1988 United States presidential election in Virginia explained

See main article: 1988 United States presidential election.

Election Name:	1988 United States presidential election in Virginia
Country:	Virginia
Type:	presidential
Ongoing:	no
Previous Election:	1984 United States presidential election in Virginia
Previous Year:	1984
Next Election:	1992 United States presidential election in Virginia
Next Year:	1992
Election Date:	November 8, 1988
Image1:	File:VP George Bush crop.jpg
Nominee1:	George H. W. Bush
Party1:	Republican Party (United States)
Home State1:	Texas
Running Mate1:	Dan Quayle
Electoral Vote1:	12
Popular Vote1:	1,309,162
Percentage1:	59.74%
Nominee2:	Michael Dukakis
Party2:	Democratic Party (United States)
Home State2:	Massachusetts
Running Mate2:	Lloyd Bentsen
Electoral Vote2:	0
Popular Vote2:	859,799
Percentage2:	39.23%
Map Size:	436px
President
Before Election:	Ronald Reagan
Before Party:	Republican Party (United States)
After Election:	George H. W. Bush
After Party:	Republican Party (United States)

The 1988 United States presidential election in Virginia took place on November 8, 1988. All 50 states and the District of Columbia, were part of the 1988 United States presidential election. Virginia voters chose 12 electors to the Electoral College, which selected the president and vice president.

Virginia 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.

Most counties in Virginia turned out for Bush, including the highly populated regions of Virginia Beach and Fairfax County. Bush ran strongly in most parts of the state, but in particular, he cracked sixty percent in populous Fairfax County, outside Washington, D.C., and got over and of the vote in the Richmond suburbs of Henrico and Chesterfield, respectively, which contributed to the swelling of his statewide margin. Dukakis did well in Arlington County, the independent cities of Richmond and Norfolk, in Virginia's Black Belt counties, and in some then-traditionally Democratic counties in heavily-unionized southwest Virginia.^[1]

, this is the last election in which Northampton County and the independent cities of Martinsville, Fredericksburg, and Hampton voted for a Republican presidential candidate. This was also the last time that a Republican won the majority of the vote in Fairfax County.^[2]

Background

Every Republican presidential nominee following World War II had won Virginia except for the victories of Harry S. Truman and Lyndon B. Johnson in the 1948 and 1964 elections. Virginia was the only southern state that Democratic nominee Jimmy Carter failed to win in the 1976 election.

The Republicans held Virginia's governorship from the 1969 election until Democratic nominee Chuck Robb's victory in 1981. The Democrats had also reduced the Republican control over the state's United States House of Representatives delegation from nine of ten seats in 1980 to five seats in 1986.

Primaries

Jesse Jackson won the Democratic primary due to lower white turnout and increased black turnout. Jackson won 96% of the black vote and 12% of the white vote. Al Gore won 40% of the white vote while Michael Dukakis won 35%. The racial composition of the primary was 65% white and 35% black.

49% of white voters participated in the Republican primary.

1988 Republican presidential primary^{[3] [4]} !Candidate!Votes

George H.W Bush	124,738
Bob Dole	60,921
Pat Robertson	32,173
Jack Kemp	10,809
Pete Du Pont	1,229
Alexander M. Haig, Jr.	597
Uncommitted	3,675
Total	234,142

1988 Democratic presidential primary^[5] !Candidate!Votes

Jesse Jackson	164,709
Al Gore	81,419
Michael Dukakis	80,183
Paul Simon	15,935
Gary Hart	7,045
Bruce Babbitt	2,454
Lyndon Larouche	746
Uncommitted	12,398
Total	364,899

Campaign

69% of white voters supported Bush while 30% supported Dukakis. Bush placed first in all of the state's congressional districts. Robb won in the concurrent senatorial election despite the Republican presidential victory.

