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 D. 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
- Jeanne Dixon
- Ted Parker Fix
- Booth Gardner, incumbent governor of Washington
- Richard "Onery Dick" Short
Republican
- Norm Maleng, King County prosecutor
- Paul Dean Santos
- Bob Williams, state representative
Independent
- Baba Jeanne "BJ" Mangaoang, party leader
General election
Candidates
- Booth Gardner (D), incumbent governor of Washington
- Bob Williams (R), state representative
Debates
- Complete video of debate, October 30, 1988 - C-SPAN
Results
By county
Gardner's landslide win made him the first Democrat since Clarence D. 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
- Chelan
- Douglas
- Garfield
- Grant
- Island
- Lincoln
- Okanogan
- San Juan
- Spokane
- Walla Walla
- Whitman
Counties that flipped from Democratic to Republican