1986 Arizona gubernatorial election
{{Short description|none}}
{{for|related races|1986 United States gubernatorial elections}}
{{Use American English|date=January 2025}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=September 2023}}
{{Infobox election
| election_name = 1986 Arizona gubernatorial election
| country = Arizona
| type = presidential
| ongoing = no
| previous_election = 1982 Arizona gubernatorial election
| previous_year = 1982
| next_election = 1990–91 Arizona gubernatorial election
| next_year = 1990–91
| election_date = November 4, 1986
| image1 = File:Evan Mecham %28Arizona governor%29.jpg
| image_size = 150x150px
| nominee1 = Evan Mecham
| party1 = Republican Party (United States)
| popular_vote1 = 343,913
| percentage1 = 39.67%
| image2 = File:Carolyn Warner by Gage Skidmore.jpg
| nominee2 = Carolyn Warner
| party2 = Democratic Party (United States)
| popular_vote2 = 298,986
| percentage2 = 34.49%
| image3 = 3x4.svg
| nominee3 = Bill Schulz
| party3 = Independent
| popular_vote3 = 224,085
| percentage3 = 25.85%
| map_image = 1986 Arizona gubernatorial election results map by county.svg
| map_size = 210px
| map_caption = County results
Mecham: {{legend0|#ffc8cd|30–40%}} {{legend0|#ffb2b2|40–50%}}
Warner: {{legend0|#a5b0ff|40–50%}} {{legend0|#6674de|60–70%}}
| title = Governor
| before_election = Bruce Babbitt
| before_party = Democratic Party (United States)
| after_election = Evan Mecham
| after_party = Republican Party (United States)
}}
{{ElectionsAZ}}
The 1986 Arizona gubernatorial election took place on November 4, 1986, for the post of Governor of Arizona. Republican Evan Mecham, who defeated Burton Barr for the Republican nomination, defeated the Democratic nominee and State Superintendent Carolyn Warner and independent candidate Bill Schulz.
Mecham's victory in the primary and general elections are considered among the greatest political surprises in Arizona history. Ultimately, Mecham did not complete his full four-year term in office; he was impeached and removed from office in 1988.
This was the first gubernatorial election in which La Paz County participated after separating from Yuma County in between this election and the one just before it.
Background
Bruce Babbitt, who succeed to the office of Governor upon the 1978 death of Wesley Bolin, chose not to run for a third term in office. Babbitt was first elected over Evan Mecham in 1978 and re-elected in a landslide in 1982; some speculated that he would seek to succeed Barry Goldwater in the United States Senate, but Babbitt ultimately focused on a run for President of the United States in 1988.
Although no Republican had been elected Governor of Arizona since 1970, President Ronald Reagan had carried the state with record margins in 1980 and 1984.
Democratic primary
=Candidates=
- Tony Mason, candidate for U.S. House in 1976
- Dave Moss, candidate for governor in 1978 and 1982
- Carolyn Warner, Superintendent of Public Instruction
==Withdrew==
- Bill Schulz, businessman and Democratic nominee for U.S. Senate in 1980
=Results=
[[File:1986 Arizona gubernatorial election Democratic primary results map by county.svg|thumb|center|Primary results by county
{{collapsible list
|title=Map legend
|{{legend|#7996E2|Warner—50–60%}}
|{{legend|#A5B0FF|Warner—40–50%}}
|{{legend|#5fd35f|Mason—50–60%}}
|{{legend|#87de87|Mason—40–50%}}
}}
]]
{{Election box begin no change | title=Democratic primary results{{cite web|url=https://azmemory.azlibrary.gov/nodes/view/102683|title=State of Arizona - Official Canvass Primary Election - September 9, 1986|publisher=Arizona Secretary of State|access-date=2024-07-14}}
}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change
|party = Democratic Party (United States)
|candidate = Carolyn Warner
|votes = 106,687
|percentage = 50.64%
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
|party = Democratic Party (United States)
|candidate = Tony Mason
|votes = 92,413
|percentage = 43.86%
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
|party = Democratic Party (United States)
|candidate = Dave Moss
|votes = 11,588
|percentage = 5.50%
}}
{{Election box total no change
|votes = 210,688
|percentage = 100.00%
}}
{{Election box end}}
Republican primary
=Candidates=
- Burton Barr, House Majority Leader and State Representative from Phoenix
- Evan Mecham, auto dealer and perennial candidate
=Campaign=
Barr, who was personally recruited by President Reagan to run for governor and had the universal support of the state Republican establishment, was the heavy favorite. His campaign largely ignored Mecham, who launched negative attacks on Barr and the state party generally.{{cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/politics/1986/10/05/twin-threat-pleases-republican/20a799a8-254f-4dd8-85e4-a3f058c0eef0/|title=Twin Threat Pleases Republican: Two Democrats on Arizona Ballot May Make Mecham Governor|newspaper=The Washington Post|access-date=February 19, 2024|date=October 4, 1986|last=Reid|first=T.R.}} When Republicans responded to Mecham's criticism, such as when the Senate Republican leader called him an "ethical pygmy," his popularity with voters rose.
