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United States · Election results history · 1988 president · Kentucky
Election 1988 Results

Each election opens in its own mode: the forecast before the votes are counted, the live count while races are still too close to call, and the results once every race is decided.

1988 presidential election in Kentucky

George H. W. Bush (Republican) beat Michael Dukakis (Democrat) in Kentucky in 1988, 55.5% to 43.9%, a margin of 11.6 points and 153,913 votes.

Kentucky voted 3.9 points more Republican than the country as a whole, where the margin was R+7.7.

The Republican hold continued from 1984, when Ronald Reagan won.

Republicans led in 83 of the 120 counties as they stood then and Democrats in 37. The largest, Jefferson, cast 268,629 votes and went to the Republican by 4.4 points. The closest was Robertson, where 4 votes separated the two parties.

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Early projection, based on early and incomplete polling: the likely matchups, each weighted by the betting markets' odds of both nominations, not a result. Each county is its 2024 presidential margin moved by its state's projected swing; set a national vote and every state, district and county moves by the same amount from our projection. Colours run in 100 steps from a safe Republican to a safe Democratic margin. Boundaries: US Census Bureau.

Result

CandidatePartyVotesShare
George H. W. Bush won Republican 734,281 55.5%
Michael Dukakis Democratic 580,368 43.9%
All other candidates 7,868 0.6%
Total1,322,517

