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 County results Precinct results
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The1988 United States presidential election in Wisconsin took place on November 8, 1988. All 50 states andthe District of Columbia, were part of the1988 United States presidential election. State voters chose 11 electors to theElectoral College, which selected thepresident andvice president.
Wisconsin was won byMassachusetts GovernorMichael Dukakis who was running against incumbent United StatesVice PresidentGeorge H. W. Bush ofTexas. Dukakis ran withTexas SenatorLloyd Bentsen as Vice President, and Bush ran withIndiana SenatorDan Quayle. Dukakis won the election in Wisconsin with a four-point margin, likely due to the1980s farm crisis which devastated rural areas of Wisconsin. The state has since consistently voted for the Democratic Party, until the victory of RepublicanDonald Trump in2016 and2024. This is also the last time Wisconsin would vote differently to fellowRust Belt swing statesMichigan andPennsylvania, as all three had Democratic winning streaks from 1992 to 2012, with all three states flipping simultaneously in2016,2020, and2024 as well as the last time Wisconsin was the most Democratic-leaning of the three Rust Belt swing states until2024.
The election was verypartisan, with over 99 percent of the electorate voting for either theRepublican orDemocratic parties, although five additional candidates were on the ballot.[1] Dukakis and Bush almost evenly split Wisconsin's seventy-two counties – Dukakis won 37 and Bush won 35. Dukakis won the large urban counties containingMadison (Dane County),Milwaukee,Racine andKenosha, alongside almost entirelyNative AmericanMenominee County and the heavily unionizedScandinavian-American counties of the northwest. Bush won the suburban "WOW counties" and the more conservative, historically German Catholic, counties of the rural eastern half of the state.[2] Over the state as a whole, Dukakis did best, as usual, in Menominee County, and Bush did best inOzaukee County.
| 1988 United States presidential election in Wisconsin | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | Percentage | Electoral votes | |
| Democratic | Michael Stanley Dukakis | 1,126,794 | 51.41% | 11 | |
| Republican | George Herbert Walker Bush | 1,047,499 | 47.80% | 0 | |
| Independent | Ron Paul | 5,157 | 0.24% | 0 | |
| Independent | David Duke | 3,056 | 0.14% | 0 | |
| Independent | James Warren | 2,574[a] | 0.12% | 0 | |
| Independent | Lyndon LaRouche | 2,302[a] | 0.11% | 0 | |
| Write-ins | 2,273[a] | 0.10% | 0 | ||
| Independent | Lenora Fulani | 1,953[a] | 0.09% | 0 | |
| Totals | 2,191,608 | 100.0% | 11 | ||
| County | Michael Dukakis Democratic | George H.W. Bush Republican | Ron Paul Independent | David Duke Independent | Margin | Total votes cast[3] | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| # | % | # | % | # | % | # | % | # | % | ||
