1988 United States presidential election in Alabama
← 1984 November 8, 1988 1992 →
 
Nominee George H. W. Bush Michael Dukakis
Party Republican Democratic
Home state Texas Massachusetts
Running mate Dan Quayle Lloyd Bentsen
Electoral vote 9 0
Popular vote 815,576 549,506
Percentage 59.17% 39.86%
County Results
President before election

Ronald Reagan
Republican

Elected President

George H. W. Bush
Republican

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

The vast majority of counties in Alabama voted for Bush, with the major exception being the Black Belt, which with its predominantly African-American populace voted overwhelmingly Democratic. Macon County had been the most Democratic in the nation in 1980 and 1984, and it was Dukakis’ sixth-best county in the nation with a margin of over four-to-one for the Massachusetts Governor.[1]

Campaign

Primary

Al Gore won 64% of the white vote.[2] The racial composition of the Democratic primary was 55% white and 45% black.[3] 48% of white voters participated in the Republican primary.[4]

General

John Baker, the chair of the Alabama Democratic Party, criticized the Democratic campaign stating that he didn't "believe that the Dukakis campaign could have run a worse campaign than they've run". Richard Arrington Jr., the mayor of Birmingham and national co-chair of Dukakis' campaign, stated that the campaign gave up on Alabama.[5] In November The Birmingham News reported that Bush had an approval rating of 51% against a disapproval of 26% among Alabama voters while Dukakis held an approval rating of 28% against a disapproval rating of 43%.[6]

71% of white voters supported Bush while 28% supported Dukakis.[7][8]

The Democrats maintained their control over the Alabama House of Representatives, with 93 seats to the Republican's 12 seats, and Alabama Senate, with 31 seats to the Republican's 4 seats, despite Bush's victory in the presidential race.[9] All five incumbent Democratic members of the United States House of Representatives were reelected.[10]

Polling

Poll source Date(s)
administered 		Sample
size 		Margin
of error 		George
Bush
Republican 		Michael
Dukakis
Democratic 		Other /
Undecided
The Birmingham News[11] August 27–31, 1988 502 52% 32% 15%
The Birmingham News[11] September 27–29, 1988 504 54% 33% 13%
The Birmingham News[11] November 2–5, 1988 692 (LV) 57% 36% 8%

Predictions

Source Rating As of
The Cook Political Report[12] Solid R September 24, 1988

Results

1988 United States presidential election in Alabama
Party Candidate Votes Percentage Electoral votes
Republican George H. W. Bush 815,576 59.17% 9
Democratic Michael Dukakis 549,506 39.86% 0
Libertarian Ron Paul 8,460 0.61% 0
Independent Lenora Fulani 3,311 0.24% 0
Independent James Warren 656 0.05% 0
Write-Ins 506 0.04% 0
Independent Edward Winn 461[a] 0.03% 0
Totals 1,378,476 100.0% 9

