The 1986 Iowa gubernatorial election was held on November 4, 1986. Incumbent
Republican Terry Branstad
Terry Edward Branstad (born November 17, 1946) is a retired American politician who served as the 39th and 42nd governor of Iowa (1983–1999; 2011–2017) and the United States ambassador to China (2017–2020). A member of the Repu ...
defeated
Democratic nominee
Lowell Junkins
Lowell L. Junkins (born March 9, 1944) is an American politician in the state of Iowa.
Junkins was born in Fort Madison, Iowa and attended Iowa State University. He served in the Iowa Senate from 1973 to 1987, as a Democrat. He unsuccessfully ra ...
with 51.91% of the vote. This election was the closest of Branstad’s six campaigns for Governor.
Primary elections
Primary elections
Primary elections or primaries are elections held to determine which candidates will run in an upcoming general election. In a partisan primary, a political party selects a candidate. Depending on the state and/or party, there may be an "open pri ...
were held on June 3, 1986.
Democratic primary
Candidates
*
Lowell Junkins
Lowell L. Junkins (born March 9, 1944) is an American politician in the state of Iowa.
Junkins was born in Fort Madison, Iowa and attended Iowa State University. He served in the Iowa Senate from 1973 to 1987, as a Democrat. He unsuccessfully ra ...
,
State Senator
A state senator is a member of a State legislature (United States), state's senate in the bicameral legislature of 49 U.S. states, or a member of the unicameral Nebraska Legislature.
History
There are typically fewer state senators than there ...
*
Robert T. Anderson, incumbent
Lieutenant Governor
A lieutenant governor, lieutenant-governor, or vice governor is a high officer of state, whose precise role and rank vary by jurisdiction. Often a lieutenant governor is the deputy, or lieutenant, to or ranked under a governor — a "second-in-comm ...
*
George Kinley, State Senator
*Clinton E. Berryhill
Results
Republican primary
Candidates
*
Terry Branstad
Terry Edward Branstad (born November 17, 1946) is a retired American politician who served as the 39th and 42nd governor of Iowa (1983–1999; 2011–2017) and the United States ambassador to China (2017–2020). A member of the Repu ...
, incumbent
Governor
A governor is an politician, administrative leader and head of a polity or Region#Political regions, political region, in some cases, such as governor-general, governors-general, as the head of a state's official representative. Depending on the ...
Results
General election
Candidates
*Terry Branstad, Republican
*Lowell Junkins, Democratic
Results
References
{{United States elections, 1986
1986
The year 1986 was designated as the International Year of Peace by the United Nations.
Events January
* January 1
** Aruba gains increased autonomy from the Netherlands by separating from the Netherlands Antilles.
** Spain and Portugal en ...
Iowa
Iowa ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the upper Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. It borders the Mississippi River to the east and the Missouri River and Big Sioux River to the west; Wisconsin to the northeast, Ill ...
Gubernatorial
A governor is an administrative leader and head of a polity or political region, in some cases, such as governors-general, as the head of a state's official representative. Depending on the type of political region or polity, a ''governor'' ma ...
Terry Branstad