1988 United States Senate election in California
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The 1988 United States Senate election in California took place on November 8, 1988. Incumbent Senator Pete Wilson won re-election to a second term.
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November 8, 1988
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 County results Wilson: 40–50% 50–60% 60–70% McCarthy: 40–50% 50–60% 60–70% | |||||||||||||||||
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As of 2026, this is the last time a Republican won a U.S. Senate election in California. This was also the first time since 1952 that an incumbent Senator was re-elected to this seat, and the last time until 2022 that a man would win a Senate election in California.
Democratic primary
Candidates
- John Hancock Abbott, perennial candidate
- Robert John Banuelos, candidate for Senate in 1986
- Charles Greene, candidate for Senate in 1986 and Los Angeles County Sheriff in 1982
- Leo T. McCarthy, Lieutenant Governor of California and former Speaker of the California State Assembly
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Leo T. McCarthy | 2,367,067 | 81.69% | |
| Democratic | John H. Abbott | 220,331 | 7.60% | |
| Democratic | Robert J. Banuelos | 163,882 | 5.66% | |
| Democratic | Charles Greene | 146,307 | 5.05% | |
| Total votes | 2,897,587 | 100.0% | ||
Peace and Freedom primary
Candidates
- Gloria Garcia, nominee for California Secretary of State in 1986
- Maria Elizabeth Muñoz, Chicana activist and nominee for Governor in 1986
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Peace and Freedom | Maria Elizabeth Muñoz | 3,701 | 58.52% | |
| Peace and Freedom | Gloria Garcia | 2,623 | 41.48% | |
| Total votes | 6,324 | 100.0% | ||
General election
Candidates
- Joel Britton (Independent)
- Jack Dean (Libertarian)
- Leo T. McCarthy, Lieutenant Governor of California and former Speaker of the California State Assembly (Democratic)
- Maria Elizabeth Muñoz, Chicana activist and nominee for Governor in 1986 (Peace and Freedom)
- Merton D. Short (American Independent)
- Pete Wilson, incumbent Senator (Republican)
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Pete Wilson (incumbent) | 5,143,409 | 52.79% |  1.25 | |
| Democratic | Leo T. McCarthy | 4,287,253 | 44.00% |  0.78 | |
| Peace and Freedom | Maria Elizabeth Muñoz | 166,600 | 1.71% | 0.47 | |
| Libertarian | Jack Dean | 79,997 | 0.82% | 0.51 | |
| American Independent | Merton D. Short | 66,291 | 0.68% | 0.39 | |
| Independent | Joel Britton | 51 | 0.00% | N/A | |
| Total votes | 9,743,601 | 100.00% | |||
| Republican hold | Swing | ||||
Results by county
| County | Pete Wilson Republican |
Leo McCarthy Democratic |
Maria Elizabeth Muñoz Peace & Freedom |
Jack Dean Libertarian |
All others |
