U.S. presidential election, 1988

Presidential Candidate	Electoral Vote	Popular Vote	Pct	Party	Running Mate (Electoral Votes)
George H. W. Bush (W)	426	47,946,000		Republican	James Danforth Quayle (426)
Michael Dukakis	111	41,016,000		Democrat	Lloyd Bentsen (111)
Lloyd Bentsen	1			Democrat	Michael Dukakis (1)
Ron Paul		432,179		Libertarian
Lenora B. Fulani		217,219		New Alliance
Other elections: 1976, 1980, 1984, 1988, 1992, 1996, 2000
Source: U.S. Office of the Federal Register

The election was held on November 8, 1988.

The 1988 presidential election was a wide open primary for both major parties. Ronald Reagan, the incumbant president, was vacating the position after serving the maximum two terms allowed by the Twenty-Second Amendment.

Table of contents

1 Democratic Primary 2 Republican Primary 3 General Election 4 Results

Democratic Primary

Having been badly defeated in the 1984 presidential election, the Democrats were eager to find a new approach to the presidency. Among the field of candidates were the following:

• Bruce Babbit, former Governor from Arizona
• Joseph Biden, Senator from Delaware
• Michael Dukakis, Governor from Massachusetts
• Dick Gephardt, Representative from Missouri
• Al Gore, Senator from Tennessee
• Gary Hart, Senator from Colorado
• Jesse Jackson, Reverend and civil rights activist
• Paul Simon, Senator from Illinois

In early 1987, Senator Gary Hart was the clear frontrunner in the field (Democratic party efforts to recruit New York Governor Mario Cuomo aside). Hart had put in a strong showing in the 1984 presidential election, and had refined his campaign in the intervening years.

However, questions about extramarital affairs dogged the charismatic candidate. An exasperated Hart challenged the press to tail him. The Miami Herald did exactly that, to uncover damaging evidence of an affair with 29-year-old model Donna Rice, getting a photograph of Rice sitting on Hart's lap. On May 8, 1987, a week after the Donna Rice story broke, Hart dropped out of the race.

In December of 1987, Hart returned to the race. However the damage had been done.

Republican Primary

• George H. W. Bush
• Bob Dole
• Pierre DuPont
• Alexander Haig
• Jack Kemp
• Pat Robertson

Notable quote: George H. W. Bush: "Read my lips: no new taxes"

General Election

• Tank photograph of Dukakis
• Willie Horton campaign ads
• Vice Presidential debate: Bentsen to Quayle: "you're no Jack Kennedy"

Results

A West Virginia elector voted for Bentsen as President and Dukakis as Vice President.

See also: President of the United States, U.S. presidential election, 1988