Every county

CountyDemocratRepublicanOthersTotalMargin
Jefferson 127,936 47.6% 139,711 52.0% 982 268,629 R+4.4
Fayette 32,554 39.9% 48,065 59.0% 906 81,525 R+19.0
Kenton 14,838 32.4% 30,738 67.1% 217 45,793 R+34.7
Daviess 14,815 45.7% 17,356 53.5% 274 32,445 R+7.8
Campbell 9,553 32.8% 19,387 66.6% 164 29,104 R+33.8
Warren 9,684 36.6% 16,703 63.1% 97 26,484 R+26.5
Pike 16,339 61.9% 9,976 37.8% 101 26,416 D+24.1
McCracken 12,208 49.5% 12,160 49.3% 275 24,643 D+0.2
Hardin 7,262 35.3% 13,240 64.3% 97 20,599 R+29.0
Franklin 9,271 48.1% 9,805 50.9% 195 19,271 R+2.8
Boyd 9,552 50.3% 9,379 49.4% 57 18,988 D+0.9
Pulaski 4,788 26.1% 13,482 73.5% 72 18,342 R+47.4
Boone 5,382 29.6% 12,667 69.8% 108 18,157 R+40.1
Floyd 12,327 69.4% 5,296 29.8% 141 17,764 D+39.6
Madison 6,672 39.8% 9,958 59.4% 136 16,766 R+19.6
Hopkins 7,453 48.1% 7,979 51.5% 73 15,505 R+3.4
Bullitt 6,005 40.0% 8,859 59.0% 149 15,013 R+19.0
Christian 5,704 38.0% 9,250 61.6% 54 15,008 R+23.6
Henderson 7,648 52.3% 6,911 47.3% 61 14,620 D+5.0
Greenup 6,956 51.3% 6,559 48.4% 43 13,558 D+2.9
Graves 7,153 52.8% 6,274 46.3% 118 13,545 D+6.5
Laurel 3,620 27.9% 9,296 71.5% 78 12,994 R+43.7
Oldham 4,025 31.5% 8,716 68.1% 51 12,792 R+36.7
Harlan 7,341 58.4% 5,166 41.1% 69 12,576 D+17.3
Muhlenberg 6,912 56.1% 5,369 43.6% 41 12,322 D+12.5
Calloway 5,287 45.8% 6,225 53.9% 34 11,546 R+8.1
Barren 4,799 41.7% 6,653 57.8% 54 11,506 R+16.1
Bell 5,182 46.3% 5,759 51.5% 252 11,193 R+5.2
Whitley 3,794 33.9% 7,337 65.6% 57 11,188 R+31.7
Marshall 5,888 52.7% 5,256 47.1% 27 11,171 D+5.7
Perry 5,557 51.6% 5,154 47.8% 61 10,772 D+3.7
Nelson 4,788 47.0% 5,283 51.9% 108 10,179 R+4.9
Jessamine 2,955 29.2% 7,057 69.8% 104 10,116 R+40.5
Clark 4,252 44.2% 5,329 55.4% 41 9,622 R+11.2
Carter 4,570 51.1% 4,325 48.4% 49 8,944 D+2.7
Shelby 3,834 43.2% 4,998 56.3% 39 8,871 R+13.1
Ohio 3,612 42.3% 4,910 57.5% 23 8,545 R+15.2
Boyle 3,575 42.8% 4,746 56.8% 33 8,354 R+14.0
Letcher 4,697 56.3% 3,601 43.2% 46 8,344 D+13.1
Taylor 2,879 34.8% 5,362 64.8% 39 8,280 R+30.0
Johnson 3,538 43.1% 4,619 56.3% 54 8,211 R+13.2
Scott 3,380 42.7% 4,482 56.7% 46 7,908 R+13.9
Knox 2,919 37.0% 4,903 62.2% 60 7,882 R+25.2
Grayson 2,575 32.8% 5,186 66.1% 81 7,842 R+33.3
Logan 3,379 43.9% 4,295 55.7% 31 7,705 R+11.9
Woodford 2,653 36.8% 4,512 62.6% 39 7,204 R+25.8
Knott 5,185 74.9% 1,691 24.4% 50 6,926 D+50.4
Mercer 2,832 41.4% 3,904 57.1% 107 6,843 R+15.7
Breckinridge 2,765 41.7% 3,841 58.0% 17 6,623 R+16.2
Meade 3,079 47.0% 3,441 52.6% 25 6,545 R+5.5
Montgomery 3,082 47.1% 3,435 52.5% 20 6,537 R+5.4
Lincoln 2,677 43.0% 3,530 56.6% 25 6,232 R+13.7
Bourbon 2,793 45.2% 3,308 53.6% 74 6,175 R+8.3
Adair 1,723 28.2% 4,346 71.1% 44 6,113 R+42.9
Rowan 2,968 48.8% 3,093 50.9% 16 6,077 R+2.1
Mason 2,721 46.2% 3,158 53.6% 16 5,895 R+7.4
Clay 1,709 29.0% 4,156 70.6% 19 5,884 R+41.6
Russell 1,455 25.2% 4,292 74.3% 30 5,777 R+49.1
Harrison 2,748 47.8% 2,983 51.9% 22 5,753 R+4.1
Wayne 2,057 35.8% 3,672 63.9% 18 5,747 R+28.1
Marion 3,152 55.6% 2,500 44.1% 21 5,673 D+11.5
Union 3,316 58.9% 2,292 40.7% 20 5,628 D+18.2
Breathitt 3,387 60.7% 2,149 38.5% 44 5,580 D+22.2
Caldwell 2,564 46.0% 2,952 52.9% 61 5,577 R+7.0
Hart 2,519 46.1% 2,927 53.5% 22 5,468 R+7.5
Anderson 2,176 39.9% 3,225 59.2% 49 5,450 R+19.2
Monroe 1,025 19.5% 4,214 80.0% 27 5,266 R+60.6
Webster 3,019 58.0% 2,159 41.5% 24 5,202 D+16.5
McCreary 1,644 31.7% 3,477 67.0% 72 5,193 R+35.3
Casey 1,216 23.8% 3,857 75.4% 44 5,117 R+51.6
Magoffin 2,895 57.0% 2,158 42.5% 27 5,080 D+14.5
Rockcastle 1,041 21.0% 3,880 78.4% 27 4,948 R+57.4
Allen 1,573 32.0% 3,342 67.9% 8 4,923 R+35.9
Henry 2,544 52.3% 2,286 47.0% 36 4,866 D+5.3
Simpson 2,138 44.0% 2,699 55.5% 22 4,859 R+11.5
Grant 1,896 39.5% 2,835 59.1% 70 4,801 R+19.6
Estill 1,692 35.3% 3,077 64.2% 25 4,794 R+28.9
Green 1,595 33.6% 3,139 66.1% 17 4,751 R+32.5
Lewis 1,568 33.4% 3,108 66.2% 20 4,696 R+32.8
Jackson 678 14.7% 3,926 85.2% 6 4,610 R+70.5
Butler 1,245 27.4% 3,278 72.2% 16 4,539 R+44.8
Fleming 2,086 46.1% 2,409 53.3% 27 4,522 R+7.1
Lawrence 2,198 48.8% 2,294 50.9% 16 4,508 R+2.1
Garrard 1,710 38.4% 2,681 60.2% 64 4,455 R+21.8
Washington 1,950 43.8% 2,445 54.9% 59 4,454 R+11.1
Trigg 1,991 44.9% 2,427 54.7% 16 4,434 R+9.8
Larue 1,822 41.2% 2,590 58.6% 11 4,423 R+17.4
Leslie 1,105 25.1% 3,280 74.4% 24 4,409 R+49.3
Powell 2,113 49.6% 2,128 50.0% 17 4,258 R+0.4
Martin 1,581 37.7% 2,587 61.7% 28 4,196 R+24.0
Clinton 899 21.5% 3,248 77.8% 28 4,175 R+56.3
McLean 2,269 55.2% 1,829 44.5% 13 4,111 D+10.7
Pendleton 1,576 38.5% 2,487 60.8% 28 4,091 R+22.3
Todd 1,632 41.2% 2,282 57.7% 44 3,958 R+16.4
Metcalfe 1,705 43.6% 2,179 55.7% 31 3,915 R+12.1
Livingston 2,052 52.5% 1,834 46.9% 23 3,909 D+5.6
Edmonson 1,243 32.5% 2,555 66.7% 30 3,828 R+34.3
Morgan 2,329 61.0% 1,452 38.0% 36 3,817 D+23.0
Bath 2,099 56.4% 1,614 43.3% 11 3,724 D+13.0
Crittenden 1,443 39.4% 2,211 60.3% 12 3,666 R+20.9
Carroll 1,913 52.6% 1,702 46.8% 21 3,636 D+5.8
Ballard 2,162 59.6% 1,460 40.2% 7 3,629 D+19.3
Owen 1,823 55.1% 1,468 44.3% 20 3,311 D+10.7
Hancock 1,478 45.6% 1,733 53.4% 32 3,243 R+7.9
Fulton 1,531 50.8% 1,474 48.9% 11 3,016 D+1.9
Cumberland 753 25.1% 2,231 74.5% 11 2,995 R+49.3
Bracken 1,176 41.6% 1,630 57.7% 18 2,824 R+16.1
Lee 984 38.0% 1,588 61.3% 18 2,590 R+23.3
Carlisle 1,428 55.7% 1,104 43.1% 32 2,564 D+12.6
Nicholas 1,242 48.5% 1,271 49.7% 46 2,559 R+1.1
Spencer 1,121 44.8% 1,368 54.6% 16 2,505 R+9.9
Wolfe 1,516 61.1% 916 36.9% 48 2,480 D+24.2
Trimble 1,342 55.0% 1,083 44.4% 15 2,440 D+10.6
Lyon 1,337 55.2% 1,077 44.5% 8 2,422 D+10.7
Elliott 1,797 76.2% 550 23.3% 10 2,357 D+52.9
Hickman 1,158 50.0% 1,142 49.3% 15 2,315 D+0.7
Gallatin 1,060 54.3% 881 45.1% 11 1,952 D+9.2
Menifee 1,096 61.3% 670 37.5% 22 1,788 D+23.8
Owsley 345 21.4% 1,266 78.5% 2 1,613 R+57.1
Robertson 515 49.8% 511 49.4% 9 1,035 D+0.4