Results

1988 United States presidential election in Virginia^[6]
Party		Candidate	Votes	Percentage	Electoral votes
	Republican	George H. W. Bush	1,309,162	59.74%	12
	Democratic	Michael Dukakis	859,799	39.23%	0
	Independent	Lenora Fulani	14,312	0.65%	0
	Libertarian	Ron Paul	8,336	0.38%	0
Totals			2,191,609	100.0%	12

Results by county or independent city

County/City	George H.W. Bush Republican		Michael Dukakis Democratic		Lenora Fulani^[7] Independent		Ron Paul Libertarian		Margin		Total votes cast
		%		%		%		%		%
	Accomack		6,926		60.01%		4,443		38.49%		125		1.08%		48		0.42%		2,483		21.52%		11,542
	Albemarle		15,117		58.70%		10,363		40.24%		89		0.35%		184		0.71%		4,754		18.46%		25,753
	Alexandria		20,913		45.66%		24,358		53.18%		347		0.76%		186		0.41%		-3,445		-7.52%		45,804
	Alleghany		2,555		51.87%		2,316		47.02%		42		0.85%		13		0.26%		239		4.85%		4,926
	Amelia		2,187		60.85%		1,359		37.81%		26		0.72%		22		0.61%		828		23.04%		3,594
	Amherst		6,507		64.10%		3,567		35.14%		45		0.44%		32		0.32%		2,940		28.96%		10,151
	Appomattox		3,205		63.59%		1,740		34.52%		53		1.05%		42		0.83%		1,465		29.07%		5,040
	Arlington		34,191		45.37%		40,314		53.49%		442		0.59%		418		0.55%		-6,123		-8.12%		75,365
	Augusta		13,251		75.14%		4,170		23.65%		145		0.82%		68		0.39%		9,081		51.49%		17,634
	Bath		1,273		58.74%		881		40.66%		8		0.37%		5		0.23%		392		18.08%		2,167
	Bedford		10,702		65.33%		5,406		33.00%		205		1.25%		69		0.42%		5,296		32.33%		16,382
	Bedford City		1,322		56.79%		960		41.24%		36		1.55%		10		0.43%		362		15.55%		2,328
	Bland		1,556		61.12%		937		36.80%		38		1.49%		15		0.59%		619		24.32%		2,546
	Botetourt		5,687		59.30%		3,763		39.23%		92		0.96%		49		0.51%		1,924		20.07%		9,591
	Bristol		4,407		63.92%		2,446		35.47%		28		0.41%		14		0.20%		1,961		28.44%		6,895
	Brunswick		2,742		46.60%		3,070		52.18%		44		0.75%		28		0.48%		-328		-5.58%		5,884
	Buchanan		3,912		35.68%		6,935		63.25%		100		0.91%		18		0.16%		-3,023		-27.57%		10,965
	Buckingham		2,481		55.49%		1,941		43.41%		32		0.72%		17		0.38%		540		12.08%		4,471
	Buena Vista		1,121		56.08%		828		41.42%		37		1.85%		13		0.65%		293		14.66%		1,999
	Campbell		12,713		72.51%		4,574		26.09%		193		1.10%		53		0.30%		8,139		46.42%		17,533
	Caroline		3,065		48.71%		3,186		50.64%		21		0.33%		20		0.32%		-121		-1.93%		6,292
	Carroll		6,377		66.17%		3,190		33.10%		41		0.43%		29		0.30%		3,187		33.07%		9,637
	Charles City		826		30.59%		1,839		68.11%		18		0.67%		17		0.63%		-1,013		-37.52%		2,700
	Charlotte		2,699		57.44%		1,923		40.92%		56		1.19%		21		0.45%		776		16.52%		4,699
	Charlottesville		5,817		42.61%		7,671		56.19%		62		0.45%		102		0.75%		-1,854		-13.58%		13,652
	Chesapeake		29,738		60.87%		18,828		38.54%		173		0.35%		116		0.24%		10,910		22.33%		48,855
	Chesterfield		58,828		75.34%		18,723		23.98%		262		0.34%		270		0.35%		40,105		51.36%		78,083
	Clarke		2,502		62.24%		1,478		36.77%		12		0.30%		28		0.70%		1,024		25.47%		4,020
	Clifton Forge		759		43.65%		961		55.26%		10		0.58%		9		0.52%		-202		-11.61%		1,739
	Colonial Heights		6,001		78.57%		1,581		20.70%		25		0.33%		31		0.41%		4,420		57.87%		7,638