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|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| # | % | # | % | # | % | # | % | # | % | ||
| Orange | 68.23% | 593,614 | 28.88% | 251,264 | 1.48% | 12,919 | 0.85% | 7,418 | 0.55% | 4,783 | |
| Inyo | 65.37% | 4,986 | 31.79% | 2,425 | 1,28% | 98 | 0.63% | 48 | 0.92% | 70 | |
| San Diego | 64.06% | 549,367 | 33.07% | 283,554 | 1.34% | 11,490 | 0.86% | 7,343 | 0.68% | 5,811 | |
| Mono | 63.97% | 2,397 | 31.49% | 1,180 | 2.38% | 89 | 1.12% | 42 | 1.04% | 39 | |
| Sutter | 63.61% | 12,724 | 32.33% | 6,466 | 2.06% | 413 | 1.17% | 234 | 0.82% | 165 | |
| Ventura | 62.55% | 149,958 | 34.14% | 81,831 | 1.77% | 4,235 | 0.84% | 2,025 | 0.70% | 1,678 | |
| Glenn | 62.24% | 5,006 | 34.40% | 2,767 | 1.28% | 103 | 0.81% | 65 | 1.27% | 102 | |
| Tulare | 61.42% | 46,958 | 35.29% | 26,980 | 2.13% | 1,630 | 0.63% | 478 | 0.53% | 408 | |
| Kern | 60.77% | 91,303 | 35.55% | 53,415 | 2.09% | 3,146 | 0.80% | 1,202 | 0.79% | 1,188 | |
| Modoc | 60.72% | 2,441 | 35.17% | 1,414 | 1.47% | 59 | 1.00% | 40 | 1.67% | 66 | |
| El Dorado | 60.62% | 30,738 | 35.47% | 17,986 | 1.95% | 990 | 0.96% | 488 | 1.00% | 507 | |
| Placer | 60.41% | 42,643 | 35.76% | 25,243 | 1.97% | 1,389 | 1.00% | 709 | 0.85% | 603 | |
| Shasta | 60.38% | 30,821 | 36.02% | 18,384 | 1.37% | 699 | 1.04% | 532 | 1.19% | 606 | |
| San Bernardino | 59.44% | 230,772 | 36.95% | 143,465 | 1.90% | 7,371 | 0.73% | 2,821 | 0.99% | 3,821 | |
| Nevada | 59.10% | 21,815 | 36.84% | 13,598 | 2.10% | 776 | 1.17% | 433 | 0.78% | 289 | |
| Riverside | 58.60% | 195,956 | 38.40% | 128,422 | 1.73% | 5,791 | 0.56% | 1,866 | 0.71% | 2,369 | |
| Colusa | 58.69% | 2,960 | 38.44% | 1,942 | 1.66% | 84 | 0.42% | 21 | 0.89% | 45 | |
| San Luis Obispo | 58.13% | 49,564 | 38.13% | 32,452 | 1.80% | 1,528 | 1.06% | 904 | 0.77% | 653 | |
| Tehama | 57.64% | 10,338 | 38.56% | 6,916 | 1.23% | 221 | 1,24% | 222 | 1.32% | 237 | |
| Yuba | 57.53% | 8,828 | 38.97% | 5,980 | 1.74% | 267 | 0.85% | 131 | 0.91% | 139 | |
| Madera | 56.85% | 13,324 | 38.90% | 9,117 | 2.47% | 580 | 0.84% | 196 | 0.94% | 220 | |
| Santa Barbara | 56.85% | 81,282 | 39.81% | 56,916 | 1.99% | 2,850 | 0.83% | 1,187 | 0.52% | 750 | |
| Calaveras | 56.65% | 7,584 | 39.81% | 5,310 | 1.44% | 193 | 1.13% | 151 | 1.12% | 150 | |
| Kings | 56.33% | 12,238 | 40.19% | 8,737 | 2.10% | 456 | 0.63% | 136 | 0.76% | 165 | |
| Mariposa | 56.33% | 3,895 | 39.65% | 2,742 | 1.62% | 112 | 1.08% | 75 | 1.32% | 91 | |
| Amador | 56.23% | 6,896 | 40.02% | 4,912 | 1.61% | 197 | 0.97% | 119 | 1.15% | 141 | |
| Alpine | 56.14% | 311 | 35.02% | 194 | 5.05% | 28 | 1.26% | 7 | 2.53% | 14 | |
| Tuolumne | 55.80% | 10,781 | 40.85% | 7,892 | 1.65% | 319 | 0.81% | 156 | 0.90% | 173 | |
| Butte | 55.59% | 40,056 | 40.09% | 28,886 | 1.77% | 1,272 | 1.26% | 909 | 1.29% | 933 | |
