# 1986 Tennessee gubernatorial election

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Government :
vte :
The 1986 Tennessee gubernatorial election was held on November 4, 1986, to elect the next governor of Tennessee. Democratic nominee Ned McWherter defeated former Republican governor Winfield Dunn with 54.3% of the vote.
With this win, McWherter flipped the state back into Democratic control, with the state legislature also being controlled by Democrats.

## Primary elections

Primary elections were held on August 7, 1986.

### Democratic primary
#### Candidates

* Ned McWherter, Speaker of the Tennessee House of Representatives
* Jane Eskind, Public Service Commissioner
* Richard Fulton, Mayor of Nashville
* Joseph L. Crichton
* Bill Jacox

#### Results

Democratic primary results :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Ned McWherter | 314,449 | 42.47 |
| | Democratic | Jane Eskind | 225,551 | 30.46 |
| | Democratic | Richard Fulton | 190,016 | 25.66 |
| | Democratic | Joseph L. Crichton | 6,582 | 0.89 |
| | Democratic | Bill Jacox | 3,817 | 0.52 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 740,415 | 100.00 |

### Republican primary
#### Candidates

* Winfield Dunn, former governor
* Hubert David Patty, perennial candidate
* Charles Gordon Vick, perennial candidate

#### Results

Republican primary results :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Winfield Dunn | 222,458 | 94.23 |
| | Republican | Hubert David Patty | 7,660 | 3.25 |
| | Republican | Charles Gordon Vick | 5,954 | 2.52 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 236,072 | 100.00 |

## General election
### Candidates

* Ned McWherter, Democratic
* Winfield Dunn, Republican

### Results

1986 Tennessee gubernatorial election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Ned McWherter | 656,602 | 54.26% |
| | Republican | Winfield Dunn | 553,449 | 45.74% |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 103,153 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,210,339 | |
| | Democratic gain from Republican | Democratic gain from Republican | Swing | |