North Carolina — 1986 U.S. Senate election
Recent presidential results
Akashicstate1986 Senate electionNorth Carolina · U.S. SenateSanfordD+3.5
How it voted
Share of the 1986 vote
| Terry Sanford ✓Democrat | 50.9% | 780,967 |
|---|---|---|
| James T. (Jim) BroyhillRepublican | 49.1% | 753,881 |
1986Senate margin
D+60R+60
100 counties, each filled by 1986 D-vs-R margin. Hover any county for its result.
County-level results (100 counties) — table
| County | Winner | Margin |
|---|---|---|
| ALAMANCE, NC | Republican | R+6.9 |
| ALEXANDER, NC | Republican | R+25.2 |
| ALLEGHANY, NC | Democratic | D+6.2 |
| ANSON, NC | Democratic | D+44.5 |
| ASHE, NC | Republican | R+5.2 |
| AVERY, NC | Republican | R+45.1 |
| BEAUFORT, NC | Democratic | D+4.7 |
| BERTIE, NC | Democratic | D+53.3 |
| BLADEN, NC | Democratic | D+39.5 |
| BRUNSWICK, NC | Democratic | D+11.7 |
| BUNCOMBE, NC | Democratic | D+1.6 |
| BURKE, NC | Republican | R+22.5 |
| CABARRUS, NC | Republican | R+16.1 |
| CALDWELL, NC | Republican | R+38.6 |
| CAMDEN, NC | Democratic | D+37.6 |
| CARTERET, NC | Democratic | D+4.7 |
| CASWELL, NC | Democratic | D+38.7 |
| CATAWBA, NC | Republican | R+36.8 |
| CHATHAM, NC | Democratic | D+21.8 |
| CHEROKEE, NC | Republican | R+10.4 |
| CHOWAN, NC | Democratic | D+33.1 |
| CLAY, NC | Republican | R+10.5 |
| CLEVELAND, NC | Republican | R+19.4 |
| COLUMBUS, NC | Democratic | D+48.2 |
| CRAVEN, NC | Democratic | D+11.2 |
| CUMBERLAND, NC | Democratic | D+23.5 |
| CURRITUCK, NC | Democratic | D+26.2 |
| DARE, NC | Democratic | D+0.1 |
| DAVIDSON, NC | Republican | R+10.4 |
| DAVIE, NC | Republican | R+24.1 |
| DUPLIN, NC | Democratic | D+33.4 |
| DURHAM, NC | Democratic | D+25.6 |
| EDGECOMBE, NC | Democratic | D+36.6 |
| FORSYTH, NC | Democratic | D+0.6 |
| FRANKLIN, NC | Democratic | D+24.3 |
| GASTON, NC | Republican | R+34.9 |
| GATES, NC | Democratic | D+50.3 |
| GRAHAM, NC | Republican | R+7.3 |
| GRANVILLE, NC | Democratic | D+32.8 |
| GREENE, NC | Democratic | D+45.6 |
| GUILFORD, NC | Democratic | D+7.0 |
| HALIFAX, NC | Democratic | D+28.9 |
| HARNETT, NC | Democratic | D+14.4 |
| HAYWOOD, NC | Democratic | D+19.1 |
| HENDERSON, NC | Republican | R+15.8 |
| HERTFORD, NC | Democratic | D+49.1 |
| HOKE, NC | Democratic | D+48.1 |
| HYDE, NC | Democratic | D+31.7 |
| IREDELL, NC | Republican | R+16.4 |
| JACKSON, NC | Democratic | D+15.4 |
| JOHNSTON, NC | Democratic | D+0.3 |
| JONES, NC | Democratic | D+33.2 |
| LEE, NC | Democratic | D+7.0 |
| LENOIR, NC | Democratic | D+10.9 |
| LINCOLN, NC | Republican | R+13.0 |
| MACON, NC | Republican | R+3.8 |
| MADISON, NC | Democratic | D+5.7 |
| MARTIN, NC | Democratic | D+43.7 |
| MCDOWELL, NC | Republican | R+1.5 |
| MECKLENBURG, NC | Republican | R+1.5 |
| MITCHELL, NC | Republican | R+39.0 |
| MONTGOMERY, NC | Democratic | D+15.2 |
| MOORE, NC | Republican | R+14.4 |
| NASH, NC | Democratic | D+4.3 |
| NEW HANOVER, NC | Democratic | D+7.2 |
| NORTHAMPTON, NC | Democratic | D+52.8 |
| ONSLOW, NC | Democratic | D+8.5 |
| ORANGE, NC | Democratic | D+37.7 |
| PAMLICO, NC | Democratic | D+21.6 |
| PASQUOTANK, NC | Democratic | D+30.5 |
| PENDER, NC | Democratic | D+22.0 |
| PERQUIMANS, NC | Democratic | D+27.8 |
| PERSON, NC | Democratic | D+17.4 |
| PITT, NC | Democratic | D+19.2 |
| POLK, NC | Democratic | D+2.2 |
| RANDOLPH, NC | Republican | R+25.5 |
| RICHMOND, NC | Democratic | D+32.7 |
| ROBESON, NC | Democratic | D+46.5 |
| ROCKINGHAM, NC | Democratic | D+13.0 |
| ROWAN, NC | Republican | R+13.6 |
| RUTHERFORD, NC | Democratic | D+2.5 |
| SAMPSON, NC | Democratic | D+11.0 |
| SCOTLAND, NC | Democratic | D+40.2 |
| STANLY, NC | Republican | R+12.0 |
| STOKES, NC | Republican | R+2.3 |
| SURRY, NC | Democratic | D+0.9 |
| SWAIN, NC | Democratic | D+1.8 |
| TRANSYLVANIA, NC | Republican | R+4.8 |
| TYRRELL, NC | Democratic | D+31.2 |
| UNION, NC | Democratic | D+0.9 |
| VANCE, NC | Democratic | D+22.0 |
| WAKE, NC | Democratic | D+7.9 |
| WARREN, NC | Democratic | D+48.2 |
| WASHINGTON, NC | Democratic | D+40.3 |
| WATAUGA, NC | Republican | R+15.0 |
| WAYNE, NC | Democratic | D+2.5 |
| WILKES, NC | Republican | R+23.8 |
| WILSON, NC | Democratic | D+13.1 |
| YADKIN, NC | Republican | R+22.5 |
| YANCEY, NC | Democratic | D+11.7 |
presidential baselinePresident 1984R+24.0Senate 1986D+1.8vs. baselineD+25.8
North Carolina's 1986 Senate race ran 25.8 points more Democratic than its 1984 presidential margin.
North Carolina's Senate margins
Every comparable D–R contest in our store, 1978–2022
| Year | Margin (D minus R) |
|---|---|
| 1978 | −9.0% |
| 1980 | −0.6% |
| 1984 | −3.9% |
| 1986 | +1.8% |
| 1990 | −5.1% |
| 1992 | −4.0% |
| 1996 | −6.7% |
| 1998 | +4.1% |
| 2002 | −8.6% |
| 2004 | −4.6% |
| 2008 | +8.5% |
| 2010 | −11.8% |
| 2014 | −1.6% |
| 2016 | −5.7% |
| 2020 | −1.7% |
| 2022 | −3.2% |
Same ballot, 1986NC
Source. MIT Election Data + Science Lab — 1986 US Senate returns, party-classified by literal ballot party · county returns aggregated from precinct-level results. Real returns — nothing estimated.