In the November 8 election, Bush won a majority of the popular vote and the Electoral College.
Neither his popular vote percentage (53.4%), his total electoral votes (426), or his number of states won (40) have been surpassed in any subsequent presidential election.
Bush was the last candidate to receive an absolute majority of the popular vote until his son George W. Bush did in the 2004 election.

Bush performed very strongly among suburban voters.
Bush performed very strongly in the collar counties of Chicago (winning over 60% in DuPage and Lake counties), Philadelphia (sweeping the Main Line counties), Baltimore, Los Angeles, and New York.
As of 2020, Bush is the last Republican to win the heavily-suburban states of California, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Maryland, and New Jersey.
He is also the last Republican candidate to win rural Vermont, which was historically Republican but shifting away from the party by this time.
Bush lost New York state by a narrow margin of just over 4%.

In contrast to the suburbs, Bush's got a significantly lower level of support than Reagan in rural regions.
Farm states had fared poorly during the Reagan administration, and Dukakis was the beneficiary.
In Illinois, Bush lost a number of downstate counties that previously went for Reagan.
Bush lost Iowa by a wide margin, even losing in traditionally Republican areas.
Bush also performed weaker in the northern counties of Missouri, narrowly winning that state.
In three typically solid Republican states, Kansas, South Dakota, and Montana, the vote was much closer than usual.
The rural state of West Virginia, though not an agricultural economy, narrowly flipped back into the Democratic column.
As of 2020, this is the only election where Blaine County, Montana (since 1916), Sargent County, North Dakota (since 1948), and Marshall County, South Dakota (since 1988) did not vote for the winning candidate.

Bush was strongest in the South and the Northeast.
Despite the presence of Lloyd Bentsen on the Democratic ticket, Bush won Texas by 12 points.
He lost the Pacific northwestern states but kept narrowly California in the Republican column for the sixth straight time.

1988 is also the last time, as of 2020, that the Republican candidate won a majority or plurality of women voters.

Bush's campaign was also the last time to date that a Republican presidential campaign won a majority or plurality among women voters.
In the November 8 election, Bush won a majority of the popular vote and the Electoral College. Neither his popular vote percentage (53.4%), his total electoral votes (426), or his number of states won (40) have been surpassed in any subsequent presidential election. Bush was the last candidate to receive an absolute majority of the popular vote until his son George W. Bush did in the 2004 election.
Bush performed very strongly among suburban voters. Bush performed very strongly in the collar counties of Chicago (winning over 60% in DuPage and Lake counties), Philadelphia (sweeping the Main Line counties), Baltimore, Los Angeles, and New York. As of 2020, Bush is the last Republican to win the heavily-suburban states of California, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Maryland, and New Jersey. He is also the last Republican candidate to win rural Vermont, which was historically Republican but shifting away from the party by this time. Bush lost New York state by a narrow margin of just over 4%.
In contrast to the suburbs, Bush's got a significantly lower level of support than Reagan in rural regions. Farm states had fared poorly during the Reagan administration, and Dukakis was the beneficiary. In Illinois, Bush lost a number of downstate counties that previously went for Reagan. Bush lost Iowa by a wide margin, even losing in traditionally Republican areas. Bush also performed weaker in the northern counties of Missouri, narrowly winning that state. In three typically solid Republican states, Kansas, South Dakota, and Montana, the vote was much closer than usual. The rural state of West Virginia, though not an agricultural economy, narrowly flipped back into the Democratic column. As of 2020, this is the only election where Blaine County, Montana (since 1916), Sargent County, North Dakota (since 1948), and Marshall County, South Dakota (since 1988) did not vote for the winning candidate.
Bush was strongest in the South and the Northeast. Despite the presence of Lloyd Bentsen on the Democratic ticket, Bush won Texas by 12 points. He lost the Pacific northwestern states but kept narrowly California in the Republican column for the sixth straight time. 
1988 is also the last time, as of 2020, that the Republican candidate won a majority or plurality of women voters.
Bush's campaign was also the last time to date that a Republican presidential campaign won a majority or plurality among women voters.
1988 United States presidential election