1988 United States presidential election

In 1988, two main teams, or tickets, wanted to win the big job of President of the United States. One team was George H. W. Bush and Dan Quayle, who were Republicans. The other team was Michael Dukakis and Lloyd Bentsen, who were Democrats. People all over the country would vote for the team they liked best. It was a very important choice for everyone!

The election was like a super-long race. George H. W. Bush was like the favorite runner because he was already the Vice President. Michael Dukakis was the governor of Massachusetts, which is a state. Both teams traveled all over the country, talking to people and trying to convince them to vote for them. They gave speeches and appeared on TV a lot!

People voted because they wanted to help decide what the country would be like. They thought about things like jobs, safety, and what the President would do. George H. W. Bush talked a lot about how the country was doing well and wanted to keep things that way. Michael Dukakis talked about his state's good economy. It was a big decision for millions of people!

When all the votes were counted, George H. W. Bush and Dan Quayle won! They got more votes from the special groups called the Electoral College, and more people voted for them directly too. It was a big win for the Republican team, and George H. W. Bush became the new President. This was the third time in a row the Republicans had won the presidency.