From January 14 to June 14, 1988, Republican voters chose their nominee for president in the 1988 United States presidential election. Incumbent Vice President George H. W. Bush was selected as the nominee through a series of primary elections and caucuses culminating in the 1988 Republican National Convention held from August 15 to August 18, 1988, in New Orleans, Louisiana.
Bush selected Indiana Senator Dan Quayle as his running mate, and the Republican ticket went on to win the general election against the Democratic ticket of Michael Dukakis and Lloyd Bentsen by a wide margin. It was the third consecutive Republican victory in a presidential election, marking the first time since President Harry S. Truman's surprise 1948 victory that any party held the White House for more than two terms. This was the last time an incumbent Republican vice president ran for the nomination.
Primary race Vice President George H. W. Bush had the private support of President Ronald Reagan and publicly pledged to continue Reagan's policies, but also pledged a "kinder and gentler nation" in an attempt to win over some more moderate voters. Bush faced some prominent challengers for the GOP nomination, despite his front-runner status.
In 1987, Donald Trump, then known as a New York real estate executive and registered as a Republican, hinted in various television interviews that he was considering running for president. He took out a series of newspaper ads in The New York Times, The Washington Post, and The Boston Globe criticizing Reagan's foreign policy for being too expensive. He also vocally advocated reducing foreign aid to Japan, Kuwait, and Saudi Arabia; accelerating nuclear disarmament negotiations with the Soviet Union; and eliminating the federal deficit. Mike Dunbar, an important Republican operative, started a "draft Donald Trump" movement to try to convince him to run in the New Hampshire primaries. However, Trump eventually announced at a political rally arranged by Dunbar in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, that he would not seek the Republican nomination. Later, Trump approached Bush's campaign manager Lee Atwater asking to be considered as a possible choice for running mate. Bush found the request "strange and unbelievable."Meacham, Jon (2015). Destiny and Power: The American Odyssey of George Herbert Walker Bush (illustrated ed.). Random House. p. 326. ISBN 1400067650. Apparently contradicting this report, Trump later asserted it was Atwater who approached him asking if he was interested in the position. Trump would eventually be elected president in 2016, and receive a second term in 2024.
Robertson's campaign got off to a strong second-place finish in the Iowa caucuses, ahead of Bush. Robertson did poorly in the subsequent New Hampshire primary, however, and was unable to be competitive once the multiple-state primaries like Super Tuesday began. Robertson ended his campaign before the primaries were finished. His best finish was in Washington, winning the majority of caucus delegates. However, his controversial win has been credited to procedural manipulation by Robertson supporters who delayed final voting until late into the evening when other supporters had gone home. He later spoke at the 1988 Republican National Convention in New Orleans and told his remaining supporters to cast their votes for Bush, who ended up winning the nomination and the election. He then returned to the Christian Broadcasting Network and would remain there as a religious broadcaster until his death in 2023.
Bush unexpectedly came in third in the Iowa caucus (that he had won back in 1980), behind Senator Bob Dole and Robertson. Dole was also leading in the polls of the New Hampshire primary, and the Bush camp responded by running television commercials portraying Dole as a tax raiser, while Governor John H. Sununu stumped for Bush. These efforts enabled the Vice President to defeat Dole and gain crucial momentum. Embittered by his loss in New Hampshire, Dole told Bush directly, on live television that evening, to "stop lying about my record."
Once the multiple-state primaries began, Bush's organizational strength and fundraising lead were impossible for the other candidates to match, and the nomination was his. The Republican party convention was held in New Orleans, Louisiana. Bush was nominated unanimously.
In his acceptance speech, Bush made an energetic pledge, "Read my lips: No new taxes", a comment that would come to haunt him in the 1992 election.
Overview
Active campaign Exploratory committee Withdrawn candidateRepublican National Convention Midterm elections Debates Primaries
Candidates Nominee CandidateMost recent office Home StateCampaign Delegates won Popular vote Contests won Running mateGeorge BushU.S. Vice President(1981–1989) Texas(Campaign)Secured nomination: April 26, 19881,840(80.81%)8,253,512(67.90%)42Dan Quayle
Withdrew before convention CandidateMost recent office Home StateCampaign Withdrawal date Delegates won Popular vote Contests wonPat RobertsonChair of CBN(1960–2023)Virginia(Campaign)Suspended: April 6, 1988Withdrew: May 11, 1988115(5.05%)1,097,446(9.02%)4Bob DoleU.S. Senatorfrom Kansas(1969–1996)Kansas(Campaign)Withdrew: March 29, 1988205(9.00%)2,333,375(19.19%)5Jack KempU.S. Representativefrom New York(1971–1989)New York(Campaign)Withdrew: March 9, 198850(2.20%)331,333(2.72%)0Pierre du PontGovernorof Delaware(1977–1985)Delaware(Campaign)Withdrew: February 18, 19882(0.09%)49,783(0.41%)0Alexander HaigU.S. Secretaryof State(1981–1982)Virginia(Campaign)Withdrew: February 12, 19880(0.00%)26,619(0.22%)0
Withdrew before primaries CandidateMost recent office Home StateCampaign Withdrawal datePaul LaxaltU.S. Senatorfrom Nevada(1974–1987)Nevada(Campaign)Withdrew: Aug. 26, 1987Howard BakerU.S. Senatorfrom Tennessee(1967–1985)Tennessee(Campaign)Withdrew: Feb. 27, 1987
Minor candidates Other notable individuals campaigning for the nomination but not featuring in major polls were: Jack FellureBen FernandezHarold Stassen No Elected Office(Field Engineer at GE) U.S. Special Envoy (Paraguay)(1973)Governor of Minnesota(1939–1943)
Declined Note on Declination Dates: William ArmstrongPat BuchananJim ThompsonThomas KeanJesse HelmsU.S. Senatorfrom Colorado(1979–1991)White House CD(1985–1987)Governorof Illinois(1977–1991)Governorof New Jersey(1982–1990)U.S. Senatorfrom North Carolina(1973–2003)January 14, 1987January 20, 1987March 6, 1987March 11, 1987March 16, 1987George DeukmejianDonald RumsfeldWilliam BennettDonald TrumpJeane KirkpatrickGovernorof California(1983–1991)U.S. Secretaryof Defense(1975–1977)U.S. Secretaryof Education(1985–1988)Chairmanof The Trump Org.(1971–2017)U.S. Ambassador (United Nations)(1981–1985)March 25, 1987April 2, 1987April 4, 1987October 22, 1987October 25, 1987
Endorsements
Polling National polling Poll sourcePublication dateGallupJun. 10, 198539%8%––5%–48%GallupJan. 13, 198646%10%––5%–39%GallupApr. 14, 198640%10%–2%6%4%38%GallupJul. 14, 198641%8%–3%3%6%39%GallupOct. 27, 198642%8%1%3%5%6%35%GallupJan. 19, 198733%14%1%3%5%5%39%GallupApr. 13, 198734%18%2%7%9%4%26%GallupJune 14, 198739%21%2%6%8%5%19%GallupJuly 13, 198740%18%3%7%10%5%17%GallupSep. 2, 198740%19%2%4%9%8%18%GallupSep. 2, 198747%22%1%4%4%7%15%GallupJan. 24, 198845%30%2%2%5%8%8%
Results