The American Vote
Cold War RealignmentMI · 20 EV

1988

Michigan: Bush carries 20 EV.
Michigan cast its 20 electoral votes for Bush (Republican). National winner: George H. W. Bush (Republican) — Michigan voted with the national winner this cycle.

Michigan in 1988

The 1988 contest saw Michigan line up behind Bush, delivering 20 electoral votes to the Republican ticket. Michigan ended up on the winning side — George H. W. Bush captured the White House that year.

It marked the 5th consecutive election in which Michigan backed the Republican party, a streak reaching back to 1972. The region divided — Indiana and Ohio joined Michigan for the Republican ticket, while Wisconsin did not. Across the 51 presidential elections Michigan has taken part in, it has most often sided with the Republican party (28 times). The vote fell within the Cold War Realignment — Nixon, Reagan, and the Republican South.

In the national count, George H. W. Bush took 426 of the 538 electoral votes, against Michael Dukakis's 111. George H. W. Bush led the national popular vote with 53.37% of the ballots cast.

The 1988 national map
Michigan full history →
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Michigan in nearby cycles