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
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

File:1988 Bush.jpg| Vice President **George H. W. Bush** of Texas
File:Bob Dole, photo portrait, head and shoulders, facing front, February 9, 1982.jpg|Senator **Bob Dole** of Kansas
File:Pat Robertson speaks about the national deficit (cropped).jpg|Televangelist **Pat Robertson** of Virginia
File:Jack Kemp official portrait.jpg|Representative **Jack Kemp** of New York
File:petedupont.jpg|Governor **Pete du Pont** of Delaware
File:Secretary of State Alexander Haig.jpg|Former Secretary of State **Alexander Haig** of Virginia
File:Paul Laxalt (colorized).jpg|Former Senator **Paul Laxalt** of Nevada
File:Donald Rumsfeld Defenselink.jpg|Former Secretary of Defense **Donald Rumsfeld** of Illinois
File:Harold Stassen.jpg|Former Governor **Harold E. Stassen** of Minnesota

### Democratic Party
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

File:Dukakis1988rally cropped.jpg|Governor **Michael Dukakis** of Massachusetts
File:JesseJackson.png|Reverend **Jesse Jackson** of South Carolina
File:Sengore.jpg|Senator **Al Gore** of Tennessee 
File:Dick Gephardt.jpg|Representative **Dick Gephardt** of Missouri
File:GaryHart.jpg|Former Senator **Gary Hart** of Colorado
File:Bruce_babbitt.jpg|Former Governor **Bruce Babbitt** of Arizona
File:Joebiden2.png|Senator **Joe Biden** of Delaware 
File:Lyndon LaRouche.jpg|**Lyndon LaRouche** of Virginia
File:James Traficant 99th Congress 1985.jpg|Representative **Jim Traficant** of Ohio
File:AndyMartin.jpg|**Andy Martin** of Connecticut

## References