1988 United States presidential election in North Carolina
← 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 13 0
Popular vote 1,237,258 890,167
Percentage 57.97% 41.71%
President before election

Ronald Reagan
Republican

Elected President

George H. W. Bush
Republican

Elections in North Carolina
Federal government
U.S. President
U.S. Senate
U.S. House of Representatives
State executive
Gubernatorial elections
Lieutenant Governor elections
Attorney General elections
Council of State elections
Secretary of State elections
State legislature
State Senate elections
State House elections
State judiciary
Judicial elections
Ballot measures
2012
Amendment 1
Mayoral elections
Charlotte mayoral elections
Cary mayoral elections
Durham mayoral elections
Fayetteville mayoral elections
Greensboro mayoral elections
Raleigh mayoral elections
Winston-Salem mayoral elections

The 1988 United States presidential election in North Carolina took place on November 8, 1988, and was part of the 1988 United States presidential election. Voters chose 13 representatives, or electors to the Electoral College, who voted for president and vice president.

North Carolina voted for the Vice President George H. W. Bush, running with U.S Senator Dan Quayle, against Governor Michael Dukakis, running with U.S. Senator Lloyd Bentsen. As of the 2020 presidential election, this is the last election in which Pasquotank County voted for a Republican presidential candidate.[1]

Background

With the exception of Jimmy Carter's victory in North Carolina in 1976, the state had voted for the Republican presidential nominee in every election since 1968. Republican membership in the United States House of Representatives from North Carolina peaked in elections held concurrently with the presidential elections and shrank in the following midterms. Jesse Helms's victory in the 1972 senatorial election made him the state's first Republican senator in the 20th century and John Porter East was elected to the state's other seat in 1980, but lost in the 1986 election.[2]

Republican identification among voters in the state rose from 27% to 37% between 1968 and 1986 while identification among Democrats fell from 68% to 58%.[3]

Campaign

Al Gore won 51% of the white vote while Dukakis won 30%.[4] The racial composition of the Democratic primary was 71% white and 29% black.[5] 36% of white voters participated in the Republican primary.[6]

North Carolina was one of the southern states that Michael Dukakis's campaign viewed as winnable. The North Carolina Democratic Party used $500,000 from the national party to hire over 100 workers and organize phone banks in every county, which contacted over 200,000 households. The North Carolina Republican Party received $700,000 from the national party, but only hired ten workers and instead used the money to conduct polling and hire mailing organizations.[7]

George H. W. Bush campaign in the state three times, and Dan Quayle, Dukakis, and Lloyd Bentsen each came twice.[8] 68% of white voters supported Bush while 32% supported Dukakis.[9][10]

Results

1988 United States presidential election in North Carolina[11]
Party Candidate Votes Percentage Electoral votes
Republican George H. W. Bush 1,237,258 57.97% 13
Democratic Michael Dukakis 890,167 41.71% 0
New Alliance Lenora Fulani 5,682 0.27% 0
Write-in Ron Paul 1,263 0.06% 0
Invalid or blank votes —
Totals 2,134,370 100.00% 13
Voter turnout —

