1988 Washington gubernatorial election


The 1988 Washington gubernatorial election was held on November 8, 1988. Incumbent Democratic governor Booth Gardner won a second term, defeating Republican state representative Bob Williams in a landslide. This election was the first time since 1960 that an incumbent Democratic governor of Washington was re-elected.
Gardner won the highest share of the vote since Clarence Martin in 1936. Gardner's 62.21% of the vote is third-highest of any gubernatorial candidate in Washington's history.

Primary election

Candidates

Democratic

Republican

Independent

General election

Candidates

Debates

Results by county

Gardner's landslide win made him the first Democrat since Clarence Martin in 1936 to carry Chelan County, Garfield County, Lincoln County, San Juan County, Walla Walla County, and Whitman County. However, since this election, no Democrat has won Chelan County, Douglas County, Ferry County, Garfield County, Grant County, Lincoln County, and Okanogan County.

Counties that flipped from Republican to Democratic

Counties that flipped from Democratic to Republican