# 1986 Maine gubernatorial election

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vte :
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, Maine, 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.

## Maine Yankee

The future of the 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.

## 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

Democratic primary results :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | James Tierney | 44,087 | 37.23 |
| | Democratic | Severin Beliveau | 27,991 | 23.64 |
| | Democratic | William Diamond | 24,693 | 20.85 |
| | Democratic | David Redmond | 17,598 | 14.86 |
| | Democratic | Joseph Ricci | 4,039 | 3.41 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 118,408 | 100.00 |

## 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

Republican primary results :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | John McKernan | 79,393 | 68.37 |
| | Republican | Porter Leighton | 24,631 | 31.61 |
| | Republican | Others | 31 | 0.02 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 116,129 | 100.00 |

## 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

1986 Gubernatorial Election, Maine :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Republican | John R. McKernan Jr. | 170,312 | 39.90% | − |
| | Democratic | James Tierney | 128,744 | 30.16% | − |
| | Independent | Sherry Huber | 64,317 | 15.07% | − |
| | Independent | John Menario | 63,474 | 14.87% | − |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 41,568 | 9.74% | |
| | Republican gain from Democratic | Republican gain from Democratic | Swing | | |