United States Senate election in South Carolina, 1986

The 1986 South Carolina United States Senate election was held on November 4, 1986 to select the U.S. Senator from the state of South Carolina. Popular incumbent Democratic Senator Fritz Hollings easily defeated Republican challenger Henry McMaster.

Democratic primary

Fritz Hollings, the incumbent Senator, faced no opposition from South Carolina Democrats and avoided a primary election.

Republican primary

The South Carolina Republican Party held their primary on June 10, 1986. Henry McMaster defeated Henry Jordan in the primary to become the Republican nominee in the general election.

General election campaign

The race was not seriously contested and was not a target by the Republicans. With little financial assistance, McMaster was unable to mount a credible challenge to Hollings' re-election in what became a difficult year for Republicans.

Election results

Election box candidate with party link
party = Democratic Party (United States)
candidate = Fritz Hollings
votes = 465,511
percentage = 63.1
change = -7.3 Election box candidate with party link
party = Republican Party (United States)
candidate = Henry McMaster
votes = 262,976
percentage = 35.6
change = +6.0 Election box candidate with party link
party = Libertarian Party (United States)
candidate = Steven B. Vandervelde
votes = 4,788
percentage = 0.7
change = +0.7Election box candidate
party = American
candidate = Ray Hillyard
votes = 4,588
percentage = 0.6
change = +0.6Election box candidate
party = "No party"
candidate = Write-Ins
votes = 199
percentage = 0.0
change = 0.0Election box majority
votes = 202,535
percentage = 27.5
change = -13.3Election box turnout
votes = 738,062
percentage = 56.6
change = -13.9
colspan=5 |Democratic hold
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frame|300px|none|1986 South Carolina U.S. Senate election map, by percentile by county.

ee also

*List of United States Senators from South Carolina
*United States Senate elections, 1986
*South Carolina gubernatorial election, 1986

References

*cite book | last = State Election Commission | title = South Carolina Election Commission Annual Report 1986-1987 | year = 1987 | location = Columbia, SC | pages = pp. 14, 22