1986 United States Senate election in Alabama

United States Senate election in Alabama, 1986

November 3, 1986

Nominee Richard Shelby Jeremiah Denton Party Democratic Republican Popular vote 609,360 602,537 Percentage 50.3% 49.7%

Senator before election Jeremiah Denton Republican Elected Senator Richard Shelby Democratic

The 1986 United States Senate election in Alabama took place on November 3, 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 U.S. Senator Jeremiah Denton ran for a second term but lost to Democrat Richard Shelby.

Democratic primary

Shelby, a moderate-to-conservative Democrat avoided a runoff and won nomination in the Democratic Party primary.

Candidates

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

Results

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

Republican primary

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.

Candidates

• Jeremiah Denton, incumbent U.S. Senator
• Richard Vickers

Results

Republican primary results

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Jeremiah Denton	29,805	88.55
	Republican	Richard Vickers	3,854	11.45
Total votes			33,659	100

General election

Shelby won a very narrow victory over Denton (less than one percent).

Candidates

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

Results

• Shelby - 609,360 (50.28%)
• Denton - 602,537 (49.72%)