1988 Republican Party presidential primaries

Last updated
1988 Republican Party presidential primaries
Flag of the United States.svg
  1984 January 14 to June 14, 1988 1992  

2,044 delegates to the 1988 Republican National Convention
1,023 (majority) votes needed to win
  VP George Bush crop.jpg Ks 1996 dole (cropped).jpg Pat Robertson speaks about the national deficit (1).jpg
Candidate George H. W. Bush Bob Dole Pat Robertson
Home state Texas Kansas Virginia
Delegate count1,525463207
Contests won4254
Popular vote8,253,5122,333,3751,097,446
Percentage67.9%19.2%9.0%

1988RepublicanPresidentialPrimaries.svg
Gold denotes a state won by George H. W. Bush. Green denotes a state won by Pat Robertson. Purple denotes a state won by Bob Dole. Grey denotes a territory that did not hold a primary.

Previous Republican nominee

Ronald Reagan

Republican nominee

George H. W. Bush

From January 14 to June 14, 1988, Republican voters chose their nominee for president in the 1988 United States presidential election. Incumbent Vice President George H. W. Bush was selected as the nominee through a series of primary elections and caucuses culminating in the 1988 Republican National Convention held from August 15 to August 18, 1988, in New Orleans, Louisiana.

Contents

As the incumbent vice president of the popular Republican President Ronald Reagan, George Bush was seen by many Republicans as a surrogate candidate for a third term of the president who could not seek reelection again. After Bush was nominated, Dan Quayle was chosen as Bush's running mate, and the Republican ticket went on to win the general election against the Democratic ticket of Michael Dukakis and Lloyd Bentsen by a wide margin. It was the third consecutive Republican victory in a presidential election, marking the first time since President Harry S. Truman's surprise 1948 victory that any party had held the White House more than two terms, and remains the most recent occurrence.

Primary race

Vice President George H. W. Bush had the private support of President Ronald Reagan and publicly pledged to continue Reagan's policies, but also pledged a "kinder and gentler nation" [1] in an attempt to win over some more moderate voters. Bush faced some prominent challengers for the GOP nomination, despite his front-runner status.

In 1987, Donald Trump, then known as a New York real estate executive and registered as a Republican, hinted in various television interviews that he was considering running for President. [2] He took out a series of newspaper ads in The New York Times , The Washington Post , and The Boston Globe criticizing Reagan's foreign policy for being too expensive. [3] [4] He also vocally advocated reducing foreign aid to Japan, Kuwait, and Saudi Arabia; accelerating nuclear disarmament negotiations with the Soviet Union; and eliminating the federal deficit. [5] Mike Dunbar, an important Republican operative, started a "draft Donald Trump" movement to try to convince him to run in the New Hampshire primaries. [4] However, Trump eventually announced at a political rally arranged by Dunbar in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, that he would not seek the Republican nomination. [6] Later, Trump approached Bush's campaign manager Lee Atwater asking to be considered as a possible choice for running mate. Bush found the request "strange and unbelievable." [7] Apparently contradicting this report, Trump later asserted it was Atwater who approached him asking if he was interested in the position. [8] Trump would eventually win the 2016 Republican Party presidential primaries and go on to win the presidential election against his Democratic opponent Hillary Clinton. He would later lose the 2020 election to Democrat Joe Biden, who was running for the Democratic nomination in 1988, but dropped out before the primaries began. Trump is currently seeking the Republican nomination for president in 2024.

Robertson's campaign got off to a strong second-place finish in the Iowa caucuses, ahead of Bush. Robertson did poorly in the subsequent New Hampshire primary, however, and was unable to be competitive once the multiple-state primaries like Super Tuesday began. Robertson ended his campaign before the primaries were finished. His best finish was in Washington, winning the majority of caucus delegates. However, his controversial win has been credited to procedural manipulation by Robertson supporters who delayed final voting until late into the evening when other supporters had gone home. He later spoke at the 1988 Republican National Convention in New Orleans and told his remaining supporters to cast their votes for Bush, who ended up winning the nomination and the election. He then returned to the Christian Broadcasting Network and would remain there as a religious broadcaster until his death in 2023.

