic 	44.30%	43 	
===Post-Primary===
1988 Presidential Poll, Q1
Candidate 	Party 	% 	EC Vote	Map
Kevin O'Leary	Liberty Coalition	53.69%	361 	
James Brown 	Democratic 	46.31%	178 	
1988 Presidential Poll, Q2
Candidate 	Party 	% 	EC Vote	Map
Kevin O'Leary	Liberty Coalition	53.93%	384 	
James Brown 	Democratic 	46.07%	155 	
Category:Events