Jesse Jackson 1988 presidential campaign
| Campaign | 1988 Democratic Party presidential primaries 1988 United States presidential election |
|---|---|
| Candidate | Reverend Jesse Jackson Sr. |
| Affiliation | Democratic Party |
| Status | Withdrawn |
| Announced | September 7, 1987 |
| Launched | October 10, 1987 |
| Headquarters | 2550 M Street NW, 7th Floor, Washington, D.C. |
| Key people | Willie Brown (national campaign chairman) Gerald Austin (campaign manager) |
| Receipts | $19,958,545 (adjusted campaign receipts) (August 25, 1989) |
| Slogan | Keep Hope Alive |
| Chant | If my mind can conceive it and my heart can believe it I know I can achieve it |
The 1988 Jesse Jackson presidential campaign was Jesse Jackson's second campaign for President of the United States, after his insurgent run in 1984. This time, his successes in the past made him a more credible candidate and he was both better financed and better organized. Although most people did not seem to believe he had a serious chance at winning, Jackson once again exceeded expectations as he more than doubled his previous results, prompting R. W. Apple, Jr. of The New York Times to call 1988 "the Year of Jackson".
Jackson announced his intention to seek the Democratic nomination in Pittsburgh in September 1987 and formally launched his candidacy the following month in Raleigh, North Carolina. Running under the enduring banner of the "Rainbow Coalition", Jackson sought to assemble a multiracial and multi-class constituency of African Americans, Latinos, Asian Americans, Arab Americans, Native Americans, labor unionists, family farmers, poor and working-class voters, progressives, and gay and lesbian voters. He ultimately won 6.9 million votes, carried 11 contests, briefly led the field in pledged delegates after the Michigan caucuses, and finished second to Michael Dukakis in delegates for the nomination.