Bush unexpectedly came in third in the Iowa caucus (that he had won back in 1980), behind Senator Bob Dole and Robertson. Dole was also leading in the polls of the New Hampshire primary, and the Bush camp responded by running television commercials portraying Dole as a tax raiser, while Governor John H. Sununu stumped for Bush. These efforts enabled the Vice President to defeat Dole and gain crucial momentum. Embittered by his loss in New Hampshire, Dole told Bush directly, on live television that evening, to "stop lying about my record." [9]

Once the multiple-state primaries began, Bush's organizational strength and fundraising lead were impossible for the other candidates to match, and the nomination was his. The Republican party convention was held in New Orleans, Louisiana. Bush was nominated unanimously.

In his acceptance speech, Bush made an energetic pledge, "Read my lips: No new taxes", a comment that would come to haunt him in the 1992 election.

Candidates

Nominee

CandidateMost recent officeHome StateCampaign

Withdrawal date

Popular voteContests wonRunning mate
George Bush George H. W. Bush in The Treaty Room Posing for The 1987 Cabinet Photo.jpg Vice President of the United States
(1981–1989)
Flag-map of Texas.svg
Texas
Bush Quayle 1988 campaign logo.svg
(Campaign)
Secured nomination:
April 26, 1988
8,253,512
(67.90%)
42 Dan Quayle

Withdrew before convention

CandidateMost recent officeHome StateCampaign

Withdrawal date

Popular voteContests won
Bob Dole Senator Bob Dole (cropped).jpg U.S. Senator from Kansas
(1969–1996)
Flag-map of Kansas.svg
Kansas
Bobdole1988 1.gif
(campaign)
2,333,375
(19.19%)
5
Pat Robertson Pat Robertson speaks about the national deficit (cropped).jpg Chair of CBN Flag-map of Virginia.svg
Virginia
Pat robertson 1988 presidential campaign logo.png
(campaign)
1,097,446
(9.02%)
4
Jack Kemp Jack Kemp official portrait.jpg U.S. Representative
(1971–1989)
Flag-map of New York.svg
New York
Jackkemp1988.gif
(campaign)
331,333
(2.72%)
0

Candidates who received less than 1%

Declined to seek nomination

Endorsements

George H. W. Bush

Bob Dole

Jack Kemp

Pete duPont

Polling

National polling

Poll sourcePublication date
George Bush
Bob Dole
Pete DuPont
Al Haig
Jack Kemp
Pat Robertson
Others/Undecided
Gallup [20] Jun. 10, 198539%8%5%48%
Gallup [20] Jan. 13, 198646%10%5%39%
Gallup [20] Apr. 14, 198640%10%2%6%4%38%
Gallup [20] Jul. 14, 198641%8%3%3%6%39%
Gallup [20] Oct. 27, 198642%8%1%3%5%6%35%
Gallup [20] Jan. 19, 198733%14%1%3%5%5%39%
Gallup [20] Apr. 13, 198734%18%2%7%9%4%26%
Gallup [20] June 14, 198739%21%2%6%8%5%19%
Gallup [20] July 13, 198740%18%3%7%10%5%17%
Gallup [20] Sep. 2, 198740%19%2%4%9%8%18%
Gallup [20] Sep. 2, 198747%22%1%4%4%7%15%
Gallup [20] Jan. 24, 198845%30%2%2%5%8%8%

Results

Statewide

Date
(daily totals)
Total pledged
delegates
ContestDelegates won and popular voteTotal
George BushBob DolePat RobertsonOthers
January 1481Michigan47
919 (56.55%)

54 (3.32%)
19
360 (22.15%)
15
292 (17.97%)
1,625
February 423 Hawaii
147 (8.73%)

153 (9.09%)
23
1,368 (81.28%)

15 (8.91%)
1,683
February 734 Kansas 34
203 (95.75%)

3 (1.42%)

