1986 United States gubernatorial elections

United States gubernatorial elections were held on November 4, 1986, in 36 states and two territories. The Democrats had a net loss of eight seats during this election, which coincided with the Senate and the House elections. This was despite the Democratic trend on a federal level, making this the last midterm election until 2022 where the party of the incumbent president achieved a net gain of governorships.

1986 United States gubernatorial elections
November 4, 1986
38 governorships
36 states; 2 territories
  Majority party Minority party
 
Party Democratic Republican
Seats before 34 16
Seats after 26 24
Seat change Decrease8 Increase8
Seats up 27 9
Seats won 19 17
  Republican hold
  Republican gain
  Democratic hold
  Democratic gain

Election results

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

States
State Incumbent Party First
elected		 Result Candidates
Alabama George Wallace Democratic 1962
1966 (term-limited)
1970
1978 (term-limited)
1982		 Incumbent retired.
New governor elected.
Republican gain.
Alaska Bill Sheffield Democratic 1982 Incumbent lost re-nomination.
New governor elected.
Democratic hold.
Arizona Bruce Babbitt Democratic 1978[lower-alpha 1] Incumbent retired.
New governor elected.
Republican gain.
Arkansas Bill Clinton Democratic 1978
1980 (defeated)
1982		 Incumbent re-elected.
California George Deukmejian Republican 1982 Incumbent re-elected.
Colorado Richard Lamm Democratic 1974 Incumbent retired.
New governor elected.
Democratic hold.
Connecticut William A. O'Neill Democratic 1980[lower-alpha 2] Incumbent re-elected.
Florida Bob Graham Democratic 1978 Incumbent term-limited.
New governor elected.
Republican gain.
Georgia Joe Frank Harris Democratic 1982 Incumbent re-elected.
Hawaii George Ariyoshi Democratic 1974 Incumbent term-limited.
New governor elected.
Democratic hold.
Idaho John Evans Democratic 1978[lower-alpha 3] Incumbent retired.
New governor elected.
Democratic hold.
Illinois James R. Thompson Republican 1976 Incumbent re-elected
Iowa Terry Branstad Republican 1976 Incumbent re-elected
Kansas John W. Carlin Democratic 1978 Incumbent term-limited.
New governor elected.
Republican gain.
Maine Joseph E. Brennan Democratic 1978 Incumbent term-limited.
New governor elected.
Republican gain.
Maryland Harry Hughes Democratic 1978 Incumbent term-limited.
New governor elected.
Democratic hold.
Massachusetts Michael Dukakis Democratic 1974
1978 (lost renomination)
1982		 Incumbent re-elected
Michigan James Blanchard Democratic 1982 Incumbent re-elected
Minnesota Rudy Perpich Democratic 1976[lower-alpha 5]
1978 (defeated)
1982		 Incumbent re-elected
Nebraska Bob Kerrey Democratic 1982 Incumbent retired.
New governor elected.
Republican gain.
Nevada Richard Bryan Democratic 1982 Incumbent re-elected.
New Hampshire John H. Sununu Republican 1982 Incumbent re-elected.
New Mexico Toney Anaya Democratic 1982 Incumbent term-limited.
New governor elected.
Republican gain.
New York Mario Cuomo Democratic 1982 Incumbent re-elected.
Ohio Dick Celeste Democratic 1978 Incumbent re-elected.
Oklahoma George Nigh Democratic 1978 Incumbent term-limited.
New governor elected.
Republican gain.
Oregon Victor Atiyeh Republican 1978 Incumbent term-limited.
New governor elected.
Democratic gain.
Pennsylvania Dick Thornburgh Republican 1978 Incumbent term-limited.
New governor elected.
Democratic gain.
Rhode Island Edward D. DiPrete Republican 1984 Incumbent re-elected.
South Carolina Richard Riley Democratic 1978 Incumbent term-limited.
New governor elected.
Republican gain.
South Dakota Bill Janklow Republican 1978 Incumbent term-limited.
New governor elected.
Republican hold.
Tennessee Lamar Alexander Republican 1978 Incumbent term-limited.
New governor elected.
Democratic gain.
Texas Mark White Democratic 1974 Incumbent lost re-election.
New governor elected.
Republican gain.
Vermont Madeleine Kunin Democratic 1982 Incumbent re-elected.[lower-alpha 6][1]
Wisconsin Tony Earl Democratic 1982 Incumbent lost re-election.
New governor elected.
Republican gain.
Wyoming Edward Herschler Democratic 1974 Incumbent retired.
New governor elected.
Democratic hold.

Territories and federal district
Territory Incumbent Party First
elected		 Result Candidates
District of Columbia Marion Barry Democratic 1978 Incumbent re-elected.
Guam Ricardo Bordallo Democratic 1982 Incumbent lost re-election.[2]
New governor elected.
Republican gain.
U.S. Virgin Islands Juan Francisco Luis Independent 1978 Incumbent term-limited.[3]
New governor elected.
Democratic gain.

See also

Notes
  1. Babbitt took office after his predecessor (Wesley Bolin) died.
  2. O'Neill took office after his predecessor (Ella Grasso) resigned. He was subsequently elected in the 1982 Connecticut gubernatorial election.
  3. Evans took office after his predecessor (Cecil Andrus) resigned.
  4. 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
  5. Perpich took office after his predecessor (Wendell R. Anderson) resigned.
  6. Kunin did not win a majority of the votes; therefore, the state assembly had to cast the final vote.

References
  1. "VT Governor Race - Nov 04, 1986". Our Campaigns. Retrieved 2022-03-18.
  2. "Guam Governor Race - Nov 04, 1986". Our Campaigns. January 19, 2006.
  3. "USVI Governor Race - Nov 04, 1986". Our Campaigns. January 19, 2006.
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