Results by county

1988 United States presidential election in North Carolina by county[12]
County George H. W. Bush
Republican 		Michael Dukakis
Democratic 		Lenora Fulani
New Alliance 		Ron Paul
Write-in 		Margin
% # % # % # % # % #
Mitchell 76.82% 4,620 22.90% 1,377 0.28% 17 53.92% 3,243
Avery 75.33% 4,277 24.08% 1,367 0.39% 22 0.21% 12 51.25% 2,910
Randolph 73.32% 23,881 26.53% 8,641 0.15% 49 46.79% 15,240
Davie 71.37% 7,988 28.29% 3,166 0.34% 38 43.08% 4,822
Yadkin 71.10% 7,918 28.69% 3,195 0.22% 24 42.41% 4,723
Gaston 70.32% 34,775 29.49% 14,582 0.18% 87 0.01% 7 40.83% 20,193
Catawba 69.01% 28,872 30.89% 12,922 0.11% 44 38.12% 15,950
Davidson 68.11% 28,374 31.72% 13,215 0.17% 70 0.01% 3 36.39% 15,159
Henderson 67.68% 19,711 32.06% 9,338 0.20% 58 0.06% 18 35.62% 10,373
Cabarrus 67.75% 22,524 32.14% 10,686 0.08% 26 0.04% 12 35.61% 11,838
Wilkes 67.65% 15,231 32.11% 7,230 0.24% 53 35.54% 8,001
Iredell 67.02% 21,536 32.77% 10,530 0.19% 62 0.02% 7 34.25% 11,006
Caldwell 65.78% 15,176 34.08% 7,862 0.14% 33 31.70% 7,314
Union 65.71% 17,015 34.06% 8,820 0.18% 46 0.06% 15 31.65% 8,195
Alexander 65.56% 7,968 34.13% 4,148 0.27% 33 0.04% 5 31.43% 3,820
Rowan 65.48% 23,192 34.24% 12,127 0.27% 96 0.00% 1 31.24% 11,065
Alamance 65.48% 24,131 34.31% 12,642 0.19% 69 0.02% 9 31.18% 11,489
Moore 65.37% 14,543 34.35% 7,642 0.12% 27 0.16% 36 31.02% 6,901
Dare 64.85% 5,234 34.77% 2,806 0.36% 29 0.02% 2 30.08% 2,428
Nash 64.34% 15,906 35.35% 8,740 0.13% 32 0.18% 44 28.99% 7,166
Lincoln 64.26% 11,651 35.54% 6,444 0.18% 32 0.02% 3 28.72% 5,207
Stanly 64.13% 11,885 35.76% 6,627 0.09% 17 0.02% 3 28.37% 5,258
Johnston 63.97% 15,563 35.83% 8,717 0.14% 35 0.06% 14 28.14% 6,846
Cherokee 63.78% 4,557 35.93% 2,567 0.29% 21 27.85% 1,990
Onslow 62.87% 12,253 36.75% 7,162 0.36% 71 0.01% 2 26.12% 5,091
Clay 62.47% 2,174 37.04% 1,289 0.37% 13 0.11% 4 25.43% 885
Lee 62.47% 7,104 37.21% 4,231 0.30% 34 0.02% 2 25.27% 2,873
Wayne 62.48% 15,292 37.33% 9,135 0.19% 47 25.16% 6,157
Craven 62.10% 12,057 37.66% 7,313 0.24% 46 0.01% 1 24.43% 4,744
Transylvania 61.86% 7,009 37.78% 4,280 0.17% 19 0.19% 22 24.09% 2,729
Stokes 61.81% 8,661 37.96% 5,319 0.19% 27 0.04% 5 23.85% 3,342
Carteret 61.55% 11,076 38.12% 6,859 0.28% 51 0.04% 8 23.44% 4,217
Macon 61.39% 6,026 38.44% 3,773 0.13% 13 0.04% 4 22.95% 2,253
Graham 61.16% 2,091 38.40% 1,313 0.44% 15 22.76% 778
Surry 61.06% 11,393 38.83% 7,245 0.12% 22 22.23% 4,148
Currituck 60.98% 2,443 38.82% 1,555 0.12% 5 0.07% 3 22.17% 888
New Hanover 60.56% 23,807 39.18% 15,401 0.21% 82 0.06% 23 21.38% 8,406
Beaufort 60.35% 8,190 39.44% 5,352 0.21% 28 20.91% 2,838
Polk 60.31% 3,874 39.45% 2,534 0.20% 13 0.03% 2 20.86% 1,340
Rutherford 59.73% 10,337 40.02% 6,926 0.25% 43 19.71% 3,411
Ashe 59.69% 6,019 40.01% 4,034 0.17% 17 0.13% 13 19.69% 1,985
Mecklenburg 59.42% 106,236 40.22% 71,907 0.35% 619 0.02% 34 19.20% 34,329
Burke 59.41% 15,933 40.45% 10,848 0.10% 26 0.04% 12 18.96% 5,085
McDowell 59.34% 6,526 40.46% 4,449 0.20% 22 18.89% 2,077
Forsyth 59.02% 57,688 40.65% 39,726 0.31% 302 0.02% 19 18.38% 17,962
Watauga 58.59% 8,662 40.91% 6,048 0.39% 57 0.12% 18 17.68% 2,614
Lenoir 58.13% 10,669 41.68% 7,649 0.19% 34 0.01% 1 16.46% 3,020