| Adams | 3,598 | 52.27% | 3,258 | 47.33% | 8 | 0.12% | 19 | 0.28% | 340 | 4.94% | 6,883 |
| Ashland | 4,526 | 60.49% | 2,926 | 39.11% | 10 | 0.13% | 20 | 0.27% | 1,600 | 21.38% | 7,482 |
| Barron | 8,951 | 50.94% | 8,527 | 48.53% | 45 | 0.26% | 47 | 0.27% | 424 | 2.41% | 17,570 |
| Bayfield | 4,323 | 57.96% | 3,095 | 41.50% | 12 | 0.16% | 28 | 0.38% | 1,228 | 16.46% | 7,458 |
| Brown | 41,788 | 48.62% | 43,625 | 50.75% | 196 | 0.23% | 344 | 0.40% | -1,837 | -2.13% | 85,953 |
| Buffalo | 3,481 | 55.14% | 2,783 | 44.08% | 23 | 0.36% | 26 | 0.41% | 698 | 11.06% | 6,313 |
| Burnett | 3,537 | 54.71% | 2,884 | 44.61% | 11 | 0.17% | 33 | 0.51% | 653 | 10.10% | 6,465 |
| Calumet | 6,481 | 44.06% | 8,107 | 55.12% | 21 | 0.14% | 99 | 0.67% | -1,626 | -11.06% | 14,708 |
| Chippewa | 11,447 | 53.61% | 9,757 | 45.69% | 53 | 0.25% | 97 | 0.45% | 1,690 | 7.92% | 21,354 |
| Clark | 6,642 | 50.95% | 6,296 | 48.30% | 19 | 0.15% | 79 | 0.61% | 346 | 2.65% | 13,036 |
| Columbia | 9,132 | 46.28% | 10,475 | 53.09% | 45 | 0.23% | 78 | 0.40% | -1,343 | -6.81% | 19,730 |
| Crawford | 3,608 | 52.34% | 3,238 | 46.98% | 22 | 0.32% | 25 | 0.36% | 370 | 5.36% | 6,893 |
| Dane | 105,414 | 59.92% | 69,143 | 39.30% | 543 | 0.31% | 834 | 0.47% | 36,271 | 20.62% | 175,934 |
| Dodge | 12,663 | 42.31% | 17,003 | 56.81% | 66 | 0.22% | 195 | 0.65% | -4,340 | -14.50% | 29,927 |
| Door | 5,425 | 43.67% | 6,907 | 55.60% | 20 | 0.16% | 70 | 0.56% | -1,482 | -11.93% | 12,422 |
| Douglas | 13,907 | 68.01% | 6,440 | 31.49% | 34 | 0.17% | 68 | 0.33% | 7,467 | 36.52% | 20,449 |
| Dunn | 9,205 | 55.47% | 7,273 | 43.83% | 37 | 0.22% | 79 | 0.48% | 1,932 | 11.64% | 16,594 |
| Eau Claire | 21,150 | 54.20% | 17,664 | 45.27% | 60 | 0.15% | 149 | 0.38% | 3,486 | 8.93% | 39,023 |
| Florence | 1,018 | 47.53% | 1,106 | 51.63% | 4 | 0.19% | 14 | 0.65% | -88 | -4.10% | 2,142 |
| Fond du Lac | 15,887 | 41.62% | 21,985 | 57.59% | 86 | 0.23% | 217 | 0.57% | -6,098 | -15.97% | 38,175 |
| Forest | 2,142 | 53.43% | 1,845 | 46.02% | 4 | 0.10% | 18 | 0.45% | 297 | 7.41% | 4,009 |
| Grant | 9,421 | 48.12% | 10,049 | 51.32% | 44 | 0.22% | 66 | 0.34% | -628 | -3.20% | 19,580 |
| Green | 5,153 | 43.27% | 6,636 | 55.73% | 41 | 0.34% | 78 | 0.66% | -1,483 | -12.46% | 11,908 |
| Green Lake | 3,033 | 36.55% | 5,205 | 62.72% | 21 | 0.25% | 40 | 0.48% | -2,172 | -26.17% | 8,299 |
| Iowa | 4,268 | 49.93% | 4,240 | 49.60% | 13 | 0.15% | 27 | 0.32% | 28 | 0.33% | 8,548 |
| Iron | 2,090 | 56.26% | 1,599 | 43.04% | 5 | 0.13% | 21 | 0.57% | 491 | 13.22% | 3,715 |
| Jackson | 3,924 | 52.20% | 3,555 | 47.29% | 11 | 0.15% | 27 | 0.36% | 369 | 4.91% | 7,517 |
| Jefferson | 11,816 | 44.86% | 14,309 | 54.32% | 74 | 0.28% | 143 | 0.54% | -2,493 | -9.46% | 26,342 |
| Juneau | 3,734 | 43.11% | 4,869 | 56.21% | 18 | 0.21% | 41 | 0.47% | -1,135 | -13.10% | 8,662 |