6 (2.83%)
212
February 838 Iowa caucus 7
20,218 (18.59%)
14
40,629 (37.35%)
7
26,729 (24.57%)
7
21,194 (19.49%)
108,770
February 1623 New Hampshire primary 10
59,290 (37.67%)
7
44,797 (28.46%)

14,775 (9.39%)
6
38,514 (24.47%)
157,376
February 1823 Nevada 6
1,320 (26.61%)
5
1,112 (22.41%)
3
714 (14.39%)
8
1,815 (36.59%)
4,961
February 23
(54)
34 Minnesota 4
5,979 (10.64%)
14
23,923 (42.56%)
10
15,969 (28.41%)
6
10,340 (18.39%)
56,211
20 South Dakota 4
17,404 (18.63%)
12
51,599 (55.24%)
4
18,310 (19.60%)

6,092 (6.52%)
93,405
February 2420 Wyoming 5
98 (23.00%)
9
195 (45.77%)
2
46 (10.80%)
4
87 (20.42%)
426
February 2823 Maine 16
700 (65.30%)

88 (8.21%)
3
147 (13.71%)
3
137 (12.78%)
1,072
March 1
(40)
20 Alaska 5
487 (23.82%)
4
395 (19.68%)
10
941 (46.89%)

184 (9.17%)
2,007
20 Vermont 11
23,565 (52.75%)
9
18,655 (41.76%)

2,452 (5.49%)
44,672
March 538 South Carolina 18
94,738 (48.51%)
8
40,265 (20.62%)
7
37,261 (19.08%)
4
23,028 (11.79%)
195,292
March 8
(Super Tuesday)
(855)
41 Alabama 28
137,113 (64.46%)
7
34,777 (16.35%)
6
29,552 (13.89%)

11,266 (5.30%)
212,708
31 Arkansas 16
32,114 (47.02%)
9
17,667 (25.86%)
6
12,918 (18.91%)

5,606 (8.21%)
68,305
85 Florida 56
559,397 (62.14%)
19
191,494 (21.27%)
10
95,037 (10.56%)

54,329 (6.03%)
900,257
52 Georgia 30
215,516 (53.75%)
13
94,749 (23.63%)
9
65,163 (16.25%)

25,500 (6.36%)
400,928
41 Kentucky 26
72,020 (59.32%)
10
27,868 (22.96%)
5
13,526 (11.14%)

7,988 (6.58%)
121,402
45 Louisiana 28
83,684 (57.80%)
9
25,624 (21.11%)
9
26,294 (21.66%)

9,171 (6.33%)
144,773
45 Maryland 28
107,026 (53.31%)
17
64,987 (32.37%)

12,860 (6.41%)

15,881 (7.91%)
200,754
56 Massachusetts 34
141,113 (57.39%)
15
63,392 (25.78%)

10,891 (4.43%)
7
30,489 (12.40%)
245,885
34 Mississippi 23
104,814 (65.99%)
6
27,004 (17.00%)
5
21,485 (13.53%)

5,526 (3.48%)
158,829
49 Missouri 22
168,812 (42.17%)
21
164,394 (41.07%)
6
44,705 (11.17%)

22,389 (5.59%)
400,300
56 North Carolina 30
124,260 (45.38%)
26
107,032 (39.09%)

26,861 (9.81%)

15,647 (5.71%)
273,800
38 Oklahoma 15
78,224 (37.44%)
14
73,016 (34.95%)
9
44,067 (21.09%)

13,631 (6.52%)
208,938
23 Rhode Island 15
10,401 (64.82%)
5
3,628 (22.61%)
3
2,016 (12.56%)
16,045
49 Tennessee 31
152,515 (60.22%)
11
55,027 (21.73%)
7
32,015 (12.64%)

13,695 (5.41%)
253,252
113 Texas 78
648,178 (63.86%)
17
140,795 (13.87%)
19
155,449 (15.32%)

70,534 (6.95%)
1,014,956
52 Virginia 30
124,738 (53.27%)
15
60,921 (26.02%)
8
32,173 (13.74%)