Buncombe 57.55% 36,828 42.14% 26,964 0.29% 185 0.02% 15 15.41% 9,864
Cleveland 57.54% 14,039 42.30% 10,321 0.11% 28 0.04% 9 15.24% 3,718
Harnett 57.25% 9,749 42.63% 7,259 0.12% 21 14.62% 2,490
Wilson 57.11% 10,997 42.65% 8,214 0.21% 40 0.03% 6 14.45% 2,783
Wake 56.87% 81,613 42.75% 61,352 0.34% 482 0.04% 57 14.12% 20,261
Guilford 56.35% 66,060 42.95% 50,351 0.24% 276 0.46% 545 13.40% 15,709
Person 56.00% 4,832 43.78% 3,777 0.20% 17 0.02% 2 12.23% 1,055
Brunswick 55.78% 10,007 43.93% 7,881 0.18% 32 0.11% 19 11.85% 2,126
Rockingham 55.77% 14,591 44.15% 11,551 0.08% 21 0.00% 1 11.62% 3,040
Pitt 55.08% 18,245 44.61% 14,777 0.22% 72 0.10% 33 10.47% 3,468
Perquimans 53.32% 1,781 46.20% 1,543 0.42% 14 0.06% 2 7.13% 238
Madison 53.07% 3,453 46.62% 3,033 0.31% 20 6.46% 420
Cumberland 53.07% 27,057 46.66% 23,789 0.24% 121 0.02% 12 6.41% 3,268
Montgomery 52.80% 4,504 46.83% 3,995 0.36% 31 5.97% 509
Pender 52.84% 4,926 46.95% 4,377 0.14% 13 0.08% 7 5.89% 549
Yancey 52.00% 4,160 47.54% 3,803 0.46% 37 4.46% 357
Chowan 51.56% 1,884 48.06% 1,756 0.38% 14 3.50% 128
Sampson 51.49% 8,524 48.38% 8,009 0.13% 22 3.11% 515
Camden 50.87% 1,144 48.07% 1,081 1.07% 24 2.80% 63
Pamlico 50.98% 2,297 48.56% 2,188 0.47% 21 2.42% 109
Jackson 51.03% 5,166 48.73% 4,933 0.24% 24 2.30% 233
Alleghany 50.98% 2,174 48.94% 2,087 0.07% 3 2.04% 87
Pasquotank 50.76% 4,006 48.91% 3,860 0.32% 25 0.01% 1 1.85% 146
Franklin 50.17% 5,499 49.62% 5,438 0.20% 22 0.01% 1 0.56% 61
Vance 49.88% 5,625 49.94% 5,631 0.16% 18 0.02% 2 -0.05% -6
Haywood 49.68% 8,957 49.98% 9,010 0.27% 48 0.07% 13 -0.29% -53
Swain 49.52% 1,795 50.23% 1,821 0.25% 9 -0.72% -26
Duplin 49.24% 5,774 50.70% 5,945 0.06% 7 -1.46% -171
Granville 46.75% 4,880 50.58% 5,280 2.62% 274 0.05% 5 -3.83% -400
Chatham 47.81% 6,999 51.92% 7,600 0.18% 27 0.09% 13 -4.11% -601
Greene 47.69% 2,498 52.10% 2,729 0.21% 11 -4.41% -231
Martin 46.61% 3,149 53.26% 3,598 0.10% 7 0.03% 2 -6.65% -449
Halifax 46.03% 7,462 53.83% 8,726 0.14% 23 -7.80% -1,264
Jones 45.78% 1,649 54.03% 1,946 0.19% 7 -8.25% -297
Durham 45.43% 29,928 53.79% 35,441 0.73% 478 0.05% 36 -8.37% -5,513
Scotland 45.16% 3,199 54.56% 3,865 0.28% 20 -9.40% -666
Tyrrell 44.70% 637 55.09% 785 0.21% 3 -10.39% -148
Caswell 43.93% 3,299 55.79% 4,189 0.27% 20 0.01% 1 -11.85% -890
Washington 43.69% 2,186 56.08% 2,806 0.22% 11 0.02% 1 -12.39% -620
Edgecombe 42.92% 6,831 56.82% 9,044 0.19% 31 0.06% 10 -13.90% -2,213
Bladen 42.77% 3,770 57.08% 5,031 0.15% 13 -14.31% -1,261
Columbus 41.93% 6,659 57.75% 9,172 0.32% 51 -15.82% -2,513
Gates 41.64% 1,451 58.08% 2,024 0.29% 10 -16.44% -573
Hyde 41.52% 940 58.13% 1,316 0.35% 8 -16.61% -376
Richmond 41.39% 5,073 58.34% 7,151 0.21% 26 0.06% 7 -16.95% -2,078
Orange 39.13% 14,503 60.23% 22,326 0.35% 131 0.29% 107 -21.11% -7,823
Hoke 37.88% 2,020 61.52% 3,281 0.60% 32 -23.65% -1,261
Hertford 37.54% 2,977 62.33% 4,943 0.11% 9 0.01% 1 -24.79% -1,966
Robeson 36.70% 9,908 62.92% 16,988 0.39% 104 -26.22% -7,080
Anson 36.45% 2,782 63.29% 4,831 0.26% 20 -26.84% -2,049
Bertie 36.24% 2,145 63.56% 3,762 0.20% 12 -27.32% -1,617
Northampton 34.34% 2,415 65.39% 4,599 0.27% 19 -31.05% -2,184
Warren 33.64% 2,163 66.09% 4,249 0.26% 17 -32.45% -2,086