=Results=
[[File:1986 Arizona gubernatorial election Republican primary results map by county.svg|thumb|center|Primary results by county
{{collapsible list
|title=Map legend
|{{legend|#D75D5D|Mecham—60–70%}}
|{{legend|#E27F7F|Mecham—50–60%}}
|{{legend|#FF9A50|Barr—50–60%}}
}}
]]
{{Election box begin no change | title=1986 Republican gubernatorial primary
}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change
|party = Republican Party (United States)
|candidate = Evan Mecham
|votes = 121,614
|percentage = 53.74%
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
|party = Republican Party (United States)
|candidate = Burton Barr
|votes = 104,682
|percentage = 46.26%
}}
{{Election box total no change
|votes = 226,296
|percentage = 100.00%
}}
{{Election box end}}
Mecham's primary victory over Barr was received as "the biggest upset in Arizona" since Barry Goldwater's 1952 victory over United States Senator Ernest McFarland.
General election
=Candidates=
- Evan Mecham, auto dealer and perennial candidate (Republican)
- Bill Schulz, businessman and Democratic nominee for U.S. Senate in 1980 (Independent)
- Carolyn Warner, Superintendent of Public Instruction (Democratic)
=Predictions=
| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
!Source !Rating !As of |
| align="left" |The Cook Political Report{{Cite web|url= https://www.cookpolitical.com/ratings/governor-race-ratings/462246 |title= 1986 CPR Governor Race Ratings |website=The Cook Political Report|language=en|access-date=March 28, 2024}}
|{{USRaceRating|Toss|Up}} |October 28, 1986 |
=Results=
{{Election box begin | title=Arizona gubernatorial election, 1986{{cite web|url=https://azmemory.azlibrary.gov/nodes/view/102682|title=State of Arizona - Official Canvass - General Election - November 4, 1986|publisher=Arizona Secretary of State|access-date=2024-07-14}}
}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link|
|party = Republican Party (United States)
|candidate = Evan Mecham
|votes = 343,913
|percentage = 39.67%
|change = +7.20%
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
|party = Democratic Party (United States)
|candidate = Carolyn Warner
|votes = 298,986
|percentage = 34.49%
|change = -27.98%
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
|party = Independent
|candidate = Bill Schulz
|votes = 224,085
|percentage = 25.85%
|change = +25.85%
}}
{{Election box majority
|votes = 44,927
|percentage = 5.18%
|change =
}}
{{Election box total
|votes = 866,984
|percentage = 100.00%
|change =
}}
{{Election box gain with party link
|winner = Republican Party (United States)
|loser = Democratic Party (United States)
|swing = +35.18%
}}
{{Election box end}}
= Results by county =
| class="wikitable sortable" |
| rowspan="2" |County
! style="text-align:center;" colspan="2"| Evan Mecham ! style="text-align:center;" colspan="2"| Carolyn Warner ! style="text-align:center;" colspan="2"| Bill Schulz ! style="text-align:center;" colspan="2"| Margin |
|---|
| style="text-align:center;" data-sort-type="number"| #
! style="text-align:center;" data-sort-type="number"| % ! style="text-align:center;" data-sort-type="number"| # ! style="text-align:center;" data-sort-type="number"| % ! style="text-align:center;" data-sort-type="number"| # ! style="text-align:center;" data-sort-type="number"| % ! style="text-align:center;" data-sort-type="number"| # ! style="text-align:center;" data-sort-type="number"| % |