	Covington		1,274		43.70%		1,567		53.76%		41		1.41%		33		1.13%		-293		-10.06%		2,915
	Craig		1,112		55.46%		864		43.09%		16		0.80%		13		0.65%		248		12.37%		2,005
	Culpeper		5,896		68.57%		2,555		29.71%		103		1.20%		45		0.52%		3,341		38.86%		8,599
	Cumberland		1,978		62.61%		1,132		35.83%		34		1.08%		15		0.47%		846		26.78%		3,159
	Danville		12,221		61.49%		7,353		37.00%		224		1.13%		76		0.38%		4,868		24.49%		19,874
	Dickenson		3,091		40.65%		4,461		58.67%		36		0.47%		16		0.21%		-1,370		-18.02%		7,604
	Dinwiddie		4,165		54.38%		3,405		44.46%		51		0.67%		38		0.50%		760		9.92%		7,659
	Emporia		1,289		56.61%		977		42.91%		7		0.31%		4		0.18%		312		13.70%		2,277
	Essex		2,038		60.56%		1,294		38.45%		17		0.51%		16		0.48%		744		22.11%		3,365
	Fairfax		200,641		61.10%		125,711		38.28%		892		0.27%		1,121		0.34%		74,930		22.82%		328,365
	Fairfax City		5,576		61.27%		3,430		37.69%		49		0.54%		46		0.51%		2,146		23.58%		9,101
	Falls Church		2,470		49.51%		2,484		49.79%		17		0.34%		18		0.36%		-14		-0.28%		4,989
	Fauquier		11,733		69.86%		4,837		28.80%		161		0.96%		65		0.39%		6,896		41.06%		16,796
	Floyd		2,921		61.69%		1,727		36.47%		56		1.18%		31		0.65%		1,194		25.22%		4,735
	Fluvanna		2,447		60.29%		1,562		38.48%		26		0.64%		24		0.59%		885		21.81%		4,059
	Franklin		7,391		55.73%		5,734		43.24%		90		0.68%		46		0.35%		1,657		12.49%		13,261
	Franklin City		1,557		48.50%		1,630		50.78%		12		0.37%		11		0.34%		-73		-2.28%		3,210
	Frederick		9,921		72.33%		3,707		27.02%		42		0.31%		47		0.34%		6,214		45.31%		13,717
	Fredericksburg		3,401		55.26%		2,683		43.60%		40		0.65%		30		0.49%		718		11.66%		6,154
	Galax		1,278		58.09%		907		41.23%		8		0.36%		7		0.32%		371		16.86%		2,200
	Giles		3,490		52.50%		3,042		45.76%		80		1.20%		36		0.54%		448		6.74%		6,648
	Gloucester		7,646		68.38%		3,372		30.16%		116		1.04%		47		0.42%		4,274		38.22%		11,181
	Goochland		3,765		62.61%		2,209		36.74%		20		0.33%		19		0.32%		1,556		25.87%		6,013
	Grayson		3,968		61.51%		2,441		37.84%		35		0.54%		7		0.11%		1,527		23.67%		6,451
	Greene		2,234		69.29%		899		27.88%		72		2.23%		19		0.59%		1,335		41.41%		3,224
	Greensville		1,610		43.13%		2,083		55.80%		24		0.64%		16		0.43%		-473		-12.67%		3,733
	Halifax		5,671		56.02%		4,282		42.30%		97		0.96%		74		0.73%		1,389		13.72%		10,124
	Hampton		24,034		54.85%		19,106		43.60%		527		1.20%		151		0.34%		4,928		11.25%		43,818
	Hanover		20,570		76.99%		5,985		22.40%		75		0.28%		88		0.33%		14,585		54.59%		26,718
	Harrisonburg		5,376		64.86%		2,799		33.77%		84		1.01%		29		0.35%		2,577		31.09%		8,288
	Henrico		62,284		69.29%		26,980		30.02%		378		0.42%		245		0.27%		35,304		39.27%		89,887
	Henry		10,871		58.04%		7,536		40.24%		258		1.38%		64		0.34%		3,335		17.80%		18,729
	Highland		807		62.75%		456		35.46%		13		1.01%		10		0.78%		351		27.29%		1,286
	Hopewell		4,672		63.48%		2,566		34.86%		93		1.26%		29		0.39%		2,106		28.62%		7,360
	Isle of Wight		5,779		60.07%		3,747		38.95%		63		0.65%		32		0.33%		2,032		21.12%		9,621
	James City		8,945		64.95%		4,642		33.70%		124		0.90%		62		0.45%		4,303		31.25%		13,773
