1988 North Carolina gubernatorial election

1988 North Carolina gubernatorial election

← 1984 November 8, 1988 1992 →
 
Nominee James G. Martin Robert B. Jordan
Party Republican Democratic
Popular vote 1,222,258 997,408
Percentage 55.06% 44.94%

County results

Martin:      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%

Jordan:      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%

Governor before election

James Martin
Republican

Elected Governor

James Martin
Republican

The 1988 North Carolina gubernatorial election was held on November 8, 1988. Popular Incumbent Governor James G. Martin ran and was re-elected by a comfortable margin over Democratic Challenger former Lieutenant Governor Robert B. Jordan III.

As of 2024, this is the only time that a Republican was re-elected to a second term as Governor of North Carolina. This is the second of two times where Republicans won consecutive gubernatorial elections, after 1868 and 1872. This also marks the last occasion that the following counties have voted Republican in a gubernatorial election: Buncombe, Guilford, and Wilson.