1988 Presidential Election

November 8, 1988 · The Long Realignment · 538 electoral votes, 270 to win

Bush became the first sitting vice president elected since Van Buren, riding peace, prosperity and a brutal negative campaign against Dukakis. A faithless elector voted for Bentsen, the losing VP nominee.

Elected

George H. W. Bush

Republican

Electoral vote

426 of 538

Popular vote

53.4%

48,886,597 votes

Turnout

52.8%

VEP 52.8% · VAP 51.4%

The result

Sort by

George H. W. Bush

Republican · 53.40% of votes

426

electoral votes

Michael Dukakis

Democratic · 45.60% of votes

111

electoral votes

Lloyd Bentsen

Democratic · 0.00% of votes

electoral votes

Ron Paul

Libertarian · 0.47% of votes

—

electoral votes

Lenora Fulani

New Alliance · 0.24% of votes

—

electoral votes


George H. W. Bush	Republican	Dan Quayle	426	48,886,597	53.40%	40
Michael Dukakis	Democratic	Lloyd Bentsen	111	41,809,476	45.60%	11
Lloyd Bentsen	Democratic	Michael Dukakis	1	0	0.00%	—
Ron Paul	Libertarian	Andre Marrou	—	431,750	0.47%	—
Lenora Fulani	New Alliance	—	—	217,221	0.24%	—

91,345,044 votes recorded for the candidates listed.

