November 5, 1988
George H.W. Bush Wins 1988
George H.W. Bush defeats Michael Dukakis with 438 electoral votes, winning 40 states.
Michael Dukakis
100 EV
270 to win
George H.W. Bush
438 EV
100
438
270
George H.W. Bush wins
438
Electoral Votes
53.4%
Popular Vote
40
States Carried
91,588,227
Total Votes Cast
George H.W. Bush won the 1988 presidential election with 438 electoral votes to Michael Dukakis's 100. George H.W. Bush received 53.4% of the popular vote and carried 40 states. Compared to the previous election, 505 counties changed parties—10 flipped Republican and 495 flipped Democratic.
1988 National Results
Electoral College
270 needed to winDemocrat
Michael Dukakis
100
electoral votes
Republican
George H.W. Bush
438
electoral votes
100
438
270
Popular Vote
91,588,227 total votesMichael Dukakis45.6%
41,809,486 votes
George H.W. Bush53.4%
48,886,587 votes
R+7.7% margin
(7,077,101 vote difference)
Source: Official state election returnsGeorge H.W. Bush elected president
State Results
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State-by-State Results
11 Dem40 Rep
Battleground States (Margin < 5%)
| State | EV | 1988 |
|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | 3 | D+68.3 |
| Rhode Island | 4 | D+11.7 |
| Iowa | 6 | D+10.2 |
| Hawaii | 4 | D+9.5 |
| Massachusetts | 11 | D+7.8 |
| Minnesota | 10 | D+7.0 |
| West Virginia | 4 | D+4.7 |
| Oregon | 8 | D+4.7 |
| New York | 28 | D+4.1 |
| Wisconsin | 10 | D+3.6 |
| Washington | 12 | D+1.6 |
| Illinois | 19 | R+2.1 |
| Pennsylvania | 19 | R+2.3 |
| Maryland | 10 | R+2.9 |
| Vermont | 3 | R+3.5 |
| California | 54 | R+3.6 |
| Missouri | 10 | R+4.0 |
| New Mexico | 5 | R+5.0 |
| Connecticut | 7 | R+5.1 |
| Montana | 4 | R+5.9 |
| South Dakota | 3 | R+6.3 |
| Colorado | 10 | R+7.8 |
| Michigan | 15 | R+7.9 |
| Louisiana | 8 | R+10.2 |
| Ohio | 17 | R+10.8 |
| Maine | 4 | R+11.4 |
| Kentucky | 8 | R+11.6 |
| Delaware | 3 | R+12.4 |
| Texas | 40 | R+12.6 |
| North Dakota | 3 | R+13.1 |
| Kansas | 6 | R+13.2 |
| New Jersey | 14 | R+13.6 |
| Arkansas | 6 | R+14.2 |
| North Carolina | 16 | R+16.3 |
| Tennessee | 11 | R+16.3 |
| Oklahoma | 7 | R+16.6 |
| Alabama | 9 | R+19.3 |
| Indiana | 11 | R+20.2 |
| Georgia | 16 | R+20.3 |
| Virginia | 13 | R+20.5 |
| Mississippi | 6 | R+20.8 |
| Nevada | 6 | R+20.9 |
| Nebraska | 5 | R+21.0 |
| Arizona | 11 | R+21.2 |
| Florida | 30 | R+22.4 |
| Wyoming | 3 | R+22.5 |
| Alaska | 3 | R+23.3 |
| South Carolina | 9 | R+23.9 |
| Idaho | 4 | R+26.1 |
| New Hampshire | 4 | R+26.2 |
| Utah | 6 | R+34.2 |