1986 United States Senate election in Vermont

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1986 United States Senate election in Vermont
Flag of Vermont.svg
  1980 November 4, 1986 1992  
  Patrick Leahy 1979 congressional photo.jpg Richard A Snelling (cropped).jpg
Nominee Patrick Leahy Richard Snelling
Party Democratic Republican
Popular vote124,12367,798
Percentage63.16%34.50%

1986 United States Senate election in Vermont results map by county.svg
1986 United States Senate election in Vermont results map by municipality.svg
Leahy:     40-50%     50-60%     60-70%     70-80%
Snelling:      40-50%     50-60%     60-70%

U.S. senator before election

Patrick Leahy
Democratic

Elected U.S. Senator

Patrick Leahy
Democratic

The 1986 United States Senate election in Vermont was held on November 4, 1986. Incumbent Democratic U.S. Senator Patrick Leahy won reelection to a third term, defeating Republican former governor Richard Snelling by a landslide margin of almost 30 points, in a race that was initially expected to be quite competitive, as Snelling was recruited to run by popular President Ronald Reagan.

Contents

Democratic primary

Candidates

Results

Democratic primary results [1]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Democratic Patrick Leahy (incumbent) 21,255 97.63%
Democratic Write-ins5162.37%
Total votes21,771 100.00%

Liberty Union primary

Candidates

Results

Liberty Union primary results [1]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Liberty Union Jerry Levy 147 93.04%
Liberty Union Write-ins116.96%
Total votes158 100.00%

Republican primary

The popular former Governor of Vermont, Richard A. Snelling, had faced pressure from national Republicans to enter the race, but had spent the majority of 1985 convinced that he would not be a candidate. [2] In October 1985, however, encouraged by figures such as New Mexico Senator Pete Domenici and President of the United States Ronald Reagan, Snelling changed his mind and entered the race, claiming that a lack of action over the United States national deficit had encouraged him to run. [3]

Candidates

Results

Republican primary results [1]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Republican Richard A. Snelling 21,477 75.11%
Republican Anthony N. Doria6,49322.71%
Republican Write-ins6252.19%
Total votes28,595 100.00%

General election

Campaign

Both Leahy and Snelling were well-respected and highly popular in Vermont, and the general feeling was that they would both make good Senators. However, Snelling was felt to be at a disadvantage for several reasons, including the fact that his main campaign plank was deficit reduction, which The Caledonian-Record noted Leahy was already a well-known advocate for, and the fact that Leahy had acquired a reputation as one of the Senate's most knowledgeable figures on the issue of nuclear proliferation, an issue which the Brattleboro Reformer noted Snelling had no experience with. [4]

Snelling frequently attacked Leahy by calling him a "liberal" during the campaign, part of a broader strategy of negative campaigning against the incumbent. [5]

Candidates

Endorsements

Patrick Leahy (D)
State officials
Labor unions
Organizations
Richard Snelling (R)

Results

General election results [10]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Democratic Patrick Leahy (incumbent) 124,123 63.16% +13.34%
Republican Richard A. Snelling 67,79834.50%-14.00%
ConservativeAnthony N. Doria2,9631.51%N/A
Liberty Union Jerry Levy1,5830.81%N/A
Write-in 650.02%N/A
Total votes196,532
Democratic hold

See also

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References

  1. 1 2 3 "Official Report of the Canvassing Committee United States and Statewide Offices - Primary Election, September 9, 1986" (PDF). vermont-elections.org. Archived from the original (PDF) on December 27, 2010. Retrieved June 2, 2011.
  2. Gaff, Christopher (October 18, 1985). "Snelling announces candidacy for Senate". The Brattleboro Reformer. Associated Press . Retrieved January 19, 2022.
  3. 1 2 3 Gaff, Christopher (October 18, 1985). "Democrats say Snelling bowing to pressure". The Brattleboro Reformer. Associated Press . Retrieved January 19, 2022.
  4. "Senate Battle Sparks Diverse Opinions". Rutland Herald. Associated Press. October 28, 1985. Retrieved January 19, 2022.
  5. 1 2 "A great victory for Pat Leahy". The Brattleboro Reformer. November 6, 1986. Retrieved January 22, 2022.
  6. Bressor, James F. (October 21, 1986). "Sen. Harkin campaigns for Sen. Leahy". Rutland Daily Herald. Retrieved January 22, 2022.
  7. "State Nurses' Association endorses Leahy re-election". The Brattleboro Reformer. Associated Press. July 11, 1986. Retrieved January 19, 2022.
  8. 1 2 3 Karvelas, David (March 11, 1986). "Conservations Endorse Leahy in Senate Race". The Burlington Free Press. Retrieved January 19, 2022.
  9. "Vermont off Reagan's schedule". Bennington Banner. Associated Press. October 22, 1986. Retrieved January 19, 2022.
  10. "Statistics of the Congressional Election of November 4, 1986" (PDF). Clerk of the House of Representatives. p. 40.