United States gubernatorial elections, 1986

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

     Republican holds      Republican pickups      Democratic holds      Democratic pickups
     Republican holds      Republican pickups      Democratic holds      Democratic pickups

The United States gubernatorial elections of 1986 were held on November 4, 1986 in thirty-six states. Despite large gains in the U.S. Senate during their election, the Democrats had a net loss of seven seats during this election.

[edit] Election results

A bolded state name features an article about the specific election.

State Incumbent Party Status Opposing Candidates
Alabama George Wallace Democratic Retired, Republican victory H. Guy Hunt (Republican) 56.4%
Bill Baxley (Democratic) 43.6%
Alaska Bill Sheffield Democratic Retired, Democratic victory Steve Cowper (Democratic) 47.3%
Arliss Sturgulewski (Republican) 42.6%
Joe Vogler (Alaskan Ind.) 5.6%
Walter Joseph Hickel (Independent) 2.8%
Mary Jane O'Brannon (Libertarian) 0.6%
Arizona Bruce Babbitt Democratic Term-limited, Republican victory Evan Mecham (Republican) 39.7%
Carolyn Warner (Democratic) 34.5%
Bill Schulz (Independent) 25.8%
Arkansas Bill Clinton Democratic Re-elected, 63.9% Frank D. White (Republican) 36.1%
California George Deukmejian Republican Re-elected, 60.2% Tom Bradley (Democratic) 37.2%
Maria Elizabeth Muñoz (Peace & Freedom) 1.3%
Joseph Fuhrig (Libertarian) 0.7%
Gary V. Miller (American Ind.) 0.7%
Colorado Richard Lamm Democratic Retired, Democratic victory Roy Romer (Democratic) 58.2%
Ted Strickland (Republican) 41.0%
Earl Dodge (Prohibition) 0.8%
Connecticut William O'Neill Democratic Re-elected, 58.5% Julie Belaga (Republican) 41.5%
Florida Bob Graham Democratic Term-limited, Republican victory Bob Martinez (Republican) 54.6%
Steve Pajcic (Democratic) 45.4%
Georgia Joe Frank Harris Democratic Re-elected, 70.5% Guy Davis (Republican) 29.5%
Hawaii George Ariyoshi Democratic Term-limited, Democratic victory John D. Waihee III (Democratic) 52.0%
D. G. Anderson (Republican) 48.0%
Idaho John V. Evans Democratic Retired, Democratic victory Cecil D. Andrus (Democratic) 50.5%
David H. Leroy (Republican) 49.5%
Illinois James R. Thompson Republican Re-elected, 52.7% Adlai Stevenson III (Solidarity) 40.0%
(No gubernatorial candidate)[1] (Democratic) 6.6%
Gary L. Shilts (Libertarian) 0.5%
Iowa Terry E. Branstad Republican Re-elected, 51.9% Lowell Junkins (Democratic) 48.0%
Kansas John W. Carlin Democratic Term-limited, Republican victory Mike Hayden (Republican) 51.9%
Thomas R. Docking (Democratic) 48.1%
Maine Joseph Brennan Democratic Term-limited, Republican victory John R. McKernan, Jr. (Republican) 39.9%
James E. Tierney (Democratic) 30.2%
Sherry Huber (Independent) 15.1%
John Menario (Independent) 14.9%
Maryland Harry Hughes Democratic Term-limited, Democratic victory William Donald Schaefer (Democratic) 82.4%
Thomas J. Mooney (Republican) 17.6%
Massachusetts Michael Dukakis Democratic Re-elected, 68.8% George Kariotis (Republican) 31.2%
Michigan James Blanchard Democratic Re-elected, 68.1% William Lucas (Republican) 31.5%
Minnesota Rudy Perpich Democratic Re-elected, 56.1% Cal Ludeman (Republican) 43.1%
Nebraska Bob Kerrey Democratic Retired, Republican victory Kay A. Orr (Republican) 52.9%
Helen Boosalis (Democratic) 47.1%
Nevada Richard Bryan Democratic Re-elected, 71.9% Patty Cafferata (Republican) 25.0%
None of These Candidates 2.1%
Louis R. Tomburello (Libertarian) 1.0%
New Hampshire John H. Sununu Republican Re-elected, 53.7% Paul McEachern (Democratic) 46.3%
New Mexico Toney Anaya Democratic Term-limited, Republican victory Garrey Carruthers (Republican) 53.0%
Ray Powell (Democratic) 47.0%
New York Mario Cuomo Democratic Re-elected, 64.3% Andrew O'Rourke (Republican) 31.8%
Denis Dillon (Right to Life) 3.1%
Lenora Fulani (New Alliance) 0.6%
Ohio Dick Celeste Democratic Re-elected, 60.6% Jim Rhodes (Republican) 39.4%
Oklahoma George Nigh Democratic Term-limited, Republican victory Henry Bellmon (Republican) 48.1%
David Walters (Democratic) 45.2%
Jerry Brown (Independent) 6.7%
Oregon Victor G. Atiyeh Republican Term-limited, Democratic victory Neil Goldschmidt (Democratic) 52.0%
Norma Paulus (Republican) 48.0%
Pennsylvania Dick Thornburgh Republican Term-limited, Democratic victory Robert P. Casey (Democratic) 50.7%
William Scranton, III (Republican) 48.4%
Heidi Hoover (Consumer) 1.0%
Rhode Island Edward D. DiPrete Republican Re-elected, 64.7% Bruce Sundlun (Democratic) 32.4%
Robert Healey (Cool Moose) 1.9%
Tony Affigne (Citizens) 1.1%
South Carolina Richard Riley Democratic Term-limited, Republican victory Carroll A. Campbell, Jr. (Republican) 51.0%
Michael R. Daniel (Democratic) 47.9%
William H. Griffin (Libertarian) 0.6%
South Dakota Bill Janklow Republican Term-limited, Republican victory George S. Mickelson (Republican) 51.8%
Lars Herseth (Democratic) 48.2%
Tennessee Lamar Alexander Republican Term-limited, Democratic victory Ned McWherter (Democratic) 54.3%
Winfield Dunn (Republican) 45.7%
Texas Mark White Democratic Defeated, 46.0% Bill Clements (Republican) 52.7%
Theresa S. Doyle (Libertarian) 1.2%
Vermont Madeleine M. Kunin Democratic Re-elected, 47.0%[2] Peter P. Smith (Republican) 38.3%
Bernie Sanders (Independent) 14.5%
Wisconsin Tony Earl Democratic Defeated, 46.2% Tommy Thompson (Republican) 52.7%
Kathryn Christenson (Labor and Farm) 0.7%
Wyoming Edward Herschler Democratic Retired, Democratic victory Mike Sullivan (Wyoming) (Democratic) 54.0%
Pete Simpson (Republican) 46.0%


  1. ^ Stevenson was originally the Democratic gubernatorial nominee but later withdrew when several Lyndon LaRouche supporters won spots on the Democratic ticket. See Solidarity Party for more details
  2. ^ Kunin did not win a majority of the votes therefore the state assembly had to cast the final vote. See also [1]