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. 

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
Republican Party
link=Republican_Party_(United_States)|center|65x65px|Republican Party (United States)1988 Republican Party Ticketfor Presidentfor Vice Presidentcenter|204x204pxcenter|200x200px43rdVice President of the United States(1981–1989)U.S. Senatorfrom Indiana(1981–1989)center|199x199px
Republican candidates:
George H. W. Bush, 43rd Vice President of the United States from Texas (1981-1989) (Nominee)
Bob Dole, U.S. senator from Kansas (1969-1996) 
Pat Robertson, televangelist from Virginia (1966-2023) 
Jack Kemp, U.S. representative from New York (1983-1989)
Pete du Pont, former Governor of Delaware (1977-1985)
Alexander Haig, former Secretary of State from Pennsylvania (1981-1982)
Ben Fernandez, former Special Ambassador to Paraguay from California (1973)
Paul Laxalt, former U.S. Senator from Nevada (1974-1987)
Donald Rumsfeld, former Secretary of Defense from Illinois (1975-1977)
Harold E. Stassen, former Governor of Minnesota (1939-1943)
Isabell Masters, perennial candidate from Kansas

Candidates Gallery

Democratic Party
link=Democratic_Party_(United_States)|center|65x65px|Democratic Party (United States)1988 Democratic Party Ticketfor Presidentfor Vice Presidentcenter|200x200pxcenter|200x200px65th & 67thGovernor of Massachusetts(1975-1979, 1983-1991)U.S. Senatorfrom Texas(1971-1993)center|200x200px
Democratic candidates:
Michael Dukakis, governor of Massachusetts (1975-1979, 1983-1991) (Nominee)
Jesse Jackson, reverend (1968-present) and civil rights leader from South Carolina (19)
Al Gore, U.S. senator from Tennessee 
Dick Gephardt, U.S. representative from Missouri
Paul Simon, U.S. senator from Illinois
Gary Hart, former U.S. senator from Colorado
Bruce Babbitt, former governor of Arizona
Joe Biden, U.S. senator from Delaware
Lyndon LaRouche, activist from Virginia
David Duke, activist from Louisiana
James Traficant, U.S. representative from Ohio
Douglas Applegate, U.S. representative from Ohio
Andy Martin, perennial candidate from Connecticut
Candidates Gallery

References

Category:1988 in the United States
Category:1988 elections
1988