Counties as they stood in 1988; some have since been split, merged or renamed. Margin: the Democrat's share of all votes minus the Republican's. Sources and how the results were checked.

Kentucky in every presidential election we hold

YearWinnerMargin
2024 Donald Trump (R) R+30.5
2020 Donald Trump (R) R+25.9
2016 Donald Trump (R) R+29.8
2012 Mitt Romney (R) R+22.7
2008 John McCain (R) R+16.2
2004 George W. Bush (R) R+19.9
2000 George W. Bush (R) R+15.1
1996 Bill Clinton (D) D+1.0
1992 Bill Clinton (D) D+3.2
1988 George H. W. Bush (R) R+11.6
1984 Ronald Reagan (R) R+20.6
1980 Ronald Reagan (R) R+1.4
1976 Jimmy Carter (D) D+7.2
1972 Richard Nixon (R) R+28.6
1968 Richard Nixon (R) R+6.1
1964 Lyndon B. Johnson (D) D+28.4
1960 Richard Nixon (R) R+7.2
1956 Dwight D. Eisenhower (R) R+9.1
1952 Adlai Stevenson II (D) D+0.1
1948 Harry S. Truman (D) D+15.3
1944 Franklin D. Roosevelt (D) D+9.2
1940 Franklin D. Roosevelt (D) D+15.1
1936 Franklin D. Roosevelt (D) D+18.6
1932 Franklin D. Roosevelt (D) D+18.9
1928 Herbert Hoover (R) R+18.8
1924 Calvin Coolidge (R) R+3.0
1920 James M. Cox (D) D+0.6
1916 Woodrow Wilson (D) D+5.4
1912 Woodrow Wilson (D) D+23.0
1908 William Jennings Bryan (D) D+1.7
1904 Alton B. Parker (D) D+2.7
1900 William Jennings Bryan (D) D+1.7
1896 William McKinley (R) R+0.1
1892 Grover Cleveland (D) D+11.7
1888 Grover Cleveland (D) D+8.3
1884 Grover Cleveland (D) D+12.4
1880 Winfield Scott Hancock (D) D+15.9
1876 Samuel J. Tilden (D) D+24.0
1872 Third party (other)
1868 Horatio Seymour (D) D+49.4