| Kenosha | 30,089 | 57.72% | 21,661 | 41.55% | 120 | 0.23% | 259 | 0.50% | 8,428 | 16.17% | 52,129 |
| Kewaunee | 4,786 | 52.14% | 4,330 | 47.17% | 8 | 0.09% | 55 | 0.60% | 456 | 4.97% | 9,179 |
| La Crosse | 22,204 | 50.39% | 21,548 | 48.90% | 100 | 0.23% | 214 | 0.49% | 656 | 1.49% | 44,066 |
| Lafayette | 3,521 | 48.70% | 3,665 | 50.69% | 15 | 0.21% | 29 | 0.40% | -144 | -1.99% | 7,230 |
| Langlade | 4,254 | 46.31% | 4,884 | 53.17% | 16 | 0.17% | 32 | 0.35% | -630 | -6.86% | 9,186 |
| Lincoln | 5,819 | 52.06% | 5,257 | 47.03% | 33 | 0.30% | 69 | 0.62% | 562 | 5.03% | 11,178 |
| Manitowoc | 19,680 | 54.69% | 16,020 | 44.52% | 63 | 0.18% | 224 | 0.62% | 3,660 | 10.17% | 35,987 |
| Marathon | 24,658 | 49.79% | 24,482 | 49.44% | 125 | 0.25% | 256 | 0.52% | 176 | 0.35% | 49,521 |
| Marinette | 8,030 | 45.20% | 9,637 | 54.25% | 26 | 0.15% | 71 | 0.40% | -1,607 | -9.05% | 17,764 |
| Marquette | 2,463 | 44.24% | 3,059 | 54.95% | 15 | 0.27% | 30 | 0.54% | -596 | -10.71% | 5,567 |
| Menominee | 1,028 | 72.55% | 381 | 26.89% | 0 | 0.00% | 8 | 0.56% | 647 | 45.66% | 1,417 |
| Milwaukee | 268,287 | 61.04% | 168,363 | 38.30% | 1,082 | 0.25% | 1,813 | 0.41% | 99,924 | 22.74% | 439,545 |
| Monroe | 6,437 | 47.38% | 7,073 | 52.06% | 29 | 0.21% | 46 | 0.34% | -636 | -4.68% | 13,585 |
| Oconto | 6,549 | 47.75% | 7,084 | 51.65% | 23 | 0.17% | 60 | 0.44% | -535 | -3.90% | 13,716 |
| Oneida | 7,414 | 47.31% | 8,130 | 51.88% | 55 | 0.35% | 71 | 0.45% | -716 | -4.57% | 15,670 |
| Outagamie | 27,771 | 45.32% | 33,113 | 54.04% | 103 | 0.17% | 291 | 0.47% | -5,342 | -8.72% | 61,278 |
| Ozaukee | 12,661 | 35.35% | 22,899 | 63.94% | 107 | 0.30% | 145 | 0.40% | -10,238 | -28.59% | 35,812 |
| Pepin | 1,906 | 58.68% | 1,311 | 40.36% | 8 | 0.25% | 23 | 0.71% | 595 | 18.32% | 3,248 |
| Pierce | 8,659 | 58.55% | 6,045 | 40.87% | 33 | 0.22% | 52 | 0.35% | 2,614 | 17.68% | 14,789 |
| Polk | 8,981 | 56.22% | 6,866 | 42.98% | 43 | 0.27% | 85 | 0.53% | 2,115 | 13.24% | 15,975 |
| Portage | 16,317 | 57.18% | 12,057 | 42.25% | 48 | 0.17% | 113 | 0.40% | 4,260 | 14.93% | 28,535 |
| Price | 3,987 | 53.18% | 3,450 | 46.02% | 12 | 0.16% | 48 | 0.64% | 537 | 7.16% | 7,497 |
| Racine | 39,631 | 51.72% | 36,342 | 47.42% | 213 | 0.28% | 445 | 0.58% | 3,289 | 4.30% | 76,631 |
| Richland | 3,643 | 47.26% | 4,026 | 52.23% | 16 | 0.21% | 23 | 0.30% | -383 | -4.97% | 7,708 |
| Rock | 29,576 | 50.83% | 28,178 | 48.43% | 158 | 0.27% | 276 | 0.47% | 1,398 | 2.40% | 58,188 |
| Rusk | 3,888 | 55.51% | 3,063 | 43.73% | 18 | 0.26% | 35 | 0.50% | 825 | 11.78% | 7,004 |
| Sauk | 8,324 | 44.54% | 10,225 | 54.72% | 35 | 0.19% | 103 | 0.55% | -1,901 | -10.18% | 18,687 |
| Sawyer | 3,231 | 49.43% | 3,260 | 49.88% | 20 | 0.31% | 25 | 0.38% | -29 | -0.45% | 6,536 |
| Shawano | 6,587 | 43.78% | 8,362 | 55.57% | 21 | 0.14% | 77 | 0.51% | -1,775 | -11.79% | 15,047 |
| Sheboygan | 23,429 | 49.66% | 23,471 | 49.75% | 86 | 0.18% | 191 | 0.40% | -42 | -0.09% | 47,177 |