Voter demographics

The 1988 presidential vote by demographic subgroup
Demographic subgroup Dukakis Bush % of
total vote
Total vote 42 58 100
Party
Republican 94
Independent 70
Democratic 18
Ideology
Liberals 27
Moderates 49
Conservatives 83
Gender
Men 63
Women 53
Race
White 68
Black 8
Occupation
Blue collar 60
White collar 63
Professional 61
Education
Less than high school graduate 51
High school graduate 64
College 60
Graduate/professional work 52
Age
18–24 years old 65
25–49 years old 59
50–64 years old 56
65 and older 52
Family income
Under $20,000 42
$20,000–50,000 61
Over $50,000 68
Religion
Protestant 65
Catholic 48

Source: NBC exit poll (2,516 surveyed) and CBS News exit poll (1,503 surveyed) [13]

References

  1. ^ Sullivan, Robert David; ‘How the Red and Blue Map Evolved Over the Past Century’; America Magazine in The National Catholic Review; June 29, 2016
  2. ^ Moreland, Steed & Baker 1991, p. 185-186.
  3. ^ Moreland, Steed & Baker 1991, p. 186.
  4. ^ Black & Black 1992, p. 266.
  5. ^ Black & Black 1992, p. 263.
  6. ^ Black & Black 1992, p. 288.
  7. ^ Moreland, Steed & Baker 1991, p. 190-191.
  8. ^ Moreland, Steed & Baker 1991, p. 191.
  9. ^ Black & Black 1992, p. 295.
  10. ^ Black & Black 1992, p. 335.
  11. ^ "1988 Presidential General Election Results – North Carolina". Dave Leip's U.S. Election Atlas. Retrieved August 25, 2008.
  12. ^ "NC US President Race, November 08, 1988". Our Campaigns.
  13. ^ Moreland, Steed & Baker 1991, p. 196-197.

Works cited

Categories