1986 United States Senate election in Alabama

none March 2026 September 2023 1986 United States Senate election in Alabama Alabama presidential no 1980 United States Senate election in Alabama 1980 1992 United States Senate election in Alabama 1992 November 4, 1986 Richard Shelby 97th Congress 1981.jpg Richard Shelby Democratic Party (United States) 609,360 50.28% JeremiahDentonSenate (cropped).jpg Jeremiah Denton Republican Party (United States) 602,537 49.72% 1986 United States Senate election in Alabama results map by county.svg 250px County resultsShelby: #7996e2 50–60% #6674de 60–70% #584cde 70–80% #3933e5 80–90%Denton: #e27f7f 50–60% #d75d5d 60–70% #d72f30 70–80% U.S. Senator Jeremiah Denton Republican Party (United States) Richard Shelby Democratic Party (United States) 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 Candidates Jeremiah Denton, incumbent Senator since 1981 Richard Vickers Results 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 resultsOur Campaigns - AL Senate - R Primary Race - Jun 06, 1986 Jeremiah Denton (incumbent) Republican Party (United States) 29,805 88.55% Richard Vickers Republican Party (United States) 3,854 11.45% 33,659 100.00% Democratic primary Shelby, a moderate-to-conservative Democrat narrowly avoided a runoff and won nomination in the Democratic Party primary.Our Campaigns - AL Senate - D Primary Race - Jun 06, 1986 Candidates 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 thumb|Democratic primary results by county #7996E2 Shelby #A5B0FF 40–50% #7996E2 50–60% #6674DE 60–70% #584CDE 70–80% #5fd35f Allen #87de87 40–50% #5fd35f 50–60% #37c837 60–70% #FFB380 McLaughlin #FFCCAA 40–50% Democratic primary results Richard Shelby Democratic Party (United States) 420,155 51.33% Jim Allen, Jr. Democratic Party (United States) 284,206 34.72% Ted McLaughlin Democratic Party (United States) 70,784 8.65% Margaret Stewart Democratic Party (United States) 26,723 3.27% Steve Arnold Democratic Party (United States) 16,722 2.04% 818,590 100.00% General election Shelby won a very narrow victory of less than one percent over Denton.Our Campaigns - AL US Senate Race - Nov 08, 1986 Candidates Jeremiah Denton (R), incumbent U.S. Senator Richard Shelby (D), U.S. Representative Results 1986 United States Senate election in AlabamaDemocratic Party (United States) Richard Shelby 609,360 50.28% Republican Party (United States) Jeremiah Denton (incumbent) 602,537 49.72% 1,211,897 100.00% Democratic Party (United States) Republican Party (United States) Counties that flipped from Republican to Democratic Calhoun Chilton Jefferson Monroe Montgomery Tuscaloosa Counties that flipped from Democratic to Republican Clarke Clay Cleburne Coffee Cullman Geneva Henry Lamar Morgan Marshall Randolph Talladega Tallapoosa See also 1986 United States Senate elections References Category:1986 Alabama elections 1986 Alabama