United States Senate election in Maryland, 1986
Encyclopedia
The 1986 United States Senate election in Maryland was held on November 3, 1986. Incumbent Republican U.S. Senator Charles Mathias, Jr.
decided to retire, instead of seeking a fourth term. Democratic nominee Barbara Mikulski
won the open seat vs. Linda Chavez, who won more votes by any Republican in MD running for a statewide office in in a generation. This was the first U.S. Senate general election in modern U.S. history pitting 2 women against each other.
Harry Hughes
would run for the seat being vacated by retiring Senator Mathias. However, Hughes became caught up in the aftermath of the Maryland savings and loan crisis
. He lost popularity with voters, opening the door for Mikulski's bid for the Senate.
Chavez won the primary handily, defeating several Republican challengers. Later, she made comments that some Mikulski supporters interpreted as an attempt to draw attention to the issue of Mikulski's sexual orientation
. In an article quoting Chavez's claim that Mikulski was a "San Francisco-style, George McGovern
, liberal Democrat", the Washington Post reported that Chavez was directly implying that the never-married Mikulski was a lesbian
. Chavez was accused of making Mikulski's sexual orientation
a central issue of the political campaign
. In defending her use of the phrase, Chavez stated the line "San Francisco Democrats" was a reference to Jeane Kirkpatrick
's 1984 Republican National Convention
"Blame America First" speech, in which Kirkpatrick coined the phrase "San Francisco Liberal.". The phrase "San Francisco liberal" was common at the time.
Mikulski never directly responded to the issue and eventually won the race with 61 percent of the vote. She was the first female Democrat elected to the U.S. Senate in her own right (not appointed or filling a seat of a deceased husband).
Charles Mathias, Jr.
Charles McCurdy "Mac" Mathias, Jr. was a Republican member of the United States Senate, representing Maryland from 1969 to 1987...
decided to retire, instead of seeking a fourth term. Democratic nominee Barbara Mikulski
Barbara Mikulski
Barbara Ann Mikulski is the senior United States Senator from Maryland and a member of the Democratic Party. Mikulski, a former U.S. Representative, is the longest-serving female senator in U.S...
won the open seat vs. Linda Chavez, who won more votes by any Republican in MD running for a statewide office in in a generation. This was the first U.S. Senate general election in modern U.S. history pitting 2 women against each other.
Candidates
- Barbara MikulskiBarbara MikulskiBarbara Ann Mikulski is the senior United States Senator from Maryland and a member of the Democratic Party. Mikulski, a former U.S. Representative, is the longest-serving female senator in U.S...
, U.S. Congresswoman - Michael D. BarnesMichael D. BarnesMichael Darr Barnes represented the eighth district of Maryland in the United States House of Representatives from 1979 to 1987 and was the president of the Brady Campaign gun control organization from 2000 through 2006.After serving in the Marine Corps , being discharged with the rank of...
, U.S. Congressman - Harry HughesHarry HughesHarry Roe Hughes , a member of the United States Democratic Party, was the 57th Governor of Maryland in the United States from 1979 to 1987.-Early life and family:...
, Governor of MarylandGovernor of MarylandThe Governor of Maryland heads the executive branch of the government of Maryland, and he is the commander-in-chief of the state's National Guard units. The Governor is the highest-ranking official in the state, and he has a broad range of appointive powers in both the State and local governments,... - Debra Hanania Freeman
- Edward M. Olszewski,
- A. Robert Kaufman, social organizer
- Boyd E. Sweatt, perennial candidate
- Leonard E. Trout, Jr.
Results
Candidates
- Linda ChavezLinda ChavezLinda Chavez is an American author, commentator, and radio talk show host. She is also a Fox News analyst, Chairman of the Center for Equal Opportunity, has a syndicated column that appears in newspapers nationwide each week, and sits on the Board of Directors of two Fortune 1000 companies:...
, Assistant to the President for Public LiaisonWhite House Office of Public Engagement and Intergovernmental AffairsThe Office of Public Engagement and Intergovernmental Affairs is a unit of the White House Office within the Executive Office of the President of the United States... - Michael Schaefer, former San DiegoSan Diego, CaliforniaSan Diego is the eighth-largest city in the United States and second-largest city in California. The city is located on the coast of the Pacific Ocean in Southern California, immediately adjacent to the Mexican border. The birthplace of California, San Diego is known for its mild year-round...
city councilman - George Haley, former Kansas State Senator
- Melvin Perkins, perennial candidate
- Nicholas T. Nonnenmacher
- Richard Sullivan
- Howard D. Greyber, perennial candidate
- Monroe Cornish, perennial candidate
- Herbert Stone Rosenberg
- Horace Stuart Rich
- Abraham H. Kalish
Results
Candidates
- Linda ChavezLinda ChavezLinda Chavez is an American author, commentator, and radio talk show host. She is also a Fox News analyst, Chairman of the Center for Equal Opportunity, has a syndicated column that appears in newspapers nationwide each week, and sits on the Board of Directors of two Fortune 1000 companies:...
