1988 United States presidential election in Rhode Island

The 1988 United States presidential election in Rhode Island took place on November 8, 1988, as part of the 1988 United States presidential election, which was held throughout all 50 states and D.C. Voters chose four representatives, or electors to the Electoral College, who voted for president and vice president.

1988 United States presidential election in Rhode Island

November 8, 1988
Turnout	70.2%[1] 7.8 pp
Nominee Michael Dukakis George H. W. Bush Party Democratic Republican Home state Massachusetts Texas Running mate Lloyd Bentsen Dan Quayle Electoral vote 4 0 Popular vote 225,123 177,761 Percentage 55.64% 43.93%
County Results Dukakis   50–60%
President before election Ronald Reagan Republican Elected President George H. W. Bush Republican

Elections in Rhode Island
Federal government U.S. President 1792 1796 1800 1804 1808 1812 1816 1820 1824 1828 1832 1836 1840 1844 1848 1852 1856 1860 1864 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 Dem 2008 Dem GOP 2012 2016 Dem 2020 Dem GOP U.S. Senate 1790 1791 1792 1793 1796 1796 (sp) 1797 1797 (sp) 1798 1801 (sp) 1802 1804 1804 (sp) 1807 (sp) 1808 1809 (sp) 1810 1811 (sp) 1814 1821 (sp) 1823 1823 (sp) 1825 (sp) 1827 1829 1829 (sp) 1833 1835 1841 1842 (sp) 1844 (sp) 1853 1856 1858 1862 1862 (sp) 1864 1868 1870 1874 1875 1876 1880 1881 (sp) 1882 1885 (sp) 1886 1888 1889 (sp) 1892 1894 1898 1900 1905 1908 (sp) 1910 1911 1913 1916 1918 1922 1924 1924 (sp) 1928 1930 1934 1936 1940 1942 1946 1948 1950 (sp) 1952 1954 1958 1960 1964 1966 1970 1972 1976 1978 1982 1984 1988 1990 1994 1996 2000 2002 2006 2008 2012 2014 2018 2020 U.S. House Aug 1790 Oct 1790 1792 1794 1796 (sp) 1796 1797 (sp) 1798 1800/01 1802 1804 1806 1808 (sp) 1808 1810 1812 1814 1816 1818 1833 1835 1837 1839 1841 1843 1845 1847 1849 1851 1853 1855 1857 1859 1861 1863 1865 1867 1868 1870 1872 1874 1876 1878 1880 1882 1884 1886 1888 1890 1892 1894 1896 1898 1900 1902 1904 1906 1908 1910 1912 1914 1916 1920 1928 1935 (sp) 1940 1956 1960 1968 1972 1980 1994 1998 2000 2006 2008 2010 2012 2014 2016 2018 2020
State government General elections 2014 2018 2020 Gubernatorial elections 1776 1787 1789 1801 1802 1818 1819 1820 1821 1822 1823 1824 1825 1826 1827 1828 1829 1830 1878 1879 1880 1881 1882 1883 1884 1885 1886 1887 1888 1889 1890 1891 1892 1893 1894 1895 1896 1897 1898 1899 1900 1901 1902 1903 1904 1905 1906 1907 1908 1909 1910 1911 1912 1914 1916 1918 1920 1922 1924 1926 1928 1930 1932 1934 1936 1938 1940 1942 1944 1946 1948 1950 1952 1954 1956 1958 1960 1962 1964 1966 1968 1970 1972 1974 1976 1978 1980 1982 1984 1986 1988 1990 1992 1994 1998 2002 2006 2010 2014 2018 2022 State Senate elections 2020 State House of Representatives elections 2020
Providence Mayoral elections 2010 2014 2018 2022

Rhode Island voted for the Democratic nominee, Massachusetts Governor Michael Dukakis, over Republican Vice President George H. W. Bush. Dukakis took 55.64% of the vote to Bush's 43.93%, a margin of 11.71%. This made it one of 10 states (plus the District of Columbia) to vote for Dukakis, while Bush won a convincing electoral victory nationwide.

A liberal New England state, Rhode Island gave Dukakis his strongest state victory in the nation, with only the District of Columbia voting more Democratic. It was one of just two states (along with Iowa) to vote Democratic by a double-digit margin, and one of only two states (along with Hawaii) to have all of its counties go to Dukakis. Despite this, it was still a relatively strong Republican performance compared to how the state has trended since. The state has voted Democratic in every presidential election that followed. This remains the last time a Republican candidate won over 40% of the vote in Rhode Island.