1988 United States presidential election in Pennsylvania

1988 United States presidential election in Pennsylvania

November 8, 1988
Turnout77.2%
 
Nominee George H. W. Bush Michael Dukakis
Party Republican Democratic
Home state Texas Massachusetts
Running mate Dan Quayle Lloyd Bentsen
Electoral vote 25 0
Popular vote 2,300,087 2,194,944
Percentage 50.70% 48.39%


President before election

Ronald Reagan
Republican

Elected President

George H. W. Bush
Republican

The 1988 United States presidential election in Pennsylvania took place on November 8, 1988, and was part of the 1988 United States presidential election. Voters chose 25 representatives, or electors to the Electoral College, who voted for president and vice president.

Pennsylvania voted for the Republican nominee, Vice President George H. W. Bush, over the Democratic nominee, Massachusetts governor Michael Dukakis. Bush won Pennsylvania by a narrow margin of 2.31%, which made it about 5.5% more Democratic than the nation. This was the last election where Pennsylvania would be carried by a Republican presidential candidate until 2016 and the last in which a Republican would win a majority of the statewide vote until 2024. As of 2024, Bush's 2.31% margin has not been exceeded by any Republican thus far. This is also the last time Pennsylvania, along with Michigan, would vote differently to fellow Rust Belt swing state Wisconsin, as all three had Democratic winning streaks from 1992 to 2012, with all three states flipping simultaneously in 2016, 2020, and 2024.