1988 US Presidential Election (BrazilianPatriot)



The 1988 US presidential election was held in November 9, 1988. The Democratic ticket of Representative Dick Gephardt of Missouri and Senator Lloyd Bentsen of Texas defeated the Republican ticket of Vice President George H. W Bush of Texas and Senator Dan Quayle of Indiana.

Gephardt narrowly defeated Massasuchets Governor Michael Dukakis, activist Jesse Jackson and other candidates to be nominated in the Democratic National Convention, and picked Texas Senator Lloyd Bentsen as his running mate. Bush was nominated with little opposition, and picked Senator Dan Quayle of Indiana as his running mate.

Gephardt campaigned as a moderate and populist Democrat during the primaries and general election, promising to unite all Americans hurt by the country's winner-take-all economy and lopsided tax cuts against the estabilishment, and to end 15 years of scandals. Bush campaigned on continuing Reagan's positive legacy.

The Gephardt campaign fought for a Balanced Budgets Amendment, tax reform increasing them on the rich but decreasing them on the middle class and small businesses, increased regulation of Wall Street, term limits for Congress, non-interventionism, a 10 dollar minimum wage and a public option for healthcare, among other points. This attracted dissafected voters. Bush called Gephardt a dangerous socialist and a "Missouri populist" out of touch with the American people. The Gephardt campaign responded effectively to this criticism, and also attacked Dan Quayle as an awful choice. The Democratic nominee tried to appeal mostly to younger voters.

Gephardt won 47,895,312 votes,52,05% of the total and 316 electoral votes, and carried 24 states. He performed best among the youth, the Rust Belt and anti-estabilishment voters. Bush won 42,591,195 popular votes (46,29%) and 222 EVs.,being favored by whites, the South and evangelicals.

The Gephardt Campaign produced memorable television advertising criticizing Reagan's policies without mentioning his name.