Results by state

Sort by

Alabama

George H. W. Bush · 59.7% · runner-up Michael Dukakis 40.3%

electoral votes

Alaska

George H. W. Bush · 59.6% · runner-up Michael Dukakis 36.3%

electoral votes

Arizona

George H. W. Bush · 60.7% · runner-up Michael Dukakis 39.3%

electoral votes

Arkansas

George H. W. Bush · 57.2% · runner-up Michael Dukakis 42.8%

electoral votes

California

George H. W. Bush · 51.8% · runner-up Michael Dukakis 48.2%

electoral votes

Colorado

George H. W. Bush · 53.9% · runner-up Michael Dukakis 46.1%

electoral votes

Connecticut

George H. W. Bush · 52.6% · runner-up Michael Dukakis 47.4%

electoral votes

Delaware

George H. W. Bush · 56.3% · runner-up Michael Dukakis 43.7%

electoral votes

District of Columbia

Michael Dukakis · 85.3% · runner-up George H. W. Bush 14.7%

electoral votes

Florida

George H. W. Bush · 61.2% · runner-up Michael Dukakis 38.8%

electoral votes

Georgia

George H. W. Bush · 60.2% · runner-up Michael Dukakis 39.8%

electoral votes

Hawaii

Michael Dukakis · 54.8% · runner-up George H. W. Bush 45.2%

electoral votes


Alabama	George H. W. Bush	59.7%	9	Michael Dukakis · 40.3%
Alaska	George H. W. Bush	59.6%	3	Michael Dukakis · 36.3%
Arizona	George H. W. Bush	60.7%	7	Michael Dukakis · 39.3%
Arkansas	George H. W. Bush	57.2%	6	Michael Dukakis · 42.8%
California	George H. W. Bush	51.8%	47	Michael Dukakis · 48.2%
Colorado	George H. W. Bush	53.9%	8	Michael Dukakis · 46.1%
Connecticut	George H. W. Bush	52.6%	8	Michael Dukakis · 47.4%
Delaware	George H. W. Bush	56.3%	3	Michael Dukakis · 43.7%
District of Columbia	Michael Dukakis	85.3%	3	George H. W. Bush · 14.7%
Florida	George H. W. Bush	61.2%	21	Michael Dukakis · 38.8%
Georgia	George H. W. Bush	60.2%	12	Michael Dukakis · 39.8%
Hawaii	Michael Dukakis	54.8%	4	George H. W. Bush · 45.2%
Idaho	George H. W. Bush	63.3%	4	Michael Dukakis · 36.7%
Illinois	George H. W. Bush	51.0%	24	Michael Dukakis · 49.0%
Indiana	George H. W. Bush	60.1%	12	Michael Dukakis · 39.9%
Iowa	Michael Dukakis	55.1%	8	George H. W. Bush · 44.8%
Kansas	George H. W. Bush	56.5%	7	Michael Dukakis · 43.5%
Kentucky	George H. W. Bush	55.8%	9	Michael Dukakis · 44.2%
Louisiana	George H. W. Bush	55.2%	10	Michael Dukakis · 44.8%
Maine	George H. W. Bush	55.8%	4	Michael Dukakis · 44.2%
Maryland	George H. W. Bush	51.5%	10	Michael Dukakis · 48.5%
Massachusetts	Michael Dukakis	54.0%	13	George H. W. Bush · 46.0%
Michigan	George H. W. Bush	54.0%	20	Michael Dukakis · 46.0%
Minnesota	Michael Dukakis	53.6%	10	George H. W. Bush · 46.4%
Mississippi	George H. W. Bush	60.5%	7	Michael Dukakis · 39.5%
Missouri	George H. W. Bush	52.0%	11	Michael Dukakis · 48.0%
Montana	George H. W. Bush	53.0%	4	Michael Dukakis · 47.0%
Nebraska	George H. W. Bush	60.5%	5	Michael Dukakis · 39.5%
Nevada	George H. W. Bush	60.8%	4	Michael Dukakis · 39.2%
New Hampshire	George H. W. Bush	63.2%	4	Michael Dukakis · 36.8%
New Jersey	George H. W. Bush	56.9%	16	Michael Dukakis · 43.1%
New Mexico	George H. W. Bush	52.5%	5	Michael Dukakis · 47.5%
New York	Michael Dukakis	52.1%	36	George H. W. Bush · 47.9%
North Carolina	George H. W. Bush	58.1%	13	Michael Dukakis · 41.9%
North Dakota	George H. W. Bush	56.6%	3	Michael Dukakis · 43.4%
Ohio	George H. W. Bush	55.5%	23	Michael Dukakis · 44.6%
Oklahoma	George H. W. Bush	58.4%	8	Michael Dukakis · 41.6%
Oregon	Michael Dukakis	52.4%	7	George H. W. Bush · 47.6%
Pennsylvania	George H. W. Bush	51.2%	25	Michael Dukakis · 48.8%
Rhode Island	Michael Dukakis	55.9%	4	George H. W. Bush · 44.1%
South Carolina	George H. W. Bush	62.1%	8	Michael Dukakis · 37.9%
South Dakota	George H. W. Bush	53.2%	3	Michael Dukakis · 47.8%
Tennessee	George H. W. Bush	58.2%	11	Michael Dukakis · 41.8%
Texas	George H. W. Bush	56.3%	29	Michael Dukakis · 43.7%
Utah	George H. W. Bush	68.5%	5	Michael Dukakis · 31.5%
Vermont	George H. W. Bush	51.8%	3	Michael Dukakis · 48.2%
Virginia	George H. W. Bush	60.3%	12	Michael Dukakis · 39.7%
Washington	Michael Dukakis	50.8%	10	George H. W. Bush · 49.2%
West Virginia	Michael Dukakis	52.4%	6	George H. W. Bush · 47.6%
Wisconsin	Michael Dukakis	51.8%	11	George H. W. Bush · 48.2%
Wyoming	George H. W. Bush	61.4%	3	Michael Dukakis · 38.6%

The state table accounts for 112 of Michael Dukakis's 111 official electoral votes. The remainder reflect split delegations, district allocations, faithless electors or votes not counted, as recorded at the electoral count.

The Congress it seated

101th Congress

1989–1991

Divided government

Senate

55–45

Democratic control · Democratic–Republican

House

260–175

Democratic control · Democratic–Republican