	King and Queen		1,376		50.46%		1,309		48.00%		26		0.95%		16		0.59%		67		2.46%		2,727
	King George		2,587		62.40%		1,519		36.64%		21		0.51%		19		0.46%		1,068		25.76%		4,146
	King William		2,735		62.89%		1,561		35.89%		31		0.71%		22		0.51%		1,174		27.00%		4,349
	Lancaster		3,380		67.02%		1,551		30.76%		84		1.67%		28		0.56%		1,829		36.26%		5,043
	Lee		4,080		45.11%		4,906		54.24%		30		0.33%		29		0.32%		-826		-9.13%		9,045
	Lexington		994		49.11%		997		49.26%		21		1.04%		12		0.59%		-3		-0.15%		2,024
	Loudoun		20,448		66.26%		10,101		32.73%		206		0.67%		107		0.35%		10,347		33.53%		30,862
	Louisa		3,831		57.16%		2,789		41.61%		42		0.63%		40		0.60%		1,042		15.55%		6,702
	Lunenburg		2,530		56.27%		1,870		41.59%		76		1.69%		20		0.44%		660		14.68%		4,496
	Lynchburg		15,323		64.04%		8,279		34.60%		243		1.02%		81		0.34%		7,044		29.44%		23,926
	Madison		2,501		62.12%		1,427		35.44%		59		1.47%		39		0.97%		1,074		26.68%		4,026
	Manassas		5,980		68.59%		2,658		30.49%		55		0.63%		26		0.30%		3,322		38.10%		8,719
	Manassas Park		993		68.67%		434		30.01%		9		0.62%		10		0.69%		559		38.66%		1,446
	Martinsville		3,360		53.64%		2,794		44.60%		86		1.37%		24		0.38%		566		9.04%		6,264
	Mathews		2,752		67.52%		1,235		30.30%		57		1.40%		32		0.79%		1,517		37.22%		4,076
	Mecklenburg		5,887		63.45%		3,275		35.30%		71		0.77%		45		0.49%		2,612		28.15%		9,278
	Middlesex		2,571		63.99%		1,361		33.87%		42		1.05%		44		1.10%		1,210		30.12%		4,018
	Montgomery		12,326		57.48%		8,909		41.55%		98		0.46%		111		0.52%		3,417		15.93%		21,444
	Nelson		2,502		51.60%		2,272		46.86%		35		0.72%		40		0.82%		230		4.74%		4,849
	New Kent		2,917		66.54%		1,427		32.55%		20		0.46%		20		0.46%		1,490		33.99%		4,384
	Newport News		32,570		59.88%		21,413		39.37%		287		0.53%		125		0.23%		11,157		20.51%		54,395
	Norfolk		30,538		44.33%		37,778		54.84%		347		0.50%		228		0.33%		-7,240		-10.51%		68,891
	Northampton		2,562		52.00%		2,242		45.50%		94		1.91%		29		0.59%		320		6.50%		4,927
	Northumberland		2,984		65.14%		1,506		32.87%		61		1.33%		30		0.65%		1,478		32.27%		4,581
	Norton		608		42.73%		795		55.87%		15		1.05%		5		0.35%		-187		-13.14%		1,423
	Nottoway		3,161		57.38%		2,217		40.24%		103		1.87%		28		0.51%		944		17.14%		5,509
	Orange		4,319		61.57%		2,592		36.95%		69		0.98%		35		0.50%		1,727		24.62%		7,015
	Page		5,013		66.18%		2,499		32.99%		35		0.46%		28		0.37%		2,514		33.19%		7,575
	Patrick		3,990		64.06%		2,093		33.60%		124		1.99%		22		0.35%		1,897		30.46%		6,229
	Petersburg		4,231		33.60%		8,177		64.94%		131		1.04%		52		0.41%		-3,946		-31.34%		12,591
	Pittsylvania		12,229		63.69%		6,612		34.44%		283		1.47%		77		0.40%		5,617		29.25%		19,201
	Poquoson		3,840		80.83%		877		18.46%		18		0.38%		16		0.34%		2,963		62.37%		4,751
	Portsmouth		16,087		44.61%		19,698		54.63%		166		0.46%		108		0.30%		-3,611		-10.02%		36,059
	Powhatan		4,040		72.91%		1,467		26.48%		16		0.29%		18		0.32%		2,573		46.43%		5,541
	Prince Edward		3,147		55.02%		2,434		42.55%		95		1.66%		44		0.77%		713		12.47%		5,720