16,310 (6.97%)
234,142
45 Washington 11
3,694 (24.29%)
12
3,955 (26.00%)
18
5,934 (39.01%)
5
1,627 (10.70%)
15,210
March 1595 Illinois 57
469,151 (54.64%)
38
309,253 (36.02%)

59,087 (6.88%)

21,146 (2.46%)
858,637
March 2938 Connecticut 30
73,501 (70.56%)
8
21,005 (20.16%)

3,191 (3.06%)

6,474 (6.21%)
104,171
April 438 Colorado 32
11,628 (76.31%)

1,450 (9.51%)
6
2,160 (14.17%)
15,238
April 549 Wisconsin 49
295,295 (82.28%)

28,460 (7.93%)

24,798 (6.91%)

10,345 (2.88%)
358,898
April 19139 New York 115
1,101 (81.74%)

17 (1.26%)
24
229 (17.00%)
1,347
April 2699 Pennsylvania 86
687,323 (78.95%)
13
103,753 (11.92%)

79,463 (9.13%)
870,539
May 3
(157)
13 District of Columbia 13
5,890 (87.65%)

469 (6.98%)

268 (3.99%)

93 (1.38%)
6,720
52 Indiana 52
351,829 (80.39%)

42,878 (9.80%)

28,712 (6.56%)

14,236 (3.25%)
437,655
92 Ohio 80
643,907 (81.00%)
12
94,650 (11.91%)

56,347 (7.09%)
794,904
May 10
(58)
27 Nebraska 20
138,784 (68.33%)
7
45,572 (22.44%)

10,334 (5.09%)

8,423 (4.15%)
203,113
31 West Virginia 27
110,705 (77.34%)
4
15,309 (10.70%)

10,417 (7.28%)

6,709 (4.69%)
143,140
May 1734 Oregon 27
199,938 (72.84%)
7
49,128 (17.90%)

21,212 (7.73%)

4,208 (1.53%)
274,486
May 2423 Idaho 20
55,464 (81.24%)

5,876 (8.61%)
3
6,935 (10.16%)
68,275
June 7
(295)
178 California 154
1,856,273 (82.86%)
24
286,220 (12.78%)

94,779 (4.23%)
2,240,272
23 Montana 18
63,098 (73.07%)
5
16,762 (19.41%)

6,493 (7.52%)
86,353
67 New Jersey 67
241,033 (100.00%)
241,033
27 New Mexico 24
69,359 (78.16%)
3
9,305 (10.49%)

5,350 (6.03%)

4,730 (5.33%)
88,744
June 1420 North Dakota 20
37,062 (93.98%)

2,372 (6.01%)
39,434
Total2,4081,525
8,299,833 (67.9%)
463
2,404,162 (19.2%)
207
1,149,306 (9.0%)
101
517,862 (3.9%)
12,371,163

Nationwide

Popular vote results: [11]

Running mate

After Bush locked up the nomination in March, conventional wisdom leaned toward the notion of a Southern running mate to balance the ticket. The former Governor of Tennessee, Lamar Alexander, was seen by many as the most logical choice, and some early reports described him as Bush's personal preference. [21] [22] Another high-profile possibility, also from Tennessee, was the former Senate Majority Leader and White House Chief of Staff Howard Baker. Despite the early attention – which included a supportive editorial written by former President Richard Nixon – Baker told the press that he would prefer to be left out of consideration. [23]

Bush's running mate, however, would not be revealed until August 16, allowing speculation to intensify all the way to the national convention. Bob Dole, who was considered a leading contender based on his second-place finish in the primaries, expressed impatience with the wait but nonetheless made plain his keen desire for the job. [24] So too did Jack Kemp, who confidently told reporters that he would make "a terrific campaigner and a terrific candidate and a terrific vice president". [24] Both men were thought to rank high on Bush's list of potential picks. [25]

