1988 United States Senate election in Florida explained

Election Name:1988 United States Senate election in Florida
Country:Florida
Type:presidential
Ongoing:no
Previous Election:1982 United States Senate election in Florida
Previous Year:1982
Next Election:1994 United States Senate election in Florida
Next Year:1994
Election Date:November 8, 1988
Image1:File:Connie Mack III (3x4 crop).jpg
Nominee1:Connie Mack III
Party1:Republican Party (United States)
Popular Vote1:2,051,071
Percentage1:50.42%
Nominee2:Buddy MacKay
Party2:Democratic Party (United States)
Popular Vote2:2,016,553
Percentage2:49.57%
Map Size:300px
U.S. Senator
Before Election:Lawton Chiles
Before Party:Democratic Party (United States)
After Election:Connie Mack III
After Party:Republican Party (United States)

The 1988 United States Senate election in Florida was held on November 8, 1988. Incumbent Democratic U.S. Senator Lawton Chiles decided to retire instead of seeking a fourth term. Republican Connie Mack III won the open seat, becoming the first Republican to hold this seat since Reconstruction in 1875.[1]

Democratic primary

Incumbent U.S. Senator Lawton Chiles announced in December 1987, that he would not seek reelection.

Former Governor Reubin Askew announced his candidacy and was regarded as a likely nominee, but withdrew stating that he was tired of campaigning and did not like fundraising.

Candidates

Results

Republican primary

In 1987, U.S. Representative Connie Mack III announced his campaign for the Republican nomination. Robert Merkle, a former U.S. Attorney, was Mack's only opposition in the Republican primary.

Candidates

Speculated

Results

General election

Candidates

Campaign

This senate election was heavily targeted by both parties. U.S. Representative Mack announced his candidacy back in October 1987.[2] President Ronald Reagan endorsed Mack in June 1988[3] to allow Mack to focus on the general election, as he easily won the September 6 Republican primary against U.S. Attorney Robert Merkle.[4] In May 1988, MacKay announced he would run for the open seat,[5] and defeated Insurance Commissioner Bill Gunter in a close October 4 runoff primary election.[6]

The general election became very nasty. MacKay tried to portray the Republican as "extremist."[7] Mack attacked his opponent in television ads by connecting him to unpopular Massachusetts Governor and presidential candidate Michael Dukakis.[8] Mack had help from vice presidential candidate Dan Quayle.[9] He also ran ten-second television advertisements that said "Hey Buddy, you're a liberal," a charge MacKay could never escape. The election was so close there was a recount until MacKay conceded eight days after election day.[10]

See also

Works cited

Notes and References

  1. 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 . . 9.
  2. News: Straight . Harry . Mack opens Senate race, hits Chiles . Orlando Sentinel . 1987-10-20.
  3. Web site: Reagan Endorses Mack in Miami President Rebukes Dukakis at Fund- Raiser . 2017-07-07 . 2012-11-05 . https://web.archive.org/web/20121105093107/http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/sun_sentinel/access/88805454.html?dids=88805454:88805454&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=Jun+30,+1988&author=JOHN+KENNEDY,+Politics+Writer&pub=South+Florida+Sun+-+Sentinel&desc=REAGAN+ENDORSES+MACK+IN+MIAMI+PRESIDENT+REBUKES+DUKAKIS+AT+FUND-+RAISER&pqatl=google . dead .
  4. News: Mack Easily Wins in Florida Primary. The New York Times. 7 September 1988.
  5. Web site: Daytona Beach Sunday News-Journal - Google News Archive Search.
  6. Web site: Gunter, MacKay in Runoff . 2017-07-07 . 2012-11-05 . https://web.archive.org/web/20121105093122/http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/washingtonpost/access/73628471.html?dids=73628471:73628471&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=Sep+08,+1988&author=Maralee+Schwartz%3B+Paul+Taylor&pub=The+Washington+Post+(pre-1997+Fulltext)&desc=Gunter,+MacKay+in+Runoff&pqatl=google . dead .
  7. Web site: The Albany Herald - Google News Archive Search.
  8. Web site: Sarasota Herald-Tribune - Google News Archive Search.
  9. Web site: Ocala Star-Banner - Google News Archive Search.
  10. News: Holmes . Charles . 1988-11-17 . The Palm Beach Post . MacKay throws in towel . 2015-06-16 . 2013-01-24 . https://archive.today/20130124150121/http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=AggjAAAAIBAJ&sjid=z80FAAAAIBAJ&pg=2166,1269360&dq=connie+mack&hl=en . dead .