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The 1988 United States Senate election in Wyoming was held on November 8, 1988. Incumbent Republican Senator Malcolm Wallop ran for re-election to a third term. He was opposed by Democratic State Senator John Vinich in the general election. Despite Wallop's past strong performances in 1976 and 1982, and the overwhelming Republican majority in Wyoming in the presidential election, Wallop faced a surprisingly competitive race. He ended up defeating Vinich by less than 1%, by a margin of just 1,322 votes. To date, this remains the strongest performance by a Democratic U.S. Senate nominee in Wyoming since 1970, the last time a Democrat won a Senate election in the state. This is also the closest U.S. Senate race in Wyoming history.
Democratic primary
Candidates
- John Vinich, State Senator
- Pete Maxfield, former Dean of the University of Wyoming School of Law
- Lynn Simons, Wyoming Superintendent of Instruction
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | John Vinich | 23,214 | 47.20% | |
| Democratic | Pete Maxfield | 14,613 | 29.72% | |
| Democratic | Lynn Simons | 11,350 | 23.08% | |
| Total votes | 49,177 | 100.00% | ||
Republican primary
Candidates
- Malcolm Wallop, incumbent U.S. Senator
- Nora Marie Lewis, farmer
- Bud Kinney, perennial candidate
- Michael J. Dee, perennial candidate, marijuana legalization advocate
- Russ Hanrahan, retired air traffic controller
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Malcolm Wallop (inc.) | 55,752 | 83.21% | |
| Republican | Nora Marie Lewis | 3,933 | 5.87% | |
| Republican | Bud Kinney | 3,716 | 5.55% | |
| Republican | Michael J. Dee | 1,898 | 2.83% | |
| Republican | Russ Hanrahan | 1,702 | 2.54% | |
| Total votes | 67,001 | 100.00% | ||
General election
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Malcolm Wallop (inc.) | 91,143 | 50.37% | −6.29% | |
| Democratic | John Vinich | 89,821 | 49.63% | +6.29% | |
| Majority | 1,322 | 0.73% | −12.58% | ||
| Turnout | 180,964 | ||||
| Republican hold | |||||
References
- "UW professor will seek nomination to Senate". Jackson Hole Guide. Jackson, Wyo. February 3, 1988. p. A13.
- ^ Karpan, Kathy (1989). 1989 Wyoming Official Directory and 1988 Election Returns. pp. 170, 256.
- ^ Scott, Scott (August 17, 1988). "Vinich wins Senate nomination: Maxfield second, Simons falls to third". Casper Star-Tribune. Casper, Wyo. p. A1, A10.