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      Data: MIT Election Lab, VEST, Census Bureau
      Home/Elections/1986/Governor/Tennessee
      1986·Governor·Tennessee

      Tennessee Governor

      Winner
      DEM
      Ned R McWherter
      54.3%656,602 votes
      Runner-up
      REP
      Winfield Dunn
      45.7%553,449 votes
      Margin
      D+8.5
      1,210,339 total votes
      3 candidates1,210,339 total votes
      CandidatePartyVotes ▼%Vote Share
      Ned R McWherterDEM✓
      		DEM656,60254.3%
      Winfield DunnREP
      		REP553,44945.7%
      OtherOTH
      		OTH2880.0%

      Seat History

      Governor in Tennessee

      2022
      Bill LeeREP
      R+32.0
      2018
      Bill LeeREP
      R+21.0
      2014
      Bill HaslamREP
      R+47.5
      2010
      Bill HaslamREP
      R+31.9
      2006
      Phil BredesenDEM
      D+38.9
      2002
      Phil BredesenDEM
      D+3.0
      1998
      Don SundquistREP
      R+39.1
      1994
      Don SundquistREP
      R+9.6
      1990
      Ned R McWherterDEM
      D+24.2
      1982
      Lamar AlexanderREP
      R+19.1
      1978
      Lamar AlexanderREP
      R+11.6
      1974
      L. Ray BlantonDEM
      D+11.7
      1970
      Winfield DunnREP
      R+6.0
      1966
      Buford EllingtonDEM
      D+81.2
      View all Governor history for Tennessee →

      Candidates

      Ned R McWherterDEM
      Record11W-0L
      Avg MarginD+77.7
      Career1968-1990
      Governor / State House
      Full profile →
      Winfield DunnREP
      Record1W-1L
      Avg MarginD+1.3
      Career1970-1986
      Governor
      Full profile →

      Also in Tennessee, 1986

      US House9 contests →
      ← All 1986 Governor races1986 overviewTennessee profileAll elections