United States presidential election in Maine, 1988

Main article: United States presidential election, 1988

United States presidential election in Maine, 1988

November 8, 1988

Nominee George H.W. Bush Michael Dukakis Party Republican Democratic Home state Texas Massachusetts Running mate Dan Quayle Lloyd Bentsen Electoral vote 4 0 Popular vote 307,131 243,569 Percentage 55.34% 43.88%

240px County Results   Bush—50-60%   Bush—60-70%

President before election Ronald Reagan Republican Elected President George H. W. Bush Republican

The 1988 United States presidential election in Maine 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 8 representatives, or electors to the Electoral College, who voted for President and Vice President.

Maine voted for the Republican nominee, Vice President George H. W. Bush, over the Democratic nominee, Massachusetts Governor Michael Dukakis, by a margin of 11.45%. Bush took 55.34% of the vote to Dukakis's 43.88%.

Bush's comfortable win was expected, as the state was at the time Republican-leaning, and the Bush family also had ties to Maine, with Bush owning a house in Kennebunkport, Maine.

Like the rest of liberal and secular New England, however, Maine would soon begin to drift to the Democratic Party as the Republican Party became increasingly dominated by conservatives, Southerners, and Evangelical Christians. Consequently, this would be the last time that a Republican would carry the state of Maine in a presidential election, and in the following two decades it would become regarded as a safe blue state.

Results

United States presidential election in Maine, 1988
Party		Candidate	Votes	Percentage	Electoral votes
	Republican	George H. W. Bush	307,131	55.34%	4
	Democratic	Michael Dukakis	243,569	43.88%	0
	Libertarian	Ron Paul	2,700	0.49%	0
	New Alliance	Lenora Fulani	1,405	0.25%	0
	No party	Write-ins	230	0.04%	0
Totals			555,035	100.00%	4
Voter Turnout (Voting age/Registered)					62%/65%