1986 United States Senate election in California

The 1986 United States Senate election in California took place on November 4, 1986. Incumbent Democratic U.S. Senator Alan Cranston narrowly won re-election to a fourth and final term over Republican U.S. Congressman Ed Zschau. This was the last time where both major party nominees for the Class 3 Senate seat in California were men until 2022.

1986 United States Senate election in California

← 1980 November 4, 1986 (1986-11-04) 1992 →
 
Nominee Alan Cranston Ed Zschau
Party Democratic Republican
Popular vote 3,646,672 3,541,804
Percentage 49.29% 47.87%

County results
Cranston:      40-50%      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%
Zschau:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70%

U.S. senator before election

Alan Cranston
Democratic

Elected U.S. Senator

Alan Cranston
Democratic

Democratic primary

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Candidates

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  • John Hancock Abbott, perennial candidate
  • Robert John Banuelos, resident of Costa Mesa
  • Alan Cranston, incumbent Senator
  • Charles Greene
  • Brian Lantz, candidate for Mayor of San Francisco in 1983

Results

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1986 Democratic Senate primary[1]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Alan Cranston (incumbent) 1,807,244 80.71%
Democratic Charles Greene 165,594 7.40%
Democratic John Hancock Abbott 124,218 5.55%
Democratic Robert John Banuelos 77,286 3.45%
Democratic Brian Lantz 64,907 2.90%
Total votes 2,239,249 100.00%

Republican primary

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Candidates

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Results

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1986 Republican Senate primary[2]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Ed Zschau 737,384 37.12%
Republican Bruce Herschensohn 587,852 29.59%
Republican Michael D. Antonovich 180,010 9.06%
Republican Bobbi Fiedler 143,032 7.20%
Republican Edward M. Davis 130,309 6.56%
Republican Robert W. Naylor 60,820 3.06%
Republican Art Laffer 47,288 2.38%
Republican Joe Knowland 35,987 1.81%
Republican Eldridge Cleaver 23,512 1.17%
Republican George Montgomery 16,374 0.82%
Republican William B. Allen 12,990 0.65%
Republican William H. Pemberton 6,698 0.34%
Republican John W. Spring 4,478 0.23%
Total votes 1,986,374 100.00%

Peace and Freedom primary

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Candidates

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  • Lenni Brenner, Trotskyist anti-war activist and writer
  • Paul Kangas, private investigator and perennial candidate

Results

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1986 Peace and Freedom Senate primary[3]
Party Candidate Votes %
Peace and Freedom Paul Kangas 2,495 51.03%
Peace and Freedom Lenni Brenner 2,394 48.97%
Total votes 4,889 100.00%

General election

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Results

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1986 California U.S. Senate election[4]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Alan Cranston (incumbent) 3,646,672 49.29%
Republican Ed Zschau 3,541,804 47.87%
American Independent Edward B. Vallen 109,916 1.49%
Libertarian Breck McKinley 66,261 0.90%
Peace and Freedom Paul Kangas 33,869 0.46%
Democratic hold

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Our Campaigns - CA US Senate- D Primary Race - Jun 03, 1986".
  2. ^ "Our Campaigns - CA US Senate - R Primary Race - Jun 03, 1986".
  3. ^ "Our Campaigns - CA US Senate - PFP Primary Race - Jun 03, 1986".
  4. ^ "Our Campaigns - CA US Senate Race - Nov 04, 1986".