| St. Croix | 11,392 | 52.90% | 9,960 | 46.25% | 62 | 0.29% | 119 | 0.55% | 1,432 | 6.65% | 21,533 |
| Taylor | 3,785 | 46.73% | 4,254 | 52.52% | 15 | 0.19% | 46 | 0.57% | -469 | -5.79% | 8,100 |
| Trempealeau | 6,212 | 55.59% | 4,902 | 43.87% | 16 | 0.14% | 45 | 0.40% | 1,310 | 11.72% | 11,175 |
| Vernon | 5,754 | 51.94% | 5,226 | 47.17% | 35 | 0.32% | 63 | 0.57% | 528 | 4.77% | 11,078 |
| Vilas | 3,781 | 38.89% | 5,842 | 60.09% | 21 | 0.22% | 78 | 0.80% | -2,061 | -21.20% | 9,722 |
| Walworth | 12,203 | 39.77% | 18,259 | 59.50% | 91 | 0.30% | 132 | 0.43% | -6,056 | -19.73% | 30,685 |
| Washburn | 3,393 | 52.15% | 3,074 | 47.25% | 13 | 0.20% | 26 | 0.40% | 319 | 4.90% | 6,506 |
| Washington | 15,907 | 39.24% | 24,328 | 60.01% | 109 | 0.27% | 195 | 0.48% | -8,421 | -20.77% | 40,539 |
| Waukesha | 57,598 | 38.68% | 90,467 | 60.76% | 402 | 0.27% | 426 | 0.29% | -32,869 | -22.08% | 148,893 |
| Waupaca | 7,078 | 37.74% | 11,559 | 61.62% | 30 | 0.16% | 90 | 0.48% | -4,481 | -23.88% | 18,757 |
| Waushara | 3,535 | 41.33% | 4,953 | 57.91% | 18 | 0.21% | 47 | 0.55% | -1,418 | -16.58% | 8,553 |
| Winnebago | 28,508 | 44.54% | 35,085 | 54.82% | 119 | 0.19% | 294 | 0.46% | -6,577 | -10.28% | 64,006 |
| Wood | 16,074 | 48.93% | 16,549 | 50.38% | 52 | 0.16% | 173 | 0.53% | -475 | -1.45% | 32,848 |
| Totals | 1,126,794 | 51.41% | 1,047,499 | 47.80% | 5,157 | 0.24% | 3,056 | 0.14% | 79,295 | 3.61% | 2,191,608 |
Wisconsin weighed in for this election as 12 points moreDemocratic than the national average. As of2024[update], this is the last election in whichGreen County voted for a Republican presidential candidate,[4] in which the state would vote to the left of neighboringIllinois, and in which the Democratic candidate won Wisconsin while simultaneously losing Illinois. It was also the last election until2016 in which both Wisconsin and Illinois voted differently. Additionally, it was the last election until 2024 in which Wisconsin voted to the left of both neighboringMichigan and fellowRust Belt statePennsylvania, as well as the most recent election where Wisconsin, Michigan, and Pennsylvania all did not vote for the same candidate.[5]
It was also the first time since1960 that Wisconsin would back the losing candidate in a presidential election.[6] It was also the first time since1848 that the state would back a losing Democrat in a presidential election and this feat would be reprised byAl Gore in2000 andJohn Kerry in2004. It was also the first time ever that the state would back a Democrat while a Republican won the presidency. Conversely, this was the first time since1924 that a Republican won without the state. Grant, Sauk, and Lafayette counties would not vote Republican again until 2016.
State and district results of the1988 U.S. presidential election | ||
|---|---|---|
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