Other highly rated prospects included two people quite close to Dole. His wife, Elizabeth Dole, had served as Transportation Secretary under President Reagan and was a popular figure among conservatives and women – two key demographics that Bush was struggling to galvanize. A second option was Dole's fellow U.S. Senator from Kansas, Nancy Kassebaum. [25] Other figures who were believed to be under Bush's close consideration included the Governor of Nebraska Kay Orr, [22] the former Governor of Pennsylvania Dick Thornburgh, the Governor of New Jersey Tom Kean, and the sitting U.S. Senators Bill Armstrong of Colorado, Pete Domenici of New Mexico, and Richard Lugar and Dan Quayle, both of Indiana. [24] [25]

U.S. Senator Alan Simpson of Wyoming was also widely believed to be a possible selection, but he publicly stated that he wasn't interested in the position. This placed him in the company of Baker and others who had declared that they did not want to be considered, such as the Governor of California George Deukmejian and the Governor of Illinois Jim Thompson. Shortly ahead of the convention, however, Bush reopened speculation about all of them when he implied that he would not necessarily give up on any demurring prospects. [24]

Long-shot possibilities included several Republicans who were popular in their home states but held limited name recognition nationally, such as U.S. Representative Lynn Martin of Illinois, the Governor of South Carolina Carroll Campbell, and the two U.S. Senators of Missouri, John Danforth and Christopher Bond. [25] Nontraditional selections who were seen as credible alternatives included the National Security Advisor Colin Powell, [26] the former UN Ambassador Jeane Kirkpatrick, Education Secretary William Bennett, former EPA Administrator William Ruckelshaus, and even Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor. [25]

Bush announced his selection of 41-year-old Dan Quayle on the second day of the convention. [27]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1992 United States presidential election</span> 52nd quadrennial U.S. presidential election

The 1992 United States presidential election was the 52nd quadrennial presidential election, held on Tuesday, November 3, 1992. Democratic Governor Bill Clinton of Arkansas defeated incumbent Republican President George H. W. Bush and independent businessman Ross Perot of Texas. The election marked the end of a period of Republican dominance in American presidential politics that began in 1968, and also marked the end of 12 years of Republican rule of the White House, as well as the end of the Greatest Generation's 32-year American rule and the beginning of the baby boomers' 28-year dominance until 2020. It was the last time the incumbent president failed to win a second term until Donald Trump in 2020.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1988 United States presidential election</span> 51st quadrennial U.S. presidential election

The 1988 United States presidential election was the 51st quadrennial presidential election held on Tuesday, November 8, 1988. Incumbent Republican Vice President George H. W. Bush defeated the Democratic Massachusetts Governor Michael Dukakis.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bob Dole</span> American politician (1923–2021)

Robert Joseph Dole was an American politician and attorney who represented Kansas in the United States Senate from 1969 to 1996. He was the Republican Leader of the Senate during the final 11 years of his tenure, including three non-consecutive years as Senate Majority Leader. Prior to his 27 years in the Senate, he served in the United States House of Representatives from 1961 to 1969. Dole was also the Republican presidential nominee in the 1996 election and the vice presidential nominee in the 1976 election.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">New Hampshire presidential primary</span> One of the first and most significant contests in the U.S. presidential nomination process

The New Hampshire presidential primary is the first in a series of nationwide party primary elections and the second party contest, the first being the Iowa caucuses, held in the United States every four years as part of the process of choosing the delegates to the Democratic and Republican national conventions which choose the party nominees for the presidential elections to be held in November. Although only a few delegates are chosen in the New Hampshire primary, its real importance comes from the massive media coverage it receives, along with the first caucus in Iowa.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1988 Republican National Convention</span> Political convention of the Republican Party

The 1988 Republican National Convention was held in the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana, from August 15 to August 18, 1988. It was the second time that a major party held its convention in one of the five states known as the Deep South, coming on the heels of the 1988 Democratic National Convention, which was held in Atlanta, Georgia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1980 Republican National Convention</span> Political convention of the Republican Party

The 1980 Republican National Convention convened at Joe Louis Arena in Detroit, Michigan, from July 14 to July 17, 1980. The Republican National Convention nominated retired Hollywood actor and former Governor Ronald Reagan of California for president and former Representative George H. W. Bush of Texas for vice president.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Senator, you're no Jack Kennedy</span> Remark made by Lloyd Bentsen in 1988