Results by county

County George H.W. Bush
Republican 		Michael Dukakis
Democratic 		Ron Paul[13]
Libertarian 		Leonora Fulani[13]
Independent 		Various candidates[13]
Other parties 		Margin Total votes cast
# % # % # % # % # % # %
Autauga 7,828 67.17% 3,667 31.47% 143 1.23% 7 0.06% 9 0.08% 4,161 35.70% 11,654
Baldwin 25,933 72.85% 9,271 26.04% 336 0.94% 21 0.06% 37 0.10% 16,662 46.81% 35,598
Barbour 4,958 55.71% 3,836 43.11% 83 0.93% 11 0.12% 11 0.12% 1,122 12.60% 8,899
Bibb 2,885 56.06% 2,244 43.61% 7 0.14% 2 0.04% 8 0.16% 641 12.45% 5,146
Blount 8,754 64.61% 4,485 33.10% 294 2.17% 5 0.04% 10 0.07% 4,269 31.51% 13,548
Bullock 1,421 31.00% 3,122 68.11% 24 0.52% 8 0.17% 9 0.20% -1,701 -37.11% 4,584
Butler 3,923 52.59% 3,465 46.45% 61 0.82% 7 0.09% 3 0.04% 458 6.14% 7,459
Calhoun 19,806 58.31% 12,451 36.66% 360 1.06% 1,325 3.90% 26 0.08% 7,355 21.65% 33,968
Chambers 7,694 59.39% 5,103 39.39% 115 0.89% 21 0.16% 23 0.18% 2,591 20.00% 12,956
Cherokee 2,868 47.01% 3,176 52.06% 48 0.79% 1 0.02% 8 0.13% -308 -5.05% 6,101
Chilton 8,761 69.41% 3,820 30.26% 26 0.21% 12 0.10% 4 0.03% 4,941 39.15% 12,623
Choctaw 3,629 50.89% 3,491 48.96% 5 0.07% 1 0.01% 5 0.07% 138 1.93% 7,131
Clarke 5,708 56.97% 4,217 42.09% 84 0.84% 2 0.02% 9 0.09% 1,491 14.88% 10,020
Clay 3,496 66.74% 1,602 30.58% 45 0.86% 91 1.74% 4 0.08% 1,894 36.16% 5,238
Cleburne 3,071 68.40% 1,383 30.80% 26 0.58% 3 0.07% 7 0.16% 1,688 37.60% 4,490
Coffee 8,890 66.57% 4,319 32.34% 126 0.94% 15 0.11% 5 0.04% 4,571 34.23% 13,355
Colbert 7,775 42.25% 10,397 56.49% 208 1.13% 11 0.06% 13 0.07% -2,622 -14.24% 18,404
Conecuh 3,256 51.22% 3,022 47.54% 43 0.68% 16 0.25% 20 0.31% 234 3.68% 6,357
Coosa 2,405 56.15% 1,860 43.43% 15 0.35% 2 0.05% 1 0.02% 545 12.72% 4,283
Covington 8,130 67.34% 3,845 31.85% 55 0.46% 30 0.25% 13 0.11% 4,285 35.49% 12,073
Crenshaw 2,617 58.44% 1,836 41.00% 15 0.33% 5 0.11% 5 0.11% 781 17.44% 4,478
Cullman 14,351 61.87% 8,517 36.72% 132 0.57% 176 0.76% 21 0.09% 5,834 25.15% 23,197
Dale 9,266 71.80% 3,476 26.94% 131 1.02% 19 0.15% 13 0.10% 5,790 44.86% 12,905
Dallas 7,630 43.79% 9,660 55.44% 107 0.61% 18 0.10% 8 0.05% -2,030 -11.65% 17,423
DeKalb 11,478 60.60% 7,333 38.72% 106 0.56% 14 0.07% 9 0.05% 4,145 21.88% 18,940
Elmore 10,852 69.84% 4,501 28.97% 160 1.03% 13 0.08% 13 0.08% 6,351 40.87% 15,539
Escambia 6,807 62.14% 4,020 36.70% 66 0.60% 35 0.32% 26 0.24% 2,787 25.44% 10,954
Etowah 17,828 49.67% 17,762 49.49% 155 0.43% 114 0.32% 32 0.09% 66 0.18% 35,891
Fayette 4,338 57.40% 3,186 42.16% 15 0.20% 6 0.08% 12 0.16% 1,152 15.24% 7,557
Franklin 5,146 50.25% 4,961 48.44% 121 1.18% 8 0.08% 5 0.05% 185 1.81% 10,241
Geneva 5,703 67.32% 2,685 31.69% 45 0.53% 27 0.32% 12 0.14% 3,018 35.63% 8,472
Greene 1,048 23.94% 3,295 75.28% 29 0.66% 3 0.07% 2 0.05% -2,247 -51.34% 4,377
Hale 2,414 42.71% 3,187 56.39% 35 0.62% 10 0.18% 6 0.11% -773 -13.68% 5,652
Henry 3,613 61.82% 2,206 37.75% 13 0.22% 6 0.10% 6 0.10% 1,407 24.07% 5,844
Houston 19,989 73.87% 7,001 25.87% 44 0.16% 15 0.06% 12 0.04% 12,988 48.00% 27,061
Jackson 6,090 44.55% 7,418 54.27% 147 1.08% 8 0.06% 6 0.04% -1,328 -9.72% 13,669
Jefferson 148,879 57.74% 107,766 41.80% 781 0.30% 282 0.11% 73 0.03% 41,113 15.94% 257,833
Lamar 3,214 58.48% 2,274 41.38% 5 0.09% 1 0.02% 2 0.04% 940 17.10% 5,496
Lauderdale 12,942 49.43% 12,862 49.13% 325 1.24% 11 0.04% 88 0.34% 80 0.30% 26,180
Lawrence 3,616 42.96% 4,646 55.20% 83 0.99% 63 0.75% 0 0.00% -1,030 -12.24% 8,417
Lee 17,180 64.39% 9,078 34.02% 393 1.47% 19 0.07% 19 0.07% 8,102 30.37% 26,683
Limestone 9,086 61.56% 5,455 36.96% 186 1.26% 23 0.16% 14 0.09% 3,631 24.60% 14,760
Lowndes 1,405 29.42% 3,328 69.68% 31 0.65% 7 0.15% 10 0.21% -1,923 -40.26% 4,776
Macon 1,304 16.81% 6,351 81.88% 40 0.52% 53 0.68% 8 0.10% -5,047 -65.07% 7,756
Madison 53,575 67.06% 25,800 32.29% 353 0.44% 108 0.14% 58 0.07% 27,775 34.77% 79,894
Marengo 4,241 48.61% 4,402 50.45% 65 0.74% 14 0.16% 3 0.03% -161 -1.84% 8,725
Marion 5,955 56.73% 4,505 42.92% 17 0.16% 4 0.04% 16 0.15% 1,450 13.81% 10,497
Marshall 12,148 60.90% 7,357 36.88% 264 1.32% 66 0.33% 112 0.56% 4,791 24.02% 19,947
Mobile 72,203 60.88% 45,524 38.39% 766 0.65% 74 0.06% 30 0.03% 26,679 22.49% 118,597
Monroe 5,379 60.07% 3,509 39.19% 45 0.50% 17 0.19% 4 0.04% 1,870 20.88% 8,954
Montgomery 41,131 58.43% 28,709 40.79% 471 0.67% 66 0.09% 14 0.02% 12,422 17.64% 70,391
Morgan 18,679 63.54% 10,594 36.04% 73 0.25% 24 0.08% 27 0.09% 8,085 27.50% 29,397
Perry 2,107 36.59% 3,574 62.07% 52 0.90% 13 0.23% 12 0.21% -1,467 -25.48% 5,758
Pickens 3,851 55.16% 3,107 44.50% 11 0.16% 4 0.06% 9 0.13% 744 10.66% 6,982
Pike 5,897 60.04% 3,813 38.82% 90 0.92% 7 0.07% 14 0.14% 2,084 21.22% 9,821
Randolph 4,625 64.02% 2,462 34.08% 128 1.77% 1 0.01% 8 0.11% 2,163 29.94% 7,224
Russell 6,333 48.40% 6,589 50.35% 134 1.02% 16 0.12% 14 0.11% -256 -1.95% 13,086
Shelby 27,052 78.84% 7,138 20.80% 72 0.21% 26 0.08% 26 0.08% 19,914 58.04% 34,314
St. Clair 10,604 70.71% 4,335 28.91% 36 0.24% 8 0.05% 14 0.09% 6,269 41.80% 14,997
Sumter 2,212 33.36% 4,390 66.21% 11 0.17% 7 0.11% 10 0.15% -2,178 -32.85% 6,630
Talladega 12,973 60.32% 8,291 38.55% 126 0.59% 76 0.35% 40 0.19% 4,682 21.77% 21,506
Tallapoosa 8,502 63.93% 4,598 34.58% 176 1.32% 9 0.07% 13 0.10% 3,904 29.35% 13,298
Tuscaloosa 27,396 59.87% 18,166 39.70% 118 0.26% 46 0.10% 32 0.07% 9,230 20.17% 45,758
Walker 11,011 48.51% 11,338 49.95% 156 0.69% 179 0.79% 16 0.07% -327 -1.44% 22,700
Washington 3,741 52.23% 3,402 47.49% 8 0.11% 8 0.11% 4 0.06% 339 4.74% 7,163
Wilcox 1,739 33.98% 3,369 65.83% 3 0.06% 2 0.04% 5 0.10% -1,630 -31.85% 5,118
Winston 6,235 67.59% 2,954 32.02% 16 0.17% 9 0.10% 11 0.12% 3,281 35.57% 9,225
Totals 815,576 59.17% 549,506 39.86% 8,460 0.61% 3,311 0.24% 1,623 0.12% 266,070 19.31% 1,378,476

