1988 United States Senate election in California

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1988 United States Senate election in California
Flag of California.svg
  1982 November 8, 1988 1992 (special)  
  PeteWilson (cropped).jpg Leo T. McCarthy, 1975.jpg
Nominee Pete Wilson Leo T. McCarthy
Party Republican Democratic
Popular vote5,143,4094,287,253
Percentage52.79%44.00%

1988 United States Senate election in California results map by county.svg
County results

Wilson:     40–50%     50–60%     60–70%

McCarthy:     40–50%     50–60%     60–70%

U.S. senator before election

Pete Wilson
Republican

Elected U.S. Senator

Pete Wilson
Republican

The 1988 United States Senate election in California took place on November 8, 1988. Incumbent Senator Pete Wilson won re-election to a second term.

Contents

As of 2025, this is the last time a Republican won a U.S. Senate election in California. This was also the first time since 1952 that an incumbent Senator was re-elected to this seat.

Democratic primary

Candidates

Results

1988 Democratic Senate primary [1]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Democratic Leo T. McCarthy 2,367,067 81.69%
Democratic John H. Abbott220,3317.60%
Democratic Robert J. Banuelos163,8825.66%
Democratic Charles Greene146,3075.05%
Total votes2,897,587 100.0%

Peace and Freedom primary

Candidates

Results

1988 Peace and Freedom Senate primary [2]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Peace and Freedom Maria Elizabeth Muñoz 3,701 58.52%
Peace and Freedom Gloria Garcia2,62341.48%
Total votes6,324 100.0%

General election

Candidates

Results

1988 U.S. Senate election in California [3]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Republican Pete Wilson (incumbent) 5,143,409 52.79% Increase2.svg1.25
Democratic Leo T. McCarthy 4,287,25344.00%Decrease2.svg0.78
Peace and Freedom Maria Elizabeth Muñoz166,6001.71%Increase2.svg0.47
Libertarian Jack Dean79,9970.82%Decrease2.svg0.51
American Independent Merton D. Short66,2910.68%Decrease2.svg0.39
Independent Joel Britton510.00%N/A
Total votes9,743,601 100.00%
Republican hold Swing


By County

County Wilson Votes McCarthy Votes Munoz VotesDeanVotesOthersVotes
Orange 68.23%593,61428.88%251,2641.48%12,9190.85%7,4180.55%4,783
Inyo 65.37%4,98631.79%2,4251,28%980.63%480.92%70
San Diego 64.06%549,36733.07%283,5541.34%11,4900.86%7,3430.68%5,811


