Why were some 1986 US Senate races so close?

[hopper]

Here is some close some US Senate Races from 1986. Winner is in bold and incumbent is in italics.

Alabama:

Richard Shelby(D) 51%
Jeremiah Denton(R) 49%

California:

Alan Cranston(D) 49%
Ed Zschau(R) 48%

Colorado:

Tim Wirth(D) 50%
Kenneth Kramer(R) 48%

Georgia:

Wyche Fowler(D) 51%
Mack Mattingly(R) 49%

Idaho: (This is surprisingly close for Idaho)

Steve Symms(R) 51%
John V. Evans(D) 49%

Louisiana:(This was a Dem Stronghold back then but incumbent Russell B. Long retired and John Breaux only won 6% points.)

John Breaux(D) 53%
Henson Moore(R) 47%

North Carolina: (This was interesting because there was an election to fill out the term for the retiring John P. East and a General Election as well. Jim Broyhill(R) was appointed when John P. East(R) retired early.)

Special:

Terry Sanford(D) 51%
Jim Broyhill(R) 48%

General:

Terry Sanford(D) 52%
Jim Broyhill(R) 48%

North Dakota:

Kent Conrad(D) 50%
Mark Andrews(R) 49%

South Dakota:

Tom Daschle(D) 52%
James Abnor(R) 48%

Washington:

Brick Adams(D) 51%
Slade Gorton(R) 49%

Wisconsin:

Bob Kasten(R) 52%
Ed Garvey(D) 48%

NOTE: Bob Kasten(R-WI) and Steve Symms(R-ID) were the only Republicans to win close races. All other Republicans in close races lost.

[Kingpoleon]

I do know Wirth was considered an upset victory. He was friendly to conservatives/moderates like Heinz and Campbell, so progressives turned out low for him and Colorado was considered Lean/Likely GOP in presidential elections.

[Heisenberg]

I don't know why, but I'm glad it was brought up. Even though Colorado was a lean-GOP state for presidential elections (until 2008), Republicans have had awful luck with their Class 3 Senate Seat. They just keep blowing it. Since sometime in the 1970's, the GOP nominee only won it in 1998 (Ben Nighthorse Campbell was a conservative Democrat who, along fellow "boll weevil" Richard Shelby, switched parties after the 1994 Republican Revolution). Also, the Dakotas have always been interesting. They're conservative states that kept electing liberal senators. I hear Abdnor was primaried by Bill Janklow (why, WTF?) and the fractured field severely hurt him. Trivia: After Mike Rounds picked up Tim Johnson's seat in 2014, it was the first time since Abnor's defeat that Republicans held both South Dakota Senate seats. I'm not sure when, if ever, the last time was when the GOP had both North Dakota Senate seats (hoping and praying for that in 2018).

[hopper]

I don't know why, but I'm glad it was brought up. Even though Colorado was a lean-GOP state for presidential elections (until 2008), Republicans have had awful luck with their Class 3 Senate Seat. They just keep blowing it. Since sometime in the 1970's, the GOP nominee only won it in 1998 (Ben Nighthorse Campbell was a conservative Democrat who, along fellow "boll weevil" Richard Shelby, switched parties after the 1994 Republican Revolution). Also, the Dakotas have always been interesting. They're conservative states that kept electing liberal senators. I hear Abdnor was primaried by Bill Janklow (why, WTF?) and the fractured field severely hurt him. Trivia: After Mike Rounds picked up Tim Johnson's seat in 2014, it was the first time since Abnor's defeat that Republicans held both South Dakota Senate seats. I'm not sure when, if ever, the last time was when the GOP had both North Dakota Senate seats (hoping and praying for that in 2018).

1959 was the last time the GOP held both North Dakota Seats. Yes 1959. There was a special election for one of the seats in 1960 and Quinten Burdick(D) beat Charles E. Davis(R) by a mere 900 votes.

Janklow primaried Abnor because Janklow couldn't run for Governor again in 1986. He ran for Governor again in 1994 by beating the incumbent Republican Governor in 1994(Walter Dale Miller) and winning another term for Governor in 1998.

[Heisenberg]

I don't know why, but I'm glad it was brought up. Even though Colorado was a lean-GOP state for presidential elections (until 2008), Republicans have had awful luck with their Class 3 Senate Seat. They just keep blowing it. Since sometime in the 1970's, the GOP nominee only won it in 1998 (Ben Nighthorse Campbell was a conservative Democrat who, along fellow "boll weevil" Richard Shelby, switched parties after the 1994 Republican Revolution). Also, the Dakotas have always been interesting. They're conservative states that kept electing liberal senators. I hear Abdnor was primaried by Bill Janklow (why, WTF?) and the fractured field severely hurt him. Trivia: After Mike Rounds picked up Tim Johnson's seat in 2014, it was the first time since Abnor's defeat that Republicans held both South Dakota Senate seats. I'm not sure when, if ever, the last time was when the GOP had both North Dakota Senate seats (hoping and praying for that in 2018).

1959 was the last time the GOP held both North Dakota Seats. Yes 1959. There was a special election for one of the seats in 1960 and Quinten Burdick(D) beat Charles E. Davis(R) by a mere 900 votes.

Janklow primaried Abnor because Janklow couldn't run for Governor again in 1986. He ran for Governor again in 1994 by beating the incumbent Republican Governor in 1994(Walter Dale Miller) and winning another term for Governor in 1998.

He sure loved primarying fellow Republicans. I think Abdnor would have won if he wasn't primaried. Poor Davis, by 900 votes.
And, to amend my statement, 1968 was the last time a Republican won the Class 3 Senate seat in Colorado until Ben Nighthorse Campbell did so in 1998 (he originally won it in 1992 as a Democrat, then switched on 1995). No Republican has won since, they blew it in 2004, 2010 (of all years!), and will probably do so this year.

[sg0508]

Iran Contra and stereotypical second term mid-term jinx for the incumbent party?