United States presidential election in Arkansas, 1988

United States presidential election in Arkansas, 1988

November 8, 1988

Nominee George H. W. Bush Michael Dukakis Party Republican Democratic Home state Texas Massachusetts Running mate Dan Quayle Lloyd Bentsen Electoral vote 6 0 Popular vote 466,578 349,237 Percentage 56.4% 42.2%

County Results   Dukakis—70-80%   Dukakis—60-70%   Dukakis—50-60%   Bush—50-60%   Bush—60-70%   Bush—70-80%

President before election Ronald Reagan Republican Elected President George H. W. Bush Republican

The 1988 United States presidential election in Arkansas took place on November 8, 1988. All 50 states and the District of Columbia, were part of the 1988 United States presidential election. Arkansas voters chose 6 electors to the Electoral College, which selected the President and Vice President.

Arkansas was won by incumbent United States Vice President George H. W. Bush of Texas, who was running against Massachusetts Governor Michael Dukakis. Bush ran with Indiana Senator Dan Quayle as Vice President, and Dukakis ran with Texas Senator Lloyd Bentsen.

Arkansas weighed in for this election as 3% more Republican than the national average.

Partisan background

Bush's largely socially conservative rhetoric garnered him much support among social-conservatives nationwide. Seen here at campaign rally in Omaha, Nebraska.

The presidential election of 1988 was a very partisan election for Arkansas, with nearly 99% of the electorate voting for either the Democratic or Republican parties.^[1] The vast majority of the counties voted primarily Republican, including the highly populated center of Pulaski County. In typical form for the time, the southeastern portion of the state (which touches the Mississippi River) continued to turn out primarily Democratic during this election, including areas such as Desha County and Phillips County.

Republican victory

Bush won the election in Arkansas with a solid 14 point landslide. Arkansas continued on in this election as a component of the conservative stronghold of the Deep South. The election results in Arkansas are reflective of a nationwide reconsolidation of base for the Republican Party, which took place through the 1980s. Through the passage of some very controversial economic programs, spearheaded by then President Ronald Reagan (called, collectively, "Reaganomics"), the mid-to-late 1980's saw a period of economic growth and stability. The hallmark for Reaganomics was, in part, the wide-scale deregulation of corporate interests, and tax cuts for the wealthy.^[2]

Dukakis ran on a notably socially liberal agenda, and advocated for higher economic regulation and environmental protection. Bush, alternatively, ran on a campaign of continuing the social and economic policies of former President Reagan - which gained him much support with social conservatives and people living in rural areas, who largely associated the Republican Party with the economic growth of the 1980s. Additionally, while the economic programs passed under Reagan, and furthered under Bush and Clinton, may have boosted the economy for a brief period, they are criticized by many analysts as "setting the stage" for economic troubles in the United State after 2007, such as the Great Recession.^[3]

Elections in Arkansas
Federal government Presidential elections 1836 1840 1844 1848 1852 1856 1860 1868 1872 1876 1880 1884 1888 1892 1896 1900 1904 1908 1912 1916 1920 1924 1928 1932 1936 1940 1944 1948 1952 1956 1960 1964 1968 1972 1976 1980 1984 1988 1992 1996 2000 2004 2008 2012 2016 Presidential primaries Democratic 2008 Republican 2008 2012 U.S. Senate elections 1980 1984 1986 1990 1992 1996 1998 2002 2004 2008 2010 2014 2016 U.S. House elections 2000 2002 2004 2006 2008 2010 2012 2014 2016 Special elections to U.S. Congress 3rd District, 2001
State government Gubernatorial elections 1966 1978 1980 1982 1984 1986 1990 1994 1998 2002 2006 2010 2014 State elections 2000 2002 2004 2006 2008 2010 2012 2014
Ballot measures 2004 Constitutional Amendment 3 2008 Proposed Initiative Act No. 1

Results

See also

• Gulf War
• Presidency of George H. W. Bush

References

State Results of the 1988 U.S. presidential election
Candidates	Michael Dukakis George H. W. Bush Ron Paul Lenora Fulani Full list
General articles	Election timeline Democratic primaries Republican primaries Republican Convention Democratic Convention Debates
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Other 1988 elections	House Senate Gubernatorial