(R), Assistant to the President for Public LiaisonWhite House Office of Public Engagement and Intergovernmental AffairsThe Office of Public Engagement and Intergovernmental Affairs is a unit of the White House Office within the Executive Office of the President of the United States... - Barbara MikulskiBarbara MikulskiBarbara Ann Mikulski is the senior United States Senator from Maryland and a member of the Democratic Party. Mikulski, a former U.S. Representative, is the longest-serving female senator in U.S...
(D), U.S. Congresswoman
Campaign
Mathias announced his retirement from politics. At the time of this announcement, it was expected that then-GovernorGovernor of Maryland
The Governor of Maryland heads the executive branch of the government of Maryland, and he is the commander-in-chief of the state's National Guard units. The Governor is the highest-ranking official in the state, and he has a broad range of appointive powers in both the State and local governments,...
Harry Hughes
Harry Hughes
Harry Roe Hughes , a member of the United States Democratic Party, was the 57th Governor of Maryland in the United States from 1979 to 1987.-Early life and family:...
would run for the seat being vacated by retiring Senator Mathias. However, Hughes became caught up in the aftermath of the Maryland savings and loan crisis
Savings and Loan crisis
The savings and loan crisis of the 1980s and 1990s was the failure of about 747 out of the 3,234 savings and loan associations in the United States...
. He lost popularity with voters, opening the door for Mikulski's bid for the Senate.
Chavez won the primary handily, defeating several Republican challengers. Later, she made comments that some Mikulski supporters interpreted as an attempt to draw attention to the issue of Mikulski's sexual orientation
Sexual orientation
Sexual orientation describes a pattern of emotional, romantic, or sexual attractions to the opposite sex, the same sex, both, or neither, and the genders that accompany them. By the convention of organized researchers, these attractions are subsumed under heterosexuality, homosexuality,...
. In an article quoting Chavez's claim that Mikulski was a "San Francisco-style, George McGovern
George McGovern
George Stanley McGovern is an historian, author, and former U.S. Representative, U.S. Senator, and the Democratic Party nominee in the 1972 presidential election....
, liberal Democrat", the Washington Post reported that Chavez was directly implying that the never-married Mikulski was a lesbian
Lesbian
Lesbian is a term most widely used in the English language to describe sexual and romantic desire between females. The word may be used as a noun, to refer to women who identify themselves or who are characterized by others as having the primary attribute of female homosexuality, or as an...
. Chavez was accused of making Mikulski's sexual orientation
Sexual orientation
Sexual orientation describes a pattern of emotional, romantic, or sexual attractions to the opposite sex, the same sex, both, or neither, and the genders that accompany them. By the convention of organized researchers, these attractions are subsumed under heterosexuality, homosexuality,...
a central issue of the political campaign
Political campaign
A political campaign is an organized effort which seeks to influence the decision making process within a specific group. In democracies, political campaigns often refer to electoral campaigns, wherein representatives are chosen or referendums are decided...
. In defending her use of the phrase, Chavez stated the line "San Francisco Democrats" was a reference to Jeane Kirkpatrick
Jeane Kirkpatrick
Jeane Jordan Kirkpatrick was an American ambassador and an ardent anticommunist. After serving as Ronald Reagan's foreign policy adviser in his 1980 campaign and later in his Cabinet, the longtime Democrat-turned-Republican was nominated as the U.S...
's 1984 Republican National Convention
1984 Republican National Convention
The 1984 National Convention of the Republican Party of the United States convened on August 20 to August 23, 1984, at Reunion Arena in downtown Dallas, Texas. The convention nominated the incumbent Ronald Reagan of California for President of the United States and incumbent George H. W...
"Blame America First" speech, in which Kirkpatrick coined the phrase "San Francisco Liberal.". The phrase "San Francisco liberal" was common at the time.
Mikulski never directly responded to the issue and eventually won the race with 61 percent of the vote. She was the first female Democrat elected to the U.S. Senate in her own right (not appointed or filling a seat of a deceased husband).