	Prince George		4,982		66.29%		2,469		32.85%		38		0.51%		26		0.35%		2,513		33.44%		7,515
	Prince William		39,654		66.70%		19,198		32.29%		434		0.73%		167		0.28%		20,456		34.41%		59,453
	Pulaski		6,844		58.40%		4,686		39.99%		140		1.19%		49		0.42%		2,158		18.41%		11,719
	Radford		2,481		56.84%		1,855		42.50%		21		0.48%		8		0.18%		626		14.34%		4,365
	Rappahannock		1,657		61.69%		1,003		37.34%		8		0.30%		18		0.67%		654		24.35%		2,686
	Richmond		1,862		66.24%		924		32.87%		15		0.53%		10		0.36%		938		33.37%		2,811
	Richmond City		31,586		42.26%		42,155		56.41%		639		0.86%		356		0.48%		-10,569		-14.15%		74,736
	Roanoke		22,011		62.61%		12,938		36.80%		115		0.33%		93		0.26%		9,073		25.81%		35,157
	Roanoke City		15,389		46.90%		17,185		52.37%		132		0.40%		107		0.33%		-1,796		-5.47%		32,813
	Rockbridge		3,541		58.41%		2,412		39.79%		65		1.07%		44		0.73%		1,129		18.62%		6,062
	Rockingham		13,241		72.59%		4,716		25.85%		190		1.04%		94		0.52%		8,525		46.74%		18,241
	Russell		4,374		40.68%		6,222		57.86%		130		1.21%		27		0.25%		-1,848		-17.18%		10,753
	Salem		5,694		59.77%		3,760		39.47%		40		0.42%		33		0.35%		1,934		20.30%		9,527
	Scott		4,986		56.76%		3,616		41.16%		139		1.58%		44		0.50%		1,370		15.60%		8,785
	Shenandoah		8,612		71.74%		3,276		27.29%		67		0.56%		49		0.41%		5,336		44.45%		12,004
	Smyth		7,446		63.49%		3,989		34.02%		236		2.01%		56		0.48%		3,457		29.47%		11,727
	South Boston		1,694		64.05%		936		35.39%		11		0.42%		4		0.15%		758		28.66%		2,645
	Southampton		3,439		52.96%		3,000		46.20%		35		0.54%		19		0.29%		439		6.76%		6,493
	Spotsylvania		10,978		66.16%		5,486		33.06%		84		0.51%		45		0.27%		5,492		33.10%		16,593
	Stafford		12,234		69.07%		5,380		30.37%		55		0.31%		43		0.24%		6,854		38.70%		17,712
	Staunton		5,775		69.29%		2,457		29.48%		87		1.04%		15		0.18%		3,318		39.81%		8,334
	Suffolk		9,742		54.27%		8,080		45.01%		79		0.44%		49		0.27%		1,662		9.26%		17,950
	Surry		1,246		42.98%		1,602		55.26%		22		0.76%		29		1.00%		-356		-12.28%		2,899
	Sussex		1,822		46.77%		1,958		50.26%		79		2.03%		37		0.95%		-136		-3.49%		3,896
	Tazewell		7,165		46.37%		8,098		52.40%		152		0.98%		38		0.25%		-933		-6.03%		15,453
	Virginia Beach		76,481		68.89%		33,780		30.43%		397		0.36%		360		0.32%		42,701		38.46%		111,018
	Warren		4,700		61.86%		2,769		36.44%		103		1.36%		26		0.34%		1,931		25.42%		7,598
	Washington		10,722		63.45%		5,819		34.43%		293		1.73%		65		0.38%		4,903		29.02%		16,899
	Waynesboro		4,672		68.72%		2,038		29.97%		67		0.99%		22		0.32%		2,634		38.75%		6,799
	Westmoreland		2,974		55.38%		2,311		43.04%		60		1.12%		25		0.47%		663		12.34%		5,370
	Williamsburg		1,648		50.91%		1,534		47.39%		26		0.80%		29		0.90%		114		3.52%		3,237
	Winchester		4,497		65.53%		2,300		33.52%		25		0.36%		40		0.58%		2,197		32.01%		6,862
	Wise		6,189		46.23%		7,017		52.42%		130		0.97%		50		0.37%		-828		-6.19%		13,386
	Wythe		5,827		63.17%		3,201		34.70%		170		1.84%		27		0.29%		2,626		28.47%		9,225
	York		11,103		69.96%		4,639		29.23%		84		0.53%		45		0.28%		6,464		40.73%		15,871
Totals	1,309,162	59.74%	859,799	39.23%	14,312	0.65%	8,336	0.38%	449,363	20.51%	2,191,609

