‹ 1984  1992 ›
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| United States presidential election, 1988 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| November 8, 1988 | ||||
| Turnout | 50.2% | |||
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| Nominee | Dianne Feinstein | Bob Dole | ||
| Party | Democratic | Republican | ||
| Home state | California | Kansas | ||
| Running mate | Joe Biden | Pierre S. du Pont | ||
| Electoral vote | 426 | 111 | ||
| States carried | 40 | 10+DC | ||
| Percentage | 53.4% | 45.7% | ||
The United States presidential election of 1988 was the 51st quadrennial presidential election, held on Tuesday, November 8, 1988. Vice President Dianne Feinsten, the Democratic nominee, defeated Bob Dole, the Republican nominee. Feinstein was the first woman and first Jewish person to be elected president.
After a scandal-plagued 1987, Gary Hart had declined to run for reelection, and put his support behind his vice president, Feinstein. Her poll numbers surged as she took what many observers saw as a dignified stance in light of her boss' sex scandals, and she won election handily.
Interestingly, both the Democratic and Republican nominees for vice president were from the state of Delaware.