National Election Returns : State-by-State Election Reports of Key Races and Issues : Virginia
RICHMOND — Vice President George Bush overwhelmed Michael S. Dukakis to capture Virginia’s 12 electoral votes despite a landslide for one Democrat in the state--former Gov. Charles S. Robb, son-in-law of the late President Lyndon B. Johnson, who captured the Senate seat.
Robb swamped his Republican opponent, retired black Baptist preacher Maurice Dawkins, to become the first Democrat elected to the Senate from Virginia since 1966. So formidable had been Robb’s drawing power that Republican Paul S. Trible Jr. passed up a bid for a second Senate term and no other Republican of prominence made the run.
Also on the ballot was a pari-mutuel referendum. Virginia voters narrowly defeated horse-track wagering 10 years ago, but a lottery referendum passed easily last year.
Five Democrats and five Republicans won re-election to the U.S. House.
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