"Senator, you're no Jack Kennedy" was a remark made during the 1988 United States vice presidential debate by Democratic nominee Senator Lloyd Bentsen to Republican nominee Senator Dan Quayle in response to Quayle's mentioning the name of John F. Kennedy, the Democratic 35th president of the United States, whom Bentsen knew from their time as congressmen from the 80th to 82nd Congresses. Since then, the words "You're no Jack Kennedy," or some variation on the remark, have become a part of the political lexicon as a way to deflate politicians or other individuals perceived as thinking too highly of themselves. Michael Dukakis and Bentsen later went on to lose the 1988 United States presidential election to George H. W. Bush and Quayle, who thus succeeded Bush as vice president of the United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1988 Democratic Party presidential primaries</span> Selection of the Democratic Party nominee

From February 8 to June 14, 1988, voters of the Democratic Party chose its nominee for president in the 1988 United States presidential election. Massachusetts governor Michael Dukakis was selected as the nominee through a series of primary elections and caucuses culminating in the 1988 Democratic National Convention held from July 18 to July 21, 1988, in Atlanta, Georgia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1996 Republican Party presidential primaries</span> Selection of Republican US presidential candidate

From January 29 to June 4, 1996, voters of the Republican Party chose its nominee for president in the 1996 United States presidential election. Senator Bob Dole of Kansas, the former Senate majority leader, was selected as the nominee through a series of primary elections and caucuses culminating in the 1996 Republican National Convention held from August 12 to 15, 1996, in San Diego, California. Dole resigned from the Senate in June 1996 once he became the presumptive nominee to concentrate on his presidential campaign. He chose Jack Kemp as his running mate.

Bill Clinton served as the 42nd president of the United States (1993–2001) and as the 40th and 42nd governor of Arkansas. A member of the Democratic Party, Clinton first ran for a public office in 1974, competing in the congressional election for Arkansas's 3rd congressional district. After narrowly losing to incumbent representative John Paul Hammerschmidt, he ran for the office of Arkansas Attorney General in 1976. He won the Democratic primary comfortably, receiving over 55% of the popular vote. Witnessing his strong support during the primaries, Republicans did not nominate a candidate to run against him. Clinton won the general election unopposed. His experience as the attorney general was considered a natural "stepping-stone" to the governorship.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2000 Republican Party presidential primaries</span> Selection of Republican US presidential candidate

From January 24 to June 6, 2000, voters of the Republican Party chose its nominee for president in the 2000 United States presidential election. Texas Governor George W. Bush was selected as the nominee through a series of primary elections and caucuses culminating in the 2000 Republican National Convention held from July 31 to August 3, 2000, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ronald Reagan 1980 presidential campaign</span> 1980 presidential campaign of Ronald Reagan

The 1980 presidential campaign of Ronald Reagan resulted in the election of Ronald Reagan and his running mate George H. W. Bush as president and vice president of the United States, defeating incumbent Democratic President Jimmy Carter and Vice President Walter Mondale.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1988 United States elections</span>

The 1988 United States elections were held on November 8 and elected the President of the United States and members of the 101st United States Congress. Republican Vice President George H. W. Bush defeated Democratic Governor of Massachusetts Michael Dukakis. Despite Dukakis' defeat, the Democratic Party built on their majorities in Congress.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2000 Republican Party vice presidential candidate selection</span>

This article lists those who were potential candidates for the Republican nomination for Vice President of the United States in the 2000 election. On March 7, 2000, Texas Governor George W. Bush won the 2000 Republican nomination for President of the United States, and became the presumptive nominee. On July 25, 2000, former Secretary of Defense Richard B. Cheney was chosen as his running mate.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1988 Republican Party vice presidential candidate selection</span>

