1986_United_States_Senate_election_in_Alabama Knowpia

1986 United States Senate election in Alabama
	County results; Shelby: 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% 80–90%; Denton: 50–60% 60–70% 70–80%
U.S. senator before election; Jeremiah Denton; Republican	Elected U.S. Senator ; Richard Shelby; Democratic

The 1986 United States Senate election in Alabama took place on November 4, 1986 alongside other elections to the United States Senate in other states as well as elections to the United States House of Representatives and various state and local elections. Incumbent Republican Senator Jeremiah Denton lost re-election to Democrat Richard Shelby by 6,823 votes.

Republican primary edit

Candidates edit

Jeremiah Denton, incumbent Senator since 1981
Richard Vickers

Results edit

Incumbent Senator Jeremiah Denton, a retired Rear Admiral and decorated Vietnam War veteran who six years earlier became the first Republican elected to the Senate from Alabama since Reconstruction, won the primary with little opposition.

Republican primary results^[1]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Jeremiah Denton (incumbent)	29,805	88.55%
	Republican	Richard Vickers	3,854	11.45%
Total votes			33,659	100.00%

Democratic primary edit

Shelby, a moderate-to-conservative Democrat narrowly avoided a runoff and won nomination in the Democratic Party primary.^[2]

Candidates edit

Jim Allen, Jr., son of former U.S. Senator Jim Allen
Steve Arnold
Ted McLaughlin
Richard Shelby, U.S. Representative from Tuscaloosa since 1979
Margaret Stewart, writer

Results edit

Democratic primary results by county

Shelby

40–50%
50–60%
60–70%
70–80%

Allen

40–50%
50–60%
60–70%

McLaughlin

40–50%

Democratic primary results
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Richard Shelby	420,155	51.33%
	Democratic	Jim Allen, Jr.	284,206	34.72%
	Democratic	Ted McLaughlin	70,784	8.65%
	Democratic	Margaret Stewart	26,723	3.27%
	Democratic	Steve Arnold	16,722	2.04%
Total votes			818,590	100.00%

General election edit

Shelby won a very narrow victory of less than one percent over Denton.^[3]

Candidates edit

Jeremiah Denton (R), incumbent U.S. Senator
Richard Shelby (D), U.S. Representative

Results edit

1986 United States Senate election in Alabama
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Richard Shelby	609,360	50.28%
	Republican	Jeremiah Denton (incumbent)	602,537	49.72%
Total votes			1,211,897	100.00%
	Democratic gain from Republican