| San Joaquin | 55.30% | 75,753 | 41.12% | 56,330 | 1.93% | 2,650 | 0.61% | 840 | 1.03% | 1,416 | |
| Lassen | 54.96% | 4,780 | 40.71% | 3,541 | 1.93% | 168 | 0.94% | 82 | 1.46% | 127 | |
| Trinity | 54.01% | 3,337 | 39.80% | 2,459 | 2.06% | 127 | 1.96% | 121 | 2.17% | 134 | |
| Stanislaus | 53.28% | 51,423 | 43.97% | 42,440 | 1.53% | 1,476 | 0.57% | 554 | 0.65% | 623 | |
| Fresno | 53.00% | 99,315 | 43-62% | 81,733 | 1.97% | 3,696 | 0.71% | 1,336 | 0.69% | 1,291 | |
| Siskiyou | 52.84% | 9,448 | 42.38% | 7,577 | 1.78% | 319 | 1.30% | 232 | 1.70% | 304 | |
| Imperial | 52.36% | 12,391 | 42.67% | 10,099 | 3.47% | 822 | 0.77% | 182 | 0.73% | 173 | |
| Plumas | 52.13% | 4,635 | 43.60% | 3,877 | 2.10% | 187 | 1.12% | 100 | 1.05% | 93 | |
| Merced | 52.04% | 20,513 | 43.75% | 17,247 | 2.32% | 913 | 0.82% | 325 | 1.07% | 421 | |
| Sacramento | 51.85% | 201,827 | 44.47% | 173,110 | 1.93% | 7,496 | 0.76% | 2,960 | 1.00% | 3,885 | |
| Napa | 51.83% | 24,071 | 44.40% | 20,619 | 1.82% | 843 | 1.12% | 519 | 0.84% | 392 | |
| San Benito | 51.82% | 5,331 | 43.73% | 4,499 | 2.54% | 261 | 0.92% | 95 | 0.99% | 102 | |
| Contra Costa | 51.10% | 168,760 | 46.24% | 152,714 | 1.29% | 4,549 | 0.77% | 2,549 | 0.60% | 1,991 | |
| Sierra | 51.04% | 880 | 44.05% | 759 | 2.69% | 46 | 0.81% | 14 | 1.39% | 24 | |
| Monterey | 49.83% | 50,136 | 46.11% | 46,401 | 2.33% | 2,340 | 1.01% | 1,012 | 0.73% | 732 | |
| Lake | 48.86% | 9,516 | 47.28% | 9,210 | 1.64% | 320 | 1.24% | 241 | 0.98% | 191 | |
| Los Angeles | 48.61% | 1,265,582 | 48.46% | 1,261,449 | 1.74% | 45,427 | 0.67% | 17,458 | 0.51% | 13,375 | |
| Solano | 48.22% | 47,288 | 48.36% | 47,420 | 1.57% | 1,536 | 0.97% | 955 | 0.88% | 860 | |
| Santa Clara | 47.69% | 253,865 | 48.36% | 257,463 | 1.96% | 10,436 | 1.26% | 6,734 | 0.73% | 3,867 | |
| San Mateo | 45.21% | 111,187 | 51.12% | 125,724 | 1.49% | 3,659 | 0.98% | 2,408 | 1.19% | 2,940 | |
| Del Norte | 45.08% | 3,418 | 50.95% | 3,863 | 1.74% | 132 | 0.71% | 54 | 1.52% | 115 | |
| Sonoma | 44.95% | 71,775 | 51.19% | 81,747 | 1.99% | 3,185 | 1.05% | 1,677 | 0.82% | 1,304 | |
| Yolo | 44.51% | 23,459 | 51.78% | 27,291 | 2.15% | 1,133 | 0.87% | 456 | 0.70% | 370 | |
| Mendocino | 43.71% | 13,318 | 51.97% | 15,835 | 2.10% | 640 | 1.26% | 385 | 0.96% | 292 | |
| Marin | 43.02% | 49,942 | 54.35% | 63,101 | 1.11% | 1,288 | 1.06% | 1,232 | 0.46% | 536 | |
| Santa Cruz | 38.16% | 39,104 | 57.30% | 58,715 | 2.60% | 2,666 | 1.28% | 1,307 | 0.65% | 669 | |
| Humboldt | 37.70% | 19,384 | 59.27% | 30,472 | 1.56% | 804 | 0.73% | 376 | 0.73% | 375 | |
| Alameda | 36.81% | 173,204 | 60.22% | 283,548 | 1.56% | 7,327 | 0.85% | 4,017 | 0.56% | 2,656 | |
| San Francisco | 28.70% | 70,102 | 68.83% | 167,613 | 1.29% | 3,153 | 0.75% | 1818 | 0.34% | 841 | |
Counties that flipped from Republican to Democratic
Counties that flipped from Democratic to Republican