# 1986 United States Senate election in California

Elections in California :
Federal government
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Rep
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Rep
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Rep
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Dem
Rep
U.S. Senate
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2028
U.S. House of Representatives
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12th
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5th sp
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32nd sp
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48th sp
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36th sp
2008
12th sp
2009
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32nd sp
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2011
36th sp
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34th sp
2018
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22nd sp
2024
16th
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30th
45th
47th
vte :
State government
Executive Governor
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1986
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Assembly
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Special
Judiciary Court of appeals
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1998
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2006
Elections by year
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vte :
State propositions
1910–1919
1911
4
7
8
1960–1969
1964
14
1970–1979
1978
6
8
13
1980–1989
1982
8
1986
64
65
1988
98
99
1990–1999
1994
187
1996
196
209
215
218
1998
6
10
227
2000–2009
2000
21
22
36
39
2003
53
54
2004
1A
55
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60A
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2008
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94, 95, 96, and 97
98 and 99
1A
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2009
1A
1B
1C
1D
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1F
2010–2019
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13
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2012
29
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2016
50
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2018
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2020–2029
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1
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2024
1
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Full listvte :
Los Angeles County
Los Angeles County Board of supervisors
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R
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J
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M
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U
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S
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vte :
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vte :
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vte :
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vte :
San Jose
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vte :
Other localities
Bakersfield
Mayoral elections:
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Mayoral elections:
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vte :
vte :
The 1986 United States Senate election in California took place on November 4, 1986. Incumbent Democratic U.S. Senator Alan Cranston narrowly won re-election to a fourth and final term over Republican U.S. Congressman Ed Zschau. This was the last time where both major party nominees for the Class 3 Senate seat in California were men until 2022.

## Democratic primary
### Candidates

* John Hancock Abbott, perennial candidate
* Robert John Banuelos, resident of Costa Mesa
* Alan Cranston, incumbent Senator
* Charles Greene
* Brian Lantz, candidate for Mayor of San Francisco in 1983

### Results

1986 Democratic Senate primary :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Alan Cranston (incumbent) | 1,807,244 | 80.71% |
| | Democratic | Charles Greene | 165,594 | 7.40% |
| | Democratic | John Hancock Abbott | 124,218 | 5.55% |
| | Democratic | Robert John Banuelos | 77,286 | 3.45% |
| | Democratic | Brian Lantz | 64,907 | 2.90% |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 2,239,249 | 100.00% |

## Republican primary
### Candidates

* William B. Allen, professor at Harvey Mudd College and member of the National Council on the Humanities
* Michael D. Antonovich, Los Angeles County Supervisor and former State Assemblyman
* Eldridge Cleaver, author and former Black Panther
* Edward M. Davis, State Senator and former chief of the Los Angeles Police Department
* Bobbi Fiedler, U.S. Representative from Encino
* Bruce Herschensohn, political commentator for KABC-TV in Los Angeles
* Joe Knowland, actor, publisher of The Oakland Tribune and son of former Senator William Knowland
* Art Laffer, economic advisor to President Ronald Reagan
* George Montgomery
* Robert W. Naylor, State Assemblyman from Menlo Park
* William H. Pemberton, candidate for Senate in 1982
* John W. Spring
* Ed Zschau, U.S. Representative from Los Altos

### Results

1986 Republican Senate primary :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Ed Zschau | 737,384 | 37.12% |
| | Republican | Bruce Herschensohn | 587,852 | 29.59% |
| | Republican | Michael D. Antonovich | 180,010 | 9.06% |
| | Republican | Bobbi Fiedler | 143,032 | 7.20% |
| | Republican | Edward M. Davis | 130,309 | 6.56% |
| | Republican | Robert W. Naylor | 60,820 | 3.06% |
| | Republican | Art Laffer | 47,288 | 2.38% |
| | Republican | Joe Knowland | 35,987 | 1.81% |
| | Republican | Eldridge Cleaver | 23,512 | 1.17% |
| | Republican | George Montgomery | 16,374 | 0.82% |
| | Republican | William B. Allen | 12,990 | 0.65% |
| | Republican | William H. Pemberton | 6,698 | 0.34% |
| | Republican | John W. Spring | 4,478 | 0.23% |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 1,986,374 | 100.00% |

## Peace and Freedom primary
### Candidates

* Lenni Brenner, Trotskyist anti-war activist and writer
* Paul Kangas, private investigator and perennial candidate

### Results

1986 Peace and Freedom Senate primary :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Peace and Freedom | Paul Kangas | 2,495 | 51.03% |
| | Peace and Freedom | Lenni Brenner | 2,394 | 48.97% |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 4,889 | 100.00% |

## General election
### Results

* Republican — >15%
* Republican — +12.5−15%
* Republican — +10−12.5%
* Republican — +7.5−10%
* Republican — +5−7.5%
* Republican — +2.5−5%
* Republican — +0−2.5%
* Democratic — +0−2.5%
* Democratic — +2.5−5%
* Democratic — +5−7.5%
* Democratic — +7.5-10%
* Democratic — +10−12.5%
1986 California U.S. Senate election :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| Democratic | Alan Cranston (incumbent) | 3,646,672 | 49.29% |
| Republican | Ed Zschau | 3,541,804 | 47.87% |
| American Independent | Edward B. Vallen | 109,916 | 1.49% |
| Libertarian | Breck McKinley | 66,261 | 0.90% |
| Peace and Freedom | Paul Kangas | 33,869 | 0.46% |
| Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold |