1988 United States Senate election in Washington
November 8, 1988
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County results Gorton: 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% 80–90% Lowry: 50–60% | |||||||||||||||||
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| Elections in Washington (state) |
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The 1988 United States Senate election in Washington was held on November 8, 1988. Incumbent Republican U.S. Senator Daniel J. Evans decided to retire instead of running for re-election to a full term, after being appointed to the seat in 1983, and won election to a partial term that same year. Republican former U.S. Senator Slade Gorton, who had just lost a re-election bid in 1986, won the open seat.[1] As of 2024, this is the last time Washington simultaneously voted for different parties for president and for senate, as Democrat Michael Dukakis won the state in the concurrent presidential election.
Mike Lowry, the Democratic nominee, would run successfully for Governor of Washington in 1992.
Blanket primary
Candidates
Democratic
- Mike Lowry, U.S. Representative from Renton (1979–1989)
- Don Bonker, U.S. Representative from Vancouver (1975–1989)
Republican
- Slade Gorton, former U.S. Senator (1981–1987)
- Douglas J. Smith
Third-party
- William C. Goodloe (Washington Taxpayer), judge and lawyer
- Daniel B. Fein (Socialist Workers Party)
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Slade Gorton | 335,846 | 35.90% | |
| Democratic | Mike Lowry | 297,399 | 31.79% | |
| Democratic | Don Bonker | 241,170 | 25.78% | |
| Republican | Douglas J. Smith | 31,512 | 3.37% | |
| Washington Taxpayers | William C. Goodloe | 26,224 | 2.80% | |
| Socialist Workers | Daniel B. Fein | 3,312 | 0.35% | |
| Total votes | 935,463 | 100.00% | ||
General election
Candidates
- Mike Lowry (D), U.S. Congressman of the 7th congressional district (1979–1989)
- Slade Gorton (R), former U.S. Senator (1981–1987)
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Slade Gorton | 944,359 | 51.09 | −4.32 | |
| Democratic | Mike Lowry | 904,183 | 48.91 | +4.32 | |
| Total votes | 1,848,542 | 100.00 | N/A | ||
| Republican hold | |||||
By county
| County[3] | Slade Gorton
Republican |
Mike Lowry
Democratic |
Margin | Total votes | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| # | % | # | % | # | % | ||
| Adams | 2,856 | 64.01% | 1,606 | 35.99% | 1,250 | 28.01% | 4,462 |
| Asotin | 3,195 | 48.64% | 3,373 | 51.36% | -178 | -2.71% | 6,568 |
| Benton | 35,986 | 80.81% | 8,547 | 19.19% | 27,439 | 61.61% | 44,533 |
| Chelan | 12,083 | 61.04% | 7,711 | 38.96% | 4,372 | 22.09% | 19,794 |
| Clallam | 11,738 | 51.09% | 11,235 | 48.91% | 503 | 2.19% | 22,973 |
| Clark | 40,518 | 51.98% | 37,435 | 48.02% | 3,083 | 3.95% | 77,953 |
| Columbia | 1,170 | 59.88% | 784 | 40.12% | 386 | 19.75% | 1,954 |
| Cowlitz | 13,502 | 47.45% | 14,955 | 52.55% | -1,453 | -5.11% | 28,457 |
| Douglas | 5,718 | 60.78% | 3,689 | 39.22% | 2,029 | 21.57% | 9,407 |
