1986 Maine gubernatorial election
Template:Short description Template:Use American English Script error: No such module "Unsubst". Script error: No such module "infobox".Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". Template:ElectionsME The 1986 Maine gubernatorial election took place on November 4, 1986. Incumbent Democratic Governor Joseph Brennan was term limited and ineligible to seek re-election. First district Congressman John McKernan defeated Democratic Party challenger James Tierney as well as former Republican turned Independent Sherry Huber and former Portland city manager John Menario, making McKernan the first Republican to win The Blaine House since 1962.
Tierney, the sitting state Attorney General, won a crowded Democratic primary over state senators Severin Beliveau and William Diamond, as well as David Redmond, the chief of staff of incumbent governor Joseph E. Brennan. McKernan faced only conservative activist Porter Leighton in the GOP primary, and dispatched him with relative ease.
The three main issues during the campaign were: the future of the Maine Yankee Nuclear Power Plant in Wiscasset, economic development and McKernan's congressional record.[1]
Maine Yankee
The future of the Maine Yankee nuclear power plant had been placed up for statewide referendum in 1980 and again in 1982. McKernan and Menario opposed the closure of Maine Yankee, while Tierney and Huber supported the efforts to close the plant in 1988.[1]
Democratic primary
Candidates
- Severin Beliveau, of Augusta, member of the Maine Senate
- William Diamond, of Windham, member of the Maine Senate
- David Redmond, of Portland, Chief of Staff to Governor Joseph E. Brennan
- Joseph Ricci, of Falmouth, founder of the Élan School
- James Tierney, of Lisbon, Attorney General of Maine
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Script error: No such module "Political party". | James Tierney | Script error: No such module "string". | 37.23 | |
| Script error: No such module "Political party". | Severin Beliveau | Script error: No such module "string". | 23.64 | |
| Script error: No such module "Political party". | William Diamond | Script error: No such module "string". | 20.85 | |
| Script error: No such module "Political party". | David Redmond | Script error: No such module "string". | 14.86 | |
| Script error: No such module "Political party". | Joseph Ricci | Script error: No such module "string". | 3.41 | |
| Total votes | Script error: No such module "string". | 100.00 | ||
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Republican primary
Candidates
- Porter D. Leighton, of Harrison, conservative activist
- John McKernan Jr., of Cumberland, U.S. Representative for Maine's 1st congressional district
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Script error: No such module "Political party". | John McKernan | Script error: No such module "string". | 68.37 | |
| Script error: No such module "Political party". | Porter Leighton | Script error: No such module "string". | 31.61 | |
| Script error: No such module "Political party". | Others | Script error: No such module "string". | 0.02 | |
| Total votes | Script error: No such module "string". | 100.00 | ||
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General election
Candidates
- John McKernan Jr. (Republican), former U.S. Representative from the 1st congressional district
- James Tierney (Democratic), incumbent Attorney General of Maine
- Sherry Huber (Independent), former state representative
- John Menario (Independent), banker and city administrator
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | <templatestyles src="Template:Tooltip/styles.css" />±%Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Script error: No such module "Political party". | John R. McKernan Jr. | Template:Replace | 39.90% | Script error: No such module "String". | |
| Script error: No such module "Political party". | James Tierney | 128,744 | 30.16% | Script error: No such module "String". | |
| Independent | Sherry Huber | 64,317 | 15.07% | Script error: No such module "String". | |
| Independent | John Menario | 63,474 | 14.87% | Script error: No such module "String". | |
| Plurality | 41,568 | 9.74% | |||
| Turnout | 427,120 | Script error: No such module "String". | |||
| Script error: No such module "Political party". gain from Script error: No such module "Political party". | Swing | ||||
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Counties that flipped from Democratic to Republican
- Aroostook (largest city: Presque Isle)
- Cumberland (largest city: Portland)
- Franklin (largest town: Farmington)
- Hancock (largest municipality: Ellsworth)
- Kennebec (largest city: Augusta)
- Knox (largest municipality: Rockland)
- Oxford (largest town: Rumford)
- Lincoln (largest city: Waldoboro)
- Penobscot (largest city: Bangor)
- Piscataquis (largest municipality: Dover-Foxcroft)
- Sagadahoc (largest town: Bath)
- Somerset (largest town: Skowhegan)
- Waldo (largest city: Belfast)
- Washington (largest city: Calais)
- York (largest town: Biddeford)
References
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Template:1986 United States elections Template:Maine gubernatorial elections Template:US Third Party Election