1988 United States Senate election in Rhode Island
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The 1988 United States Senate election in Rhode Island was held on November 8, 1988. Incumbent Republican U.S. Senator John Chafee won re-election to a third term.
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November 8, 1988
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Chafee: 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% Licht: 50–60% 60–70% | |||||||||||||||||
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Major candidates
Democratic
- Richard Licht, Lieutenant Governor and former State Senator
Republican
- John Chafee, U.S. Senator since 1976
Results
Chafee defeated Licht by a wide margin, winning every county in the state with 55% of the vote. This was despite 56% of Rhode Island voting for Democratic nominee Michael Dukakis in the concurrent presidential election. Many voters therefore split their tickets.
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | John Chafee (Incumbent) | 217,273 | 54.59% | +3.39% | |
| Democratic | Richard Licht | 180,717 | 45.41% | −3.39% | |
| Majority | 36,556 | 9.19% | +6.79% | ||
| Turnout | 397,990 | ||||
| Republican hold | Swing | ||||