United States Senate election in Alaska, 1986
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| Elections in Alaska | |||||||||
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The 1986 United States Senate election in Alaska was held on November 3, 1986. Incumbent Republican United States Senator Frank Murkowski ran for a second term in the United States Senate and was primarily opposed by Alaska Pacific University President Glenn Olds. Following a highly competitive election in 1980, Murkowski faced a legitimate opponent in Glenn Olds, and the contest was fairly close. However, in the end, Murkowski was able to defeat Olds by a slightly wider margin than he won by six years prior.
Open primary
Candidates
Republican
- Frank Murkowski, incumbent United States Senator, former banker and commissioner of the Alaska Department of Economic Development
Democratic
- Glenn Olds, president of Alaska Pacific University
- Bill Barnes, former director of the People Mover transit system in Anchorage. His wife, Allegra, was the Libertarian nominee for lieutenant governor in this same election year
- Dave Carlson, former congressional candidate
- Michael J. Bruner
- Karl Francis
Libertarian
- Chuck House, field representative for Eastman Kodak Company and Libertarian Party activist
Results
| Open primary results[1] | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
| Republican | Frank Murkowski (inc.) | 91,705 | 63.11 | |
| Democratic | Glenn Olds | 36,995 | 25.46 | |
| Democratic | Bill Barnes | 4,871 | 3.35 | |
| Libertarian | Chuck House | 4,265 | 2.94 | |
| Democratic | Dave J. Carlson | 4,211 | 2.90 | |
| Democratic | Michael J. Bruner | 1,809 | 1.24 | |
| Democratic | Karl Francis | 1,454 | 1.00 | |
| Total votes | 145,310 | 100.00 | ||
General election
Results
| United States Senate election in Alaska, 1986[2] | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
| Republican | Frank Murkowski (inc.) | 97,674 | 54.02% | +0.34% | |
| Democratic | Glenn Olds | 79,727 | 44.10% | -1.84% | |
| Libertarian | Chuck House | 3,161 | 1.75% | ||
| Write-ins | 239 | 0.13% | |||
| Majority | 17,947 | 9.93% | +2.17% | ||
| Turnout | 180,801 | ||||
| Republican hold | Swing | ||||