Mono 63.97%2,39731.49%1,1802.38%891.12%421.04%39
Sutter 63.61%12,72432.33%6,4662.06%4131.17%2340.82%165
Ventura 62.55%149,95834.14%81,8311.77%4,2350.84%2,0250.70%1,678
Glenn 62.24%5,00634.40%2,7671.28%1030.81%651.27%102
Tulare 61.42%46,95835.29%26,9802.13%1,6300.63%4780.53%408
Kern 60.77%91,30335.55%53,4152.09%3,1460.80%1,2020.79%1,188
Modoc 60.72%2,44135.17%1,4141.47%591.00%401.67%66
El Dorado 60.62%30,73835.47%17,9861.95%9900.96%4881.00%507
Placer 60.41%42,64335.76%25,2431.97%1,3891.00%7090.85%603
Shasta 60.38%30,82136.02%18,3841.37%6991.04%5321.19%606
San Bernardino 59.44%230,77236.95%143,4651.90%7,3710.73%2,8210.99%3,821
Nevada 59.10%21,81536.84%13,5982.10%7761.17%4330.78%289
Riverside 58.60%195,95638.40%128,4221.73%5,7910.56%1,8660.71%2,369
Colusa 58.69%2,96038.44%1,9421.66%840.42%210.89%45
San Luis Obispo 58.13%49,56438.13%32,4521.80%1,5281.06%9040.77%653
Tehama 57.64%10,33838.56%6,9161.23%2211,24%2221.32%237
Yuba 57.53%8,82838.97%5,9801.74%2670.85%1310.91%139
Madera 56.85%13,32438.90%9,1172.47%5800.84%1960.94%220
Santa Barbara 56.85%81,28239.81%56,9161.99%2,8500.83%1,1870.52%750
Calaveras 56.65%7,58439.81%5,3101.44%1931.13%1511.12%150
Kings 56.33%12,23840.19%8,7372.10%4560.63%1360.76%165
Mariposa 56.33%3,89539.65%2,7421.62%1121.08%751.32%91
Amador 56.23%6,89640.02%4,9121.61%1970.97%1191.15%141
Alpine 56.14%31135.02%1945.05%281.26%72.53%14
Tuolumne 55.80%10,78140.85%7,8921.65%3190.81%1560.90%173
Butte 55.59%40,05640.09%28,8861.77%1,2721.26%9091.29%933
San Joaquin 55.30%75,75341.12%56,3301.93%2,6500.61%8401.03%1,416
Lassen 54.96%4,78040.71%3,5411.93%1680.94%821.46%127
Trinity 54.01%3,33739.80%2,4592.06%1271.96%1212.17%134
Stanislaus 53.28%51,42343.97%42,4401.53%1,4760.57%5540.65%623
Fresno 53.00%99,31543-62%81,7331.97%3,6960.71%1,3360.69%1,291
Siskiyou 52.84%9,44842.38%7,5771.78%3191.30%2321.70%304
Imperial 52.36%12,39142.67%10,0993.47%8220.77%1820.73%173
Plumas 52.13%4,63543.60%3,8772.10%1871.12%1001.05%93
Merced 52.04%20,51343.75%17,2472.32%9130.82%3251.07%421
Sacramento 51.85%201,82744.47%173,1101.93%7,4960.76%2,9601.00%3,885
Napa 51.83%24,07144.40%20,6191.82%8431.12%5190.84%392
San Benito 51.82%5,33143.73%4,4992.54%2610.92%950.99%102
Contra Costa 51.10%168,76046.24%152,7141.29%4,5490.77%2,5490.60%1,991
Sierra 51.04%88044.05%7592.69%460.81%141.39%24
Monterey 49.83%50,13646.11%46,4012.33%2,3401.01%1,0120.73%732
Lake 48.86%9,51647.28%9,2101.64%3201.24%2410.98%191
Los Angeles 48.61%1,265,58248.46%1,261,4491.74%45,4270.67%17,4580.51%13,375
Solano 48.22%47,28848.36%47,4201.57%1,5360.97%9550.88%860
Santa Clara 47.69%253,86548.36%257,4631.96%10,4361.26%6,7340.73%3,867
San Mateo 45.21%111,18751.12%125,7241.49%3,6590.98%2,4081.19%2,940
Del Norte 45.08%3,41850.95%3,8631.74%1320.71%541.52%115
Sonoma 44.95%71,77551.19%81,7471.99%3,1851.05%1,6770.82%1,304
Yolo 44.51%23,45951.78%27,2912.15%1,1330.87%4560.70%370
Mendocino 43.71%13,31851.97%15,8352.10%6401.26%3850.96%292
Marin 43.02%49,94254.35%63,1011.11%1,2881.06%1,2320.46%536
Santa Cruz 38.16%39,10457.30%58,7152.60%2,6661.28%1,3070.65%669
Humboldt 37.70%19,38459.27%30,4721.56%8040.73%3760.73%375
Alameda 36.81%173,20460.22%283,5481.56%7,3270.85%4,0170.56%2,656
San Francisco 28.70%70,10268.83%167,6131.29%3,1530.75%18180.34%841

See also

Notes

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    References

    1. "Statement of vote". 1968.
    2. "Our Campaigns - CA US Senate - PFP Primary Race - Jun 07, 1988".
    3. "Our Campaigns - CA US Senate Race - Nov 08, 1988". www.ourcampaigns.com. Retrieved April 6, 2018.