This article lists those who were potential candidates for the Republican nomination for Vice President of the United States in the 1988 election. Incumbent Vice President George H. W. Bush won the 1988 Republican nomination for President of the United States, and chose Indiana Senator Dan Quayle as his running mate. The selection of Quayle surprised many of Bush's closest advisers, who had expected Bush to pick a more well-known running mate. However, Bush adviser Roger Ailes helped convince Bush that Quayle would be able to effectively attack the Democratic presidential nominee, Michael Dukakis. Bush also liked Quayle's youth and felt that Quayle would make for a loyal vice president. The Bush–Quayle ticket ultimately defeated the Dukakis–Bentsen ticket in the 1988 election.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1980 Republican Party vice presidential candidate selection</span>

This article lists those who were potential candidates for the Republican nomination for Vice President of the United States in the 1980 election. Former California Governor Ronald Reagan won the 1980 Republican nomination for President of the United States, and chose former CIA Director George H. W. Bush as his running mate.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">George H. W. Bush 1988 presidential campaign</span> 1988 presidential campaign of George H. W. Bush

The 1988 presidential campaign of George H. W. Bush, the 43rd vice president of the United States under President Ronald Reagan, began when he announced he was running for the Republican Party's nomination in the 1988 U.S. presidential election on October 13, 1987. Bush won the 1988 election against Democratic nominee Michael Dukakis on November 8, 1988. He was subsequently inaugurated as president on January 20, 1989.

Since 1980, the Republican Party of the United States has held debates between candidates for the Republican nomination in presidential elections during the primary election season. Unlike debates between party-nominated candidates, which have been organized by the bi-partisan Commission on Presidential Debates since 1988, debates between candidates for party nomination are organized by mass media outlets.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">New Hampshire midnight voting</span> American election tradition

In New Hampshire, United States, the communities of Dixville Notch, Hart's Location, and Millsfield all vote at the midnight beginning election day, known as the New Hampshire midnight votes, on the day of the state's political party primaries and general elections, following a tradition that started to accommodate railroad workers who had to be at work before normal voting hours. The voting tradition has been followed in Dixville Notch since the 1960 presidential election, in Hart's Location from 1948 to 1964 and from 1996 to 2020, and in Millsfield in 2016 and 2020.

