1986 United States Senate election in Vermont

The 1986 United States Senate election in Vermont was held on November 4, 1986. Incumbent Democratic U.S. Senator Patrick Leahy won reelection to a third term, defeating Republican former governor Richard Snelling by a landslide margin of almost 30 points, in a race that was initially expected to be quite competitive, as Snelling was recruited to run by popular President Ronald Reagan.

1986 United States Senate election in Vermont

← 1980 November 4, 1986 1992 →

Nominee Patrick Leahy Richard Snelling Party Democratic Republican Popular vote 124,123 67,798 Percentage 63.16% 34.50%

County results Municipality results Leahy:      40-50%      50-60%      60-70%      70-80% Snelling:      40-50%      50-60%      60-70%

U.S. senator before election Patrick Leahy Democratic Elected U.S. Senator Patrick Leahy Democratic

Democratic primary

Candidates

• Patrick Leahy, incumbent U.S. Senator

Results

Democratic primary results^[1]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Patrick Leahy (incumbent)	21,255	97.63%
	Democratic	Write-ins	516	2.37%
Total votes			21,771	100.00%

Liberty Union primary

Candidates

• Jerry Levy, sociologist and perennial candidate

Results

Liberty Union primary results^[1]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Liberty Union	Jerry Levy	147	93.04%
	Liberty Union	Write-ins	11	6.96%
Total votes			158	100.00%

Republican primary

The popular former Governor of Vermont, Richard A. Snelling, had faced pressure from national Republicans to enter the race, but had spent the majority of 1985 convinced that he would not be a candidate.^[2] In October 1985, however, encouraged by figures such as New Mexico Senator Pete Domenici and President of the United States Ronald Reagan, Snelling changed his mind and entered the race, claiming that a lack of action over the United States national deficit had encouraged him to run.^[3]

Candidates

• Richard A. Snelling, former Governor of Vermont
• Anthony N. Doria, founder of the Vermont Law School and perennial candidate

Results

Republican primary results^[1]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Richard A. Snelling	21,477	75.11%
	Republican	Anthony N. Doria	6,493	22.71%
	Republican	Write-ins	625	2.19%
Total votes			28,595	100.00%

General election

Campaign

Both Leahy and Snelling were well-respected and highly popular in Vermont, and the general feeling was that they would both make good Senators. However, Snelling was felt to be at a disadvantage for several reasons, including the fact that his main campaign plank was deficit reduction, which The Caledonian-Record noted Leahy was already a well-known advocate for, and the fact that Leahy had acquired a reputation as one of the Senate's most knowledgeable figures on the issue of nuclear proliferation, an issue which the Brattleboro Reformer noted Snelling had no experience with.^[4]

Snelling frequently attacked Leahy by calling him a "liberal" during the campaign, part of a broader strategy of negative campaigning against the incumbent.^[5]

Candidates

• Anthony Doria (C), perennial candidate
• Patrick Leahy (D), incumbent U.S. Senator
• Jerry Levy (LU), sociologist and perennial candidate
• Richard A. Snelling (R), former Governor of Vermont

Endorsements

Patrick Leahy (D)

State officials

• Tom Harkin, U.S. Senator from Iowa^[6]

Labor unions

• Vermont Nurses Association^[7]

Organizations

• Democratic Senate Campaign Committee^[3]
• Vermont Audubon Council^[8]
• Vermont Natural Resources Council^[8]
• Vermont Sierra Club^[8]

Richard Snelling (R)

Executive officials

• Ronald Reagan, President of the United States^[3]
• James Baker, U.S. Secretary of the Treasury^[9]

State officials

• John McClaughry, state senator^[5]

Results

General election results^[10]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Democratic	Patrick Leahy (incumbent)	124,123	63.16%	+13.34%
	Republican	Richard A. Snelling	67,798	34.50%	−14.00%
	Conservative	Anthony N. Doria	2,963	1.51%	N/A
	Liberty Union	Jerry Levy	1,583	0.81%	N/A
	Write-in		65	0.02%	N/A
Total votes			196,532
	Democratic hold

See also

• 1986 United States Senate elections

References

1. "Official Report of the Canvassing Committee United States and Statewide Offices - Primary Election, September 9, 1986" (PDF). vermont-elections.org. Archived from the original (PDF) on December 27, 2010. Retrieved June 2, 2011.
2. Gaff, Christopher (October 18, 1985). "Snelling announces candidacy for Senate". The Brattleboro Reformer. Associated Press. Retrieved January 19, 2022.
3. Gaff, Christopher (October 18, 1985). "Democrats say Snelling bowing to pressure". The Brattleboro Reformer. Associated Press. Retrieved January 19, 2022.
4. "Senate Battle Sparks Diverse Opinions". Rutland Herald. Associated Press. October 28, 1985. Retrieved January 19, 2022.
5. "A great victory for Pat Leahy". The Brattleboro Reformer. November 6, 1986. Retrieved January 22, 2022.
6. Bressor, James F. (October 21, 1986). "Sen. Harkin campaigns for Sen. Leahy". Rutland Daily Herald. Retrieved January 22, 2022.
7. "State Nurses' Association endorses Leahy re-election". The Brattleboro Reformer. Associated Press. July 11, 1986. Retrieved January 19, 2022.
8. Karvelas, David (March 11, 1986). "Conservations Endorse Leahy in Senate Race". The Burlington Free Press. Retrieved January 19, 2022.
9. "Vermont off Reagan's schedule". Bennington Banner. Associated Press. October 22, 1986. Retrieved January 19, 2022.
10. "Statistics of the Congressional Election of November 4, 1986" (PDF). Clerk of the House of Representatives. p. 40.