1988 Iowa Democratic presidential caucuses

First nominating contest ahead of the presidential election June 2025 May 2025 1988 Iowa Democratic presidential caucuses Iowa Flag of Iowa (xrmap collection).svg presidential no 1984 Iowa Democratic presidential caucuses 1984 1988 02 08 1992 Iowa Democratic presidential caucuses 1992 52 Democratic National Convention delegates SDEs State delegate equivalents (SDEs) are used to calculate how many delegates each candidate gets both in each district and on state-level. Percentage of SDEs Michael Dukakis 1988 DNC (cropped).jpg Michael Dukakis a59400 Massachusetts 22 28.7% File:Jesse Jackson For President Crop.jpg Jesse Jackson 5d73e5 South Carolina 12 13.1% File:Dick Gephardt portrait (cropped).jpg Dick Gephardt 73638c Missouri 8 27.9% File:Sen. Paul Simon.jpg Paul Simon 7e4621 Illinois 6 26.4% File:NOTA Option Logo 3x4.svg Uncommitted 000000ff – 4 3.9% NH Caucuses in Iowa for the Democratic presidential nomination were held on February 8, marking the Democratic Party's first nominating contest in their series of presidential primaries ahead of the 1988 presidential election. Dick Gephardt, having focused his campaign against offshoring, won a plurality in the preference vote and precinct caucuses. However, Michael Dukakis, who placed third in both of those contests, received a plurality of the delegates to the national convention. Procedure Iowa had 58 delegates to the 1988 Democratic National Convention, with six of those being unelected superdelegates.Don't Pick 1988 Voters assembled across 2,487 precincts to caucus on February 8, 1988. Candidates who receive at least 15% of the vote in the precinct caucuses will be given delegates to for the county conventions.Balzar 1988 3,001 delegates would be elected at county conventions on March 26, 1988,Yepsen 1988Top Position 1988 to then vote for 34 delegates to the national convention at district conventions on May 14.Dukakis gains part one 1988 The remaining 18 delegates are then selected at the Iowa Democratic Party's state convention on June 25.Dukakis gains part two 1988 Campaign Gephardt's campaign focused on attacks against offshoring.Keller 1988 He was the first presidential candidate to visit all of Iowa's counties in the 1988 cycle.Davidson 1988Duncan 1988 138 Gephardt's campaign chose to conduct its advertising in January, months after all of the other campaigns.ads 1988 Majority Leader Tom Foley and 41 other members of the United States House of Representatives, accounting for half of U.S. Representatives that endorsed Gephardt, attended events in Des Moines and Cedar Rapids, Iowa, on January 28.Foley 1988choir 1988 Bruce Babbitt focused his campaign on Iowa, hoping to repeat Jimmy Carter's result in the 1976 caucuses that propelled him to the nomination. Babbitt's first major activity in Iowa was campaigning with his family by riding in the RAGBRAI using Schwinn bicycles for a week, stopping every 10 miles to talk with voters. Chris Hamel, his campaign coordinator for Iowa, said that they did this to stand out from the other candidates.Duncan 1988 17; 31-32 Iowa was suffering from the 1980s farm crisis. Simon attacked Gephardt for supporting the 1980 grain embargo against the Soviet Union.Embargo 1988 Michael Dukakis was criticized for his suggestions to Iowa farmers that they grow apples, blueberries, flowers, or Belgian endives rather than corn or soybeans; Governor Bill Clinton derided it as "yuppie agriculture".Duncan 1988 112-113 Pro-Palestinian activists picketed Gephardt and Simon's offices in Iowa City on January 22, 1988, in protest of the presidential candidates ignoring issues relating to Palestine and the Middle East.Picket 1988 Bill Cosby conducted a benefit performance for Jackson's campaign on January 24.Schuelke 1988 Gore withdrew most of his staff from Iowa in January.wire 1988 Debates and forums 1988 Iowa Democratic presidential caucuses debates No. Number Date & Time Host Location Moderator ParticipantsKey:black #90ff90  P  Participant   black #FFFFDD  A  Absent   black #ff9090  N  Non-invitee   black #CCFFCC  I  Invitee Bruce Babbitt Michael Dukakis Dick Gephardt Al Gore Gary Hart Jesse Jackson Paul Simon 1Debate 1988 January 11, 19887:00 p.m. CDT Greater Sioux City Press Club Morningside University Brad Robertson Mike Townsend P P P P A A P 2Sullivan 1988 January 23, 1988 Presidential Forum on Agriculture Iowa State University P P P A P P P Polling Poll source Date(s)administered Samplesize Marginof error BruceBabbitt MichaelDukakis DickGephardt AlGore