References

  1. "George H.W. Bush: 1988 Republican National Convention Acceptance Address". American Rhetoric. Aug 18, 1988.
  2. "Donald Trump's Been Saying The Same Thing For 30 Years". NPR.org. Retrieved 2020-10-04.
  3. "Donald Trump: Campaigns and Elections | Miller Center". millercenter.org. 2017-04-11. Retrieved 2020-10-04.
  4. 1 2 Oreskes, Michael (1987-09-02). "Trump Gives a Vague Hint of Candidacy". The New York Times. ISSN   0362-4331 . Retrieved 2020-10-04.
  5. Butterfield, Fox (1987-11-18). "Trump Urged To Head Gala Of Democrats". The New York Times. ISSN   0362-4331 . Retrieved 2020-10-04.
  6. 1 2 Kruse, Michael. "The True Story of Donald Trump's First Campaign Speech—in 1987". POLITICO Magazine. Retrieved 2020-10-19.
  7. Meacham, Jon (2015). Destiny and Power: The American Odyssey of George Herbert Walker Bush (illustrated ed.). Random House. p. 326. ISBN 1400067650.
  8. Bradner, Eric (8 November 2015). "Trump says Bush 41 adviser approached him about becoming VP". CNN. Retrieved 30 August 2018.
  9. Dillin, John (February 18, 1988). "Even with win, Bush seen to be vulnerable". Christian Science Monitor. p. 1.
  10. Clifford, Frank (13 February 1988). "Haig Drops Out of GOP Race, Endorses Dole". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 20 July 2016.
  11. 1 2 3 4 5 Our Campaigns - US President - R Primaries Race - Feb 01, 1988
  12. "Clements: Bush will win South". The Galveston Daily News. Galveston, TX. AP. March 1, 1988. Retrieved October 22, 2016 via Newspapers.com. Open Access logo PLoS transparent.svg
  13. "Nomination Bush Pres Candidate, Aug 17 1988 (Video)". C-Span. August 17, 1988. Retrieved 27 October 2017.
  14. Jack W. Germond & Jules Witcover (1989). "New Hampshire: The Resurrection of George Bush". Whose Broad Stripes and Bright Stars? The Trivial Pursuit of the Presidency 1988. Warner Books. p. 131. ISBN   0-446-51424-1. And Bush had the active and aggressive support of Governor Sununu.
  15. "Dole gains Connally endorsement". The Galveston Daily News. Galveston, TX. AP. February 27, 1988. Retrieved October 22, 2016 via Newspapers.com. Open Access logo PLoS transparent.svg
  16. Jack W. Germond & Jules Witcover (1989). "New Hampshire: The Resurrection of George Bush". Whose Broad Stripes and Bright Stars? The Trivial Pursuit of the Presidency 1988. Warner Books. p. 136. ISBN   0-446-51424-1. Dole's chief sponsor in the state, Senator Warren Rudman
  17. Jack W. Germond & Jules Witcover (1989). "New Hampshire: The Resurrection of George Bush". Whose Broad Stripes and Bright Stars? The Trivial Pursuit of the Presidency 1988. Warner Books. p. 135. ISBN   0-446-51424-1. He had a respectable ground operation and the support of the two most prominent hard-line conservatives in the state, Senator Gordon Humphrey and Representative Robert Smith.
  18. Jack W. Germond & Jules Witcover (1989). "New Hampshire: The Resurrection of George Bush". Whose Broad Stripes and Bright Stars? The Trivial Pursuit of the Presidency 1988. Warner Books. p. 135. ISBN   0-446-51424-1. He had a respectable ground operation and the support of the two most prominent hard-line conservatives in the state, Senator Gordon Humphrey and Representative Robert Smith.
  19. Jack W. Germond & Jules Witcover (1989). "New Hampshire: The Resurrection of George Bush". Whose Broad Stripes and Bright Stars? The Trivial Pursuit of the Presidency 1988. Warner Books. p. 134. ISBN   0-446-51424-1. Pete duPont had captured the endorsement of the Union Leader.
  20. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 "US President - R Primaries". OurCampaigns.com. 20 Dec 2017. Retrieved 6 Apr 2022.
  21. "Magazine: Alexander likely Bush running mate". The Greenville News. Greenville, South Carolina. Associated Press. March 15, 1988. Archived from the original on April 6, 2019 via Newspapers.com. Open Access logo PLoS transparent.svg
  22. 1 2 Evans, Rowland; Novak, Robert (March 14, 1988). "Bush's choice for a woman vice president". Muncie Evening Press. Muncie, Indiana. Archived from the original on April 6, 2019 via Newspapers.com. The vice president's aides say his personal choice for running mate undoubtedly would be former Governor Lamar Alexander.... Open Access logo PLoS transparent.svg
  23. "Who will join Bush on ticket?". Santa Cruz Sentinel. Santa Cruz, CA. Associated Press. March 29, 1988. Retrieved May 9, 2017 via Newspapers.com. Open Access logo PLoS transparent.svg
  24. 1 2 3 4 Nothberg, Donald M. (August 16, 1988). "V.P. candidates wait to hear from Bush; some campaign". The Morning Call . Allentown, PA. Associated Press . Retrieved May 9, 2017 via Newspapers.com. Open Access logo PLoS transparent.svg
  25. 1 2 3 4 5 Straight, Harry (August 7, 1988). "Bush's list crowded for No. 2 slot". The Orlando Sentinel . Orlando, FL. Retrieved May 9, 2017 via Newspapers.com. Open Access logo PLoS transparent.svg
  26. Nelson, W. Dale (August 12, 1988). "Powell as Bush VP? It's not just a joke". The Palm Beach Post. Palm Beach, FL. Associated Press . Retrieved May 10, 2017 via Newspapers.com. Open Access logo PLoS transparent.svg
  27. "Bush Picks Sen. Quayle of Indiana as Running Mate". The Los Angeles Times. Los Angeles, CA. Associated Press. August 16, 1988. Retrieved May 9, 2017 via Newspapers.com. Open Access logo PLoS transparent.svg