| style="text-align:center;"
| {{party shading/Democratic}}|Apache | {{party shading/Republican}}|2,965 | {{party shading/Republican}}|26.52% | {{party shading/Democratic}}|6,936 | {{party shading/Democratic}}|62.04% | {{party shading/Independent}}|1,279 | {{party shading/Independent}}|11.44% | {{party shading/Democratic}} |
| 3,971
| {{party shading/Democratic}} |
| 35.52%
| {{party shading/Democratic}}|11,180 |
| style="text-align:center;"
| {{party shading/Republican}}|Cochise | {{party shading/Republican}}|8,484 | {{party shading/Republican}}|38.52% | {{party shading/Democratic}}|8,368 | {{party shading/Democratic}}|37.99% | {{party shading/Independent}}|5,174 | {{party shading/Independent}}|23.49% | {{party shading/Republican}}|116 | {{party shading/Republican}}|0.53% | {{party shading/Republican}}|22,026 |
| style="text-align:center;"
| {{party shading/Democratic}}|Coconino | {{party shading/Republican}}|6,647 | {{party shading/Republican}}|28.04% | {{party shading/Democratic}}|11,492 | {{party shading/Democratic}}|48.48% | {{party shading/Independent}}|5,565 | {{party shading/Independent}}|23.48% | {{party shading/Democratic}} |
| 4,845
| {{party shading/Democratic}} |
| 20.44%
| {{party shading/Democratic}}|23,704 |
| style="text-align:center;"
| {{party shading/Democratic}}|Gila | {{party shading/Republican}}|4,779 | {{party shading/Republican}}|34.45% | {{party shading/Democratic}}|5,775 | {{party shading/Democratic}}|41.63% | {{party shading/Independent}}|3,319 | {{party shading/Independent}}|23.92% | {{party shading/Democratic}} |
| 996
| {{party shading/Democratic}} |
| 7.18%
| {{party shading/Democratic}}|13,873 |
| style="text-align:center;"
| {{party shading/Republican}}|Graham | {{party shading/Republican}}|3,257 | {{party shading/Republican}}|47.13% | {{party shading/Democratic}}|2,381 | {{party shading/Democratic}}|34.46% | {{party shading/Independent}}|1,272 | {{party shading/Independent}}|18.41% | {{party shading/Republican}}|876 | {{party shading/Republican}}|12.68% | {{party shading/Republican}}|6,910 |
| style="text-align:center;"
| {{party shading/Democratic}}|Greenlee | {{party shading/Republican}}|991 | {{party shading/Republican}}|33.24% | {{party shading/Democratic}}|1,218 | {{party shading/Democratic}}|40.86% | {{party shading/Independent}}|772 | {{party shading/Independent}}|25.90% | {{party shading/Democratic}} |
| 227
| {{party shading/Democratic}} |
| 7.61%
| {{party shading/Democratic}}|2,981 |
| style="text-align:center;"
| {{party shading/Republican}}|La Paz | {{party shading/Republican}}|1,352 | {{party shading/Republican}}|38.99% | {{party shading/Democratic}}|1,201 | {{party shading/Democratic}}|34.63% | {{party shading/Independent}}|915 | {{party shading/Independent}}|26.38% | {{party shading/Republican}}|151 | {{party shading/Republican}}|4.35% | {{party shading/Republican}}|3,468 |
| style="text-align:center;"
| {{party shading/Republican}}|Maricopa | {{party shading/Republican}}|213,049 | {{party shading/Republican}}|43.06% | {{party shading/Democratic}}|142,540 | {{party shading/Democratic}}|28.81% | {{party shading/Independent}}|139,231 | {{party shading/Independent}}|28.14% | {{party shading/Republican}}|70,509 | {{party shading/Republican}}|14.25% | {{party shading/Republican}}|494,820 |