GaryHart JesseJackson PaulSimon Others UndecidedBoston HeraldWBZ-TVGephardt Poll 1988January 1988401 LV9%18%28%2%2%8%14%–– Results Gephardt won a plurality in the preference vote and precinct caucuses followed by Simon and Dukakis. The percentage of delegates Gephardt, Simon, and Dukakis received was greater than the percentage of the preference vote they received. The percentage of delegates for all of the other candidates was less than the percentage of the vote they received.Register 1993 592 Despite Dukakis placing third in the initial contest, the county conventions produced a plurality of delegates for himTop Position 1988 and Gephardt ended his presidential campaign that same day.Gephardt announces today 1988 Bonnie Campbell, the chair of the Iowa Democratic Party, endorsed Dukakis on May 11, and called for the district convention delegates to unanimously support him; the 5th district convention passed a resolution calling for her to stop campaigning for Dukakis. At the district conventions Dukakis won a total of twelve delegates, Gephardt won eight, Jackson won seven, Simon won six, and one uncommitted delegate was selected. Dukakis received the most delegates in the 1st, 5th, and 6th congressional districts, tied with Gephardt in the 2nd, 3rd congressional districts, and the Iowa's 4th congressional district produced a tie between Dukakis, Gephardt, and Jackson.Dukakis gains part one 1988Dukakis gains part two 1988 At the state convention Dukakis received ten delegates. Gephardt's supporters elected three uncommitted delegates, but instructed them to vote for Dukakis on the first ballot. Five delegates were given to Jackson.Dems work to fill roster 1988 1988 Iowa Democratic presidential caucuses Candidate Preference voteRegister 1993 592 Precinct caucusesRegister 1993 592 County conventions (99.4% reporting)Top Position 1988 District convention delegatesDukakis gains part one 1988Dukakis gains part two 1988 State convention delegatesDems work to fill roster 1988 Total delegates Michael Dukakis 20.5% 22.2% 28.7% 12 10 22 Jesse Jackson 11.1% 8.8% 13.1% 7 5 12 Dick Gephardt 27.4% 31.3% 27.9% 8 0 8 Paul Simon 24.3% 26.7% 26.4% 6 0 6 Uncommitted 6.0% 4.5% 3.9% 1 3 4 Bruce Babbitt 9.2% 6.1% 0 0 0 0 Gary Hart 1.0% 0.3% 0 0 0 0 Al Gore 0.2% 0% 0 0 0 0 Total100%100%3,001341858 Endorsements Bruce Babbitt endorsements State legislators Tom Miller, 31st and 33rd Attorney General of Iowa (1979–1991; 1995–2023)Daubenmier 1987 Michael Dukakis endorsements Federal officials Dick Clark, U.S. Senator from Iowa (1973–1979)clark 1988 John Culver, U.S. Senator from Iowa (1975–1981)wire 1988 Party officials Bonnie Campbell, chair of the Iowa Democratic PartyDukakis gains part two 1988 Dick Gephardt endorsements Statewide officials Jo Ann Zimmerman, 42nd Lieutenant Governor of Iowa (1987–1991) State legislators Donald Avenson, IA-15 (1973–1983), IA-28 (1983–1991) and Speaker (1983–1990)Daubenmier 1987 Bill Hutchins, IA-28 (1977–1983), IA-48 (1983–1992) and Senate Majority LeaderDaubenmier 1987 Local officials Loren Callendar, mayor of Sioux City, IowaCallendar 1988 Party officials Ed Campbell, former chair of the Iowa Democratic PartyDaubenmier 1987 Betty McMahon, chair of the Muscatine County Democratic PartyMcMahon 1988 Al Gore endorsements State legislators Thomas E. Swartz, IA-39 (1981-1983), IA-72 (1983-1989)Daubenmier 1987 Jesse Jackson endorsements State legislators Thomas Mann, IA-43 (1983-1989)Daubenmier 1987 Paul Simon endorsements Federal officials Berkley Bedell, IA-06 (1975–1987)Daubenmier 1987 Harold Hughes, U.S. Senator from Iowa (1969–1975)Daubenmier 1987 State legislators Lowell Junkins, IA-43 (1973–1983), IA-35 (1983–1985) and Majority LeaderDaubenmier 1987 References Works cited 30em Books The Iowa Official Register: 1991-1992 Secretary of State of Iowa 1993 https://www.legis.iowa.gov/docs/publications/REDBK/860922.pdf Register 1993 Duncan Philip Candidates 88' Congressional Quarterly 1988 https://archive.org/details/candidates880000cong 087187458X News January 31, 1988 Babbitt takes jab at Simon, gets hit back 1B The Des Moines Register https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-des-moines-register/167630657/ Newspapers.com clark 1988 February 9, 1988 Caucuses don't pick Iowa delegates 8 Quad-City Times https://www.newspapers.com/article/quad-city-times/171681352/ Newspapers.com Don't Pick 1988 March 28, 1988 County conventions boost Dukakis into top position 2A The Daily Nonpareil https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-daily-nonpareil/171703833/ Newspapers.com Top Position 1988 January 11, 1988 Demo presidential debate here tonight A1 Sioux City Journal https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-sioux-city-journal/167628525/ Newspapers.com Debate 1988 January 24, 1988 Democrats gang up on Gephardt 1A Quad-City Times https://www.newspapers.com/article/quad-city-times/167629953/ Newspapers.com Embargo 1988 May 15, 1988 Dukakis gains at Iowa district conventions 1B The Des Moines Register https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-des-moines-register/171705317/ Newspapers.com Dukakis gains part one 1988 May 15, 1988 Dukakis gains at Iowa district conventions 4B The Des Moines Register https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-des-moines-register/171705435/ Newspapers.com Dukakis gains part two 1988 March 28, 1988 Gephardt announces today 1A Muscatine Journal https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-muscatine-journal/171704097/ Newspapers.com Gephardt announces today 1988 January 13, 1988 Gephardt's wife here Thursday 3A Muscatine Journal https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-muscatine-journal/167627710/ Newspapers.com McMahon 1988 January 23, 1988 Palestinian supporters picket candidates' offices 3A Sioux City Journal https://www.newspapers.com/article/iowa-city-press-citizen/167629381/ Newspapers.com Picket 1988 February 2, 1988 Poll: Gephardt has 10-point lead in Iowa 5A The Clarion-Ledger https://www.newspapers.com/article/clarion-ledger/129107984/ live https://web.archive.org/web/20240224072633/https://www.newspapers.com/article/clarion-ledger/129107984/ February 24, 2024 Newspapers.com Gephardt Poll 1988 January 25, 1988 Three local officials will back Gephardt A3 Sioux City Journal http://newspapers.com/article/the-sioux-city-journal/167630068/ Newspapers.com Callendar 1988 Balzar John January 18, 1988 GOP Uses Secret Ballot; Democrats Take Public Stand : Iowa Caucuses: Study in Party Contrasts Los Angeles Times https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1988-01-18-mn-24442-story.html live https://web.archive.org/web/20250505092427/https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1988-01-18-mn-24442-story.html May 5, 2025 Daubenmier Judy November 23, 1987 Candidates hoping endorsements will tip balance in Iowa 4A The Gazette https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-gazette/163745212/ Newspapers.com Davidson Tom January 22, 1988 Gephardt: A driven man pushing change 7 Quad-City Times https://www.newspapers.com/article/quad-city-times/167629144/ Newspapers.com Keller Des January 17, 1988 Gephardt blasts exporting U.S. jobs B3 The Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-courier/167628863/ Newspapers.com Kueter Dale January 29, 1988 Only in Iowa: A 'choir' of congressmen 5A The Gazette https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-gazette/167630271/ Newspapers.com choir 1988 Schuelke Kent January 23, 1988 Still plenty of tickets for Cosby 1A Iowa City Press-Citizen https://www.newspapers.com/article/iowa-city-press-citizen/167629742/ Newspapers.com Sullivan Ken January 29, 1988 42 congressmen, majority leader in Iowa to win votes for Gephardt 5A The Gazette https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-gazette/167630258/ Newspapers.com Foley 1988 Sullivan Ken January 24, 1988 Candidates cultivate farm issues 1A The Gazette https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-gazette/167630028/ Newspapers.com Sullivan Ken June 26, 1988 Dems work to fill roster 3A The Gazette https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-gazette/171705920/ Newspapers.com Dems work to fill roster 1988 Yepsen David Norman Jane January 31, 1988 Gephardt, Dole lead run to wire 9A The Des Moines Register https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-des-moines-register/167630605/ Newspapers.com wire 1988 Yepsen David Norman Jane January 31, 1988 Gephardt on a roll; can Bush catch Dole? 1A The Des Moines Register https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-des-moines-register/167630455/ Newspapers.com ads 1988 Yepsen David March 28, 1988 Democrats display unity, look for victory in the fall 1A The Des Moines Register https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-des-moines-register/171703742/ Newspapers.com Category:Iowa Democratic caucuses Category:1988 United States Democratic presidential primaries Category:1988 Iowa elections Category:Palestinian solidarity movement in the United States