George H. W. Bush carried South Carolina R+23.9.

Michael Dukakis (D) vs George H. W. Bush (R) in South Carolina, 1988. The state ran 16.2 points more Republican than the nation (R+7.7 nationally).

Nominees: Michael Dukakis (D) · George H. W. Bush (R)

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South Carolina result

986,009 votes counted

Dukakis (D)

370,554

37.6%

Bush (R)

606,443

61.5%

All others

9,012

0.9%

Margin

R+23.9

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1988 presidential election

South Carolina, 1988

BushR+23.9

How it voted

Share of the 1988 vote

George H. W. Bush ✓Republican	61.5%	606,443
Michael DukakisDemocratic	37.6%	370,554
OtherAll other candidates	0.9%	9,012

D+60

R+60

46 counties, each filled by 1988 D-vs-R margin. Hover any county for its result.

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South Carolina's presidential margins

1892–2024, the 1988 contest in context

South Carolina's presidential margins

Year	Margin (D minus R)
1892	+58.6%
1896	+71.8%
1900	+86.0%
1904	+90.8%
1908	+87.8%
1912	+95.9%
1916	+94.3%
1920	+92.1%
1924	+94.3%
1928	+82.9%
1932	+98.0%
1936	+98.6%
1940	+91.3%
1944	+83.2%
1948	+20.4%
1952	+1.4%
1956	+20.2%
1960	+2.5%
1964	−17.8%
1968	−8.5%
1972	−42.7%
1976	+13.1%
1980	−1.5%
1984	−28.0%
1988	−23.9%
1992	−8.1%
1996	−6.0%
2000	−15.9%
2004	−17.1%
2008	−9.0%
2012	−10.5%
2016	−14.3%
2020	−11.7%
2024	−17.9%

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County results — 1988

46 counties; every row links to the county's full page.

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County	Won	Margin	Democratic	Republican	Total
Abbeville County	R	−1.5%	3,629	3,738	7,401
Aiken County	R	−44.3%	10,598	27,665	38,507
Allendale County	D	+16.1%	1,796	1,295	3,114
Anderson County	R	−35.6%	12,281	25,939	38,383
Bamberg County	D	+8.1%	2,830	2,403	5,255
Barnwell County	R	−26.9%	2,564	4,467	7,075
Beaufort County	R	−29.9%	8,691	16,184	25,021
Berkeley County	R	−28.4%	9,312	16,779	26,297
Calhoun County	R	−8.6%	2,175	2,585	4,787
Charleston County	R	−19.5%	32,977	49,149	82,916
Cherokee County	R	−28.3%	4,322	7,763	12,151
Chester County	R	−3.0%	3,737	3,968	7,748
Chesterfield County	R	−3.1%	4,699	4,999	9,735
Clarendon County	D	+7.4%	5,030	4,337	9,397
Colleton County	R	−4.8%	4,508	4,962	9,547
Darlington County	R	−12.5%	7,625	9,854	17,843
Dillon County	R	−7.7%	3,251	3,793	7,069
Dorchester County	R	−33.2%	7,371	14,756	22,232
Edgefield County	R	−11.6%	3,020	3,814	6,863
Fairfield County	D	+16.9%	3,827	2,714	6,583
Florence County	R	−21.6%	12,531	19,490	32,214
Georgetown County	R	−13.0%	5,402	7,032	12,506
Greenville County	R	−42.2%	27,188	67,371	95,126
Greenwood County	R	−16.5%	6,511	9,096	15,704
Hampton County	D	+9.7%	3,435	2,826	6,306
Horry County	R	−30.0%	13,316	24,843	38,409
Jasper County	D	+18.1%	2,894	2,004	4,929
Kershaw County	R	−32.5%	4,494	8,877	13,473
Lancaster County	R	−19.3%	6,181	9,152	15,393
Laurens County	R	−24.2%	5,930	9,731	15,702
Lee County	D	+7.7%	3,423	2,936	6,359
Lexington County	R	−56.5%	11,366	41,467	53,238
Marion County	D	+6.4%	5,008	4,403	9,486
Marlboro County	D	+14.8%	3,937	2,921	6,870
McCormick County	D	+18.9%	1,722	1,172	2,914
Newberry County	R	−25.2%	3,825	6,427	10,305
Oconee County	R	−40.3%	4,299	10,184	14,585
Orangeburg County	D	+4.9%	14,655	13,281	28,049
Pickens County	R	−47.9%	6,103	17,448	23,696
Richland County	R	−8.9%	36,420	43,841	83,123
Saluda County	R	−23.7%	1,984	3,225	5,232
Spartanburg County	R	−27.6%	22,964	40,801	64,568
Sumter County	R	−16.0%	9,502	13,161	22,801
Union County	R	−15.3%	4,420	6,019	10,465
Williamsburg County	D	+10.7%	7,343	5,914	13,324
York County	R	−30.6%	11,458	21,657	33,308