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.
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
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
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