Skip to content

1986 U.S. Senate election results

Results of all 35 Senate races in 1986 (seats won: Democratic 21, Republican 14); 11 changed party. Winners, margins and every candidate.

Download CSV
  • Democratic 21
  • Republican 14
Alabama: Richard C. Shelby DEM +0.6 gainAlaska: Frank Murkowski REP +9.9Arizona: John McCain REP +21.0Arkansas: Dale Bumpers DEM +24.6California: Alan Cranston DEM +1.4Colorado: Timothy E. Wirth DEM +1.6Connecticut: Christopher J. Dodd DEM +29.9DelawareDistrict of ColumbiaFlorida: Bob Graham DEM +9.5 gainGeorgia: Wyche Fowler DEM +1.8 gainHawaii: Daniel K. Inouye DEM +47.1Idaho: Steven Douglas Symms REP +3.1Illinois: Alan J. Dixon DEM +31.4Indiana: Dan Quayle REP +22.1Iowa: Chuck Grassley REP +32.5Kansas: Bob Dole REP +40.1Kentucky: Wendell H. Ford DEM +48.8Louisiana: John B. Breaux DEM +5.6MaineMaryland: Barbara A. Mikulski DEM +21.4 gainMassachusettsMichiganMinnesotaMississippiMissouri: Christopher S. Bond REP +5.3 gainMontanaNebraskaNevada: Harry Reid DEM +5.5 gainNew Hampshire: Warren Bruce Rudman REP +30.6New JerseyNew MexicoNew York: Alfonse M. D'Amato REP +6.9North Carolina: Terry Sanford DEM +3.5 gainNorth Dakota: Kent Conrad DEM +0.7 gainOhio: John Glenn DEM +24.9Oklahoma: Don Nickles REP +10.4Oregon: Bob Packwood REP +26.9Pennsylvania: Arlen Specter REP +13.6Rhode IslandSouth Carolina: Ernest F. Hollings DEM +27.5South Dakota: Tom Daschle DEM +3.2 gainTennesseeTexasUtah: Edwin Jacob Garn REP +45.8Vermont: Patrick J. Leahy DEM +28.7VirginiaWashington: Brock Adams DEM +2.0 gainWest VirginiaWisconsin: Bob Kasten REP +3.5WyomingVermont: Patrick J. Leahy DEM +28.7New Hampshire: Warren Bruce Rudman REP +30.6MassachusettsRhode IslandConnecticut: Christopher J. Dodd DEM +29.9New JerseyDelawareMaryland: Barbara A. Mikulski DEM +21.4 gainDistrict of Columbia
States with a race in 1986, coloured by the winning party and shaded by margin. Grey: no race.

Seats that changed party

All races

StateSeatWinnerPartyMarginBefore
Alabama Class III Richard C. Shelby Democratic 0.6 Republican flip
Alaska Class III Frank Murkowski Republican 9.9 Republican
Arizona Class III John McCain Republican 21.0 Republican
Arkansas Class III Dale Bumpers Democratic 24.6 Democratic
California Class III Alan Cranston Democratic 1.4 Democratic
Colorado Class III Timothy E. Wirth Democratic 1.6 Democratic
Connecticut Class III Christopher J. Dodd Democratic 29.9 Democratic
Florida Class III Bob Graham Democratic 9.5 Republican flip
Georgia Class III Wyche Fowler Democratic 1.8 Republican flip
Hawaii Class III Daniel K. Inouye Democratic 47.1 Democratic
Idaho Class III Steven Douglas Symms Republican 3.1 Republican
Illinois Class III Alan J. Dixon Democratic 31.4 Democratic
Indiana Class III Dan Quayle Republican 22.1 Republican
Iowa Class III Chuck Grassley Republican 32.5 Republican
Kansas Class III Bob Dole Republican 40.1 Republican
Kentucky Class III Wendell H. Ford Democratic 48.8 Democratic
Louisiana Class III John B. Breaux (Runoff) Democratic 5.6 Democratic
Maryland Class III Barbara A. Mikulski Democratic 21.4 Republican flip
Missouri Class III Christopher S. Bond Republican 5.3 Democratic flip
Nevada Class III Harry Reid Democratic 5.5 Republican flip
New Hampshire Class III Warren Bruce Rudman Republican 30.6 Republican
New York Class III Alfonse M. D'Amato Republican 6.9 Republican
North Carolina Class III Terry Sanford Democratic 3.5 Republican flip
North Carolina special Class II Terry Sanford Democratic 1.8 Republican flip
North Dakota Class III Kent Conrad Democratic 0.7 Republican flip
Ohio Class III John Glenn Democratic 24.9 Democratic
Oklahoma Class III Don Nickles Republican 10.4 Republican
Oregon Class III Bob Packwood Republican 26.9 Republican
Pennsylvania Class III Arlen Specter Republican 13.6 Republican
South Carolina Class III Ernest F. Hollings Democratic 27.5 Democratic
South Dakota Class III Tom Daschle Democratic 3.2 Republican flip
Utah Class III Edwin Jacob Garn Republican 45.8 Republican
Vermont Class III Patrick J. Leahy Democratic 28.7 Democratic
Washington Class III Brock Adams Democratic 2.0 Republican flip
Wisconsin Class III Bob Kasten Republican 3.5 Republican

Source: FiveThirtyEight election-results; each race page links the official source it was compiled from.