Counties that flipped from Republican to Democratic

[14][15]

See also

Notes

  1. ^ These votes for Winn were not listed by county but only as a state-wide total.[13]

References

  1. ^ "1988 Presidential Election Statistics". Dave Leip’s U.S. Election Atlas.
  2. ^ Black & Black 1992, p. 266.
  3. ^ Black & Black 1992, p. 263.
  4. ^ Black & Black 1992, p. 288.
  5. ^ Moreland, Steed & Baker 1991, p. 40-41.
  6. ^ Moreland, Steed & Baker 1991, p. 44.
  7. ^ Black & Black 1992, p. 295.
  8. ^ Black & Black 1992, p. 335.
  9. ^ Moreland, Steed & Baker 1991, p. xii.
  10. ^ Moreland, Steed & Baker 1991, p. 45.
  11. ^ a b c Moreland, Steed & Baker 1991, p. 41.
  12. ^ "1988 CPR Electoral College Ratings". The Cook Political Report. Retrieved March 24, 2024.
  13. ^ a b c d "AL US President Race, November 08, 1988". Our Campaigns.
  14. ^ "1984 Presidential General Election Results - Alabama". Dave Leip's election atlas.
  15. ^ "1988 Presidential General Election Results - Alabama". Dave Leip's election atlas.

Works cited

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