| Ferry | 981 | 49.42% | 1,004 | 50.58% | -23 | -1.16% | 1,985 |
| Franklin | 7,683 | 70.43% | 3,225 | 29.57% | 4,458 | 40.87% | 10,908 |
| Garfield | 719 | 54.43% | 602 | 45.57% | 117 | 8.86% | 1,321 |
| Grant | 10,897 | 60.00% | 7,265 | 40.00% | 3,632 | 20.00% | 18,162 |
| Grays Harbor | 9,780 | 40.43% | 14,409 | 59.57% | -4,629 | -19.14% | 24,189 |
| Island | 12,806 | 59.62% | 8,675 | 40.38% | 4,131 | 19.23% | 21,481 |
| Jefferson | 4,298 | 44.37% | 5,388 | 55.63% | -1,090 | -11.25% | 9,686 |
| King | 289,087 | 46.00% | 339,402 | 54.00% | -50,315 | -8.01% | 628,489 |
| Kitsap | 36,125 | 54.23% | 30,493 | 45.77% | 5,632 | 8.45% | 66,618 |
| Kittitas | 5,542 | 52.37% | 5,041 | 47.63% | 501 | 4.73% | 10,583 |
| Klickitat | 3,064 | 50.67% | 2,983 | 49.33% | 81 | 1.34% | 6,047 |
| Lewis | 14,254 | 60.55% | 9,287 | 39.45% | 4,967 | 21.10% | 23,541 |
| Lincoln | 2,805 | 59.21% | 1,932 | 40.79% | 873 | 18.43% | 4,737 |
| Mason | 7,692 | 48.78% | 8,078 | 51.22% | -386 | -2.45% | 15,770 |
| Okanogan | 6,189 | 52.01% | 5,711 | 47.99% | 478 | 4.02% | 11,900 |
| Pacific | 3,325 | 40.49% | 4,887 | 59.51% | -1,562 | -19.02% | 8,212 |
| Pend Oreille | 1,870 | 50.20% | 1,855 | 49.80% | 15 | 0.40% | 3,725 |
| Pierce | 96,122 | 50.74% | 93,310 | 49.26% | 2,812 | 1.48% | 189,432 |
| San Juan | 2,811 | 48.95% | 2,932 | 51.05% | -121 | -2.11% | 5,743 |
| Skagit | 16,747 | 52.07% | 15,416 | 47.93% | 1,331 | 4.14% | 32,163 |
| Skamania | 1,299 | 42.26% | 1,775 | 57.74% | -476 | -15.48% | 3,074 |
| Snohomish | 88,307 | 52.34% | 80,413 | 47.66% | 7,894 | 4.68% | 168,720 |
| Spokane | 73,583 | 51.80% | 68,482 | 48.20% | 5,101 | 3.59% | 142,065 |
| Stevens | 6,729 | 55.53% | 5,389 | 44.47% | 1,340 | 11.06% | 12,118 |
| Thurston | 33,371 | 49.34% | 34,266 | 50.66% | -895 | -1.32% | 67,637 |
| Wahkiakum | 716 | 47.11% | 804 | 52.89% | -88 | -5.79% | 1,520 |
| Walla Walla | 10,647 | 60.32% | 7,004 | 39.68% | 3,643 | 20.64% | 17,651 |
| Whatcom | 25,278 | 50.50% | 24,779 | 49.50% | 499 | 1.00% | 50,057 |
| Whitman | 8,022 | 52.51% | 7,256 | 47.49% | 766 | 5.01% | 15,278 |
| Yakima | 36,844 | 61.79% | 22,785 | 38.21% | 14,059 | 23.58% | 59,629 |
| Totals | 944,359 | 51.09% | 904,183 | 48.91% | 40,176 | 2.17% | 1,848,542 |
Counties that flipped from Republican to Democratic
- Asotin (largest city: Clarkston)
- King (largest city: Seattle)
- Mason (largest city: Shelton)
- San Juan (largest city: Friday Harbor)
- Thurston (largest city: Lacey)
See also
References
- ^ Ammons, David (November 9, 1988). "Slade Gorton runs, wins as a hard-liner". Longview Daily News. Longview, Washington. Associated Press. p. 5. Retrieved June 24, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Elections Search Results - September 1988 Primary". Washington Secretary of State. Retrieved June 24, 2022.
- ^ a b Munro, Ralph (November 8, 1988). "Elections Search Results November 1988 General U. S. Senator". Secretary of State of Washington. Retrieved January 22, 2026.