1988 for George H.W. Bush. He had been vice president under Ronald Reagan (1980 – 1989) who was in turn the former governor (1967 – 1975) of California.

1988 was the end of a 20-year winning streak for Republican presidential candidates in California and if it weren’t for the state going for Lyndon Johnson in 1964, the winning streak would have gone back to 1952.

California Presidential Votes:
The winner of the California election is in bold.
Year – Republican vs. Democrat (national winner)

2016 – ? vs. ?
2012 – Romney vs. Obama (Obama)
2008 – McCain vs. Obama (Obama)
2004 – G.W. Bush vs. Kerry (Bush)
2000 – G.W. Bush vs. Gore (Bush)
1996 – Dole vs. Clinton (Clinton)
1992 – G.W.H. Bush vs. Clinton (Clinton)
1988 – G.W.H. Bush vs. Dukakis (Bush)
1984 – Reagan vs. Mondale (Reagan)
1980 – Reagan vs. Carter (Reagan)
1976 – Ford vs. Carter (Carter)
1972 – Nixon vs. McGovern (Nixon)
1968 – Nixon vs. Humphrey (Nixon)
1964 – Goldwater vs. Johnson (Johnson)
1960 – Nixon vs. Kennedy (Kennedy)
1956 – Eisenhower vs. Stephenson (Eisenhower)
1952 – Eisenhower vs. Stephenson (Eisenhower)
1948 – Dewey vs. Truman (Truman)
1944 – Dewey vs. F.D. Roosevelt (Roosevelt)
1940 – Wilkie vs. F.D. Roosevelt (Roosevelt)
1936 – Landon vs. F.D. Roosevelt (Roosevelt)
1932 – Hoover vs. F.D. Roosevelt (Roosevelt)
1928 – Hoover vs. Smith (Hoover)
1924 – Coolidge vs. Davis (Coolidge)
1920 – Harding vs. Cox (Harding)
1916 – Hughes vs. Wilson (Wilson)
1912 – Taft vs. Wilson vs. T. Roosevelt [Progressive Party] (Wilson)
1908 – Taft vs. Bryan (Taft)
1904 – T. Roosevelt vs. Parker (Roosevelt)
1900 – McKinley vs. Bryan (McKinley)
1896 – McKinley vs. Bryan (McKinley)
1892 – Harrison vs. Cleveland (Cleveland)
1888 – Harrison vs. Cleveland (Harrison)
1884 – Blaine vs. Cleveland (Cleveland)
1880 – Garfield vs. Hancock (Garfield)
1876 – Hayes vs. Tilden (Hayes)
1872 – Grant vs. Greeley (Grant)
1868 – Grant vs. Seymour (Grant)
1864 – Lincoln vs. McClellan (Lincoln)
1860 – Lincoln vs. Douglas (Lincoln)
1856 – Frémont vs. Buchanan (Buchanan)
1852 – Scott [Whig Party] vs. Pierce (Pierce)

U.S. Presidents are not elected by popular vote. Each state is allowed electoral college votes that equal its number of Congressional Representatives plus Senators. 270 EC votes are needed for a candidate to win the presidential election. Currently, California has 55 EC votes. This gives the state a lot of influence in electing the president.