Why was Rhode Island one of Dukakis’s best states?

[darklordoftech]

The three states where Dukakis performed best against Bush were DC (of course), Rhode Island, and Iowa. I know why DC and Iowa voted the way they did, but why Rhode Island?

[MIKESOWELL]

I mean Rhode Island has always in recent years been a very Democratic state on the presidential level. I think LBJ cracked 80 percent there in 1964. Only Nixon in 1972 (54%-46%) and Reagan in 1984 (52-48%) were able to sweep it up. Plus, Dukakis was from neighboring Massachusetts and the term "Liberal" which the Bush campaign smeared him with plus the various stances that Dukakis took that year were not anathema there to say the very least.

[TDAS04]

Rhode Island was also JFK's, LBJ's, and HHH's best state.  It was even Carter's second best (behind Georgia) in 1980, in terms of margin of victory.  So 1988 wasn't an anomaly for Rhode Island.

[I Will Not Be Wrong]

Yeah, I would say 1984 was the outlier here.

[TDAS04]

Yeah, I would say 1984 was the outlier here.

I'd say 1976.

[nclib]

1984 was not that much of an outlier. RI was Mondale's 3rd best state (DC, MN, MA, RI).

Outside of 1976 and maybe 2016, RI has been among the very most Democratic states. 1988 is not really surprising especially given that Dukakis overperformed with blue-collar whites.

[Politician]

Fun fact: For all the hype about Rhode Island "trending R", the state's PVI was identical in 2016 as 1984.