| style="text-align:center;"
| {{party shading/Republican}}|Mohave | {{party shading/Republican}}|9,333 | {{party shading/Republican}}|43.20% | {{party shading/Democratic}}|7,969 | {{party shading/Democratic}}|36.89% | {{party shading/Independent}}|4,300 | {{party shading/Independent}}|19.91% | {{party shading/Republican}}|1,364 | {{party shading/Republican}}|6.31% | {{party shading/Republican}}|21,602 |
| style="text-align:center;"
| {{party shading/Democratic}}|Navajo | {{party shading/Republican}}|6,250 | {{party shading/Republican}}|37.77% | {{party shading/Democratic}}|7,527 | {{party shading/Democratic}}|45.49% | {{party shading/Independent}}|2,769 | {{party shading/Independent}}|16.74% | {{party shading/Democratic}} |
| 1,277
| {{party shading/Democratic}} |
| 7.72%
| {{party shading/Democratic}}|16,546 |
| style="text-align:center;"
| {{party shading/Democratic}}|Pima | {{party shading/Republican}}|56,598 | {{party shading/Republican}}|32.97% | {{party shading/Democratic}}|72,366 | {{party shading/Democratic}}|42.16% | {{party shading/Independent}}|42,700 | {{party shading/Independent}}|24.87% | {{party shading/Democratic}} |
| 15,768
| {{party shading/Democratic}} |
| 9.19%
| {{party shading/Democratic}}|171,664 |
| style="text-align:center;"
| {{party shading/Democratic}}|Pinal | {{party shading/Republican}}|8,244 | {{party shading/Republican}}|33.35% | {{party shading/Democratic}}|11,127 | {{party shading/Democratic}}|45.02% | {{party shading/Independent}}|5,347 | {{party shading/Independent}}|21.63% | {{party shading/Democratic}} |
| 2,883
| {{party shading/Democratic}} |
| 11.66%
| {{party shading/Democratic}}|24,718 |
| style="text-align:center;"
| {{party shading/Democratic}}|Santa Cruz | {{party shading/Republican}}|1,490 | {{party shading/Republican}}|28.10% | {{party shading/Democratic}}|2,349 | {{party shading/Democratic}}|44.30% | {{party shading/Independent}}|1,464 | {{party shading/Independent}}|27.61% | {{party shading/Democratic}} |
| 859
| {{party shading/Democratic}} |
| 16.20%
| {{party shading/Democratic}}|5,303 |
| style="text-align:center;"
| {{party shading/Republican}}|Yavapai | {{party shading/Republican}}|15,000 | {{party shading/Republican}}|46.91% | {{party shading/Democratic}}|10,288 | {{party shading/Democratic}}|32.17% | {{party shading/Independent}}|6,688 | {{party shading/Independent}}|20.92% | {{party shading/Republican}}|4,712 | {{party shading/Republican}}|14.74% | {{party shading/Republican}}|31,976 |
| style="text-align:center;"
| {{party shading/Democratic}}|Yuma | {{party shading/Republican}}|5,474 | {{party shading/Republican}}|33.76% | {{party shading/Democratic}}|7,449 | {{party shading/Democratic}}|45.94% | {{party shading/Independent}}|3,290 | {{party shading/Independent}}|20.29% | {{party shading/Democratic}} |
| 1,975
| {{party shading/Democratic}} |
| 12.18%
| {{party shading/Democratic}}|16,213 |
| style="text-align:center;"
!Totals!!343,913!!39.67%!!298,986!!34.49%!!224,085!!25.85%!!44,927!!5.18%!!866,984 |
==Counties that flipped from Democratic to Republican==
References
{{reflist}}
{{United States elections, 1986}}
{{Arizona gubernatorial elections}}
{{US Third Party Election}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Arizona Gubernatorial Election, 1986}}