Counties and independent cities that flipped from Republican to Democratic

• Lee
• Tazewell
• Wise
• Clifton Forge
• Covington
• Falls Church
• Franklin
• Lexington
• Roanoke

See also

• Presidency of George H. W. Bush

Works cited

• Book: Black . Earl . Earl Black (political scientist) . Black . Merle . Merle Black . The Vital South: How Presidents Are Elected . . 1992 . 0674941306.
• Book: Moreland . Laurence . Steed . Robert . Baker . Tod . The 1988 Presidential Election in the South: Continuity Amidst Change in Southern Party Politics . . 1991 . 0275931455.

Notes and References

1. News: Priest. Dana. 1989-10-01. COAL STRIKE STUBBORNLY PASSES 6-MONTH MARK IN VA.. en-US. Washington Post. 2020-11-30. 0190-8286.
2. Sullivan, Robert David; ‘How the Red and Blue Map Evolved Over the Past Century’; America Magazine in The National Catholic Review; June 29, 2016
3. Web site: 1988 President Republican Primary . July 24, 2024 . Virginia Department of Elections: Historical Elections Database.
4. Book: Fitz-Hugh, Susan M. . COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA OFFICIAL ELECTION RESULTS March 8, 1988: DEMOCRATIC PRESIDENTIAL PREFERENCE PRIMARY and REPUBLICAN PRESIDENTIAL PREFERENCE PRIMARY . PDF.
5. Web site: 1988 President Democratic Primary . July 24, 2024 . Virginia Department of Elections: Historical Elections Database.
6. Web site: Clerk of the U.S. House of Representatives . Clerk of the United States House of Representatives . Statistics of the Presidential and Congressional Election of November 8, 1988 . . 50.
7. Web site: VA US President Race, November 08, 1988. Our Campaigns.