The 1986 Nebraska gubernatorial election was held on November 4, 1986, and featured state Treasurer

Kay Orr Kay Avonne Orr (née Stark; January 2, 1939) is an American politician who served as the 36th governor of Nebraska from 1987 to 1991. A member of the Republican Party, she was the state's first and to date only female governor. Early life and e ...

, a

Republican Republican can refer to: Political ideology * An advocate of a republic, a type of government that is not a monarchy or dictatorship, and is usually associated with the rule of law. ** Republicanism, the ideology in support of republics or agains ...

, defeating Democratic nominee, former Mayor of Lincoln

Helen Boosalis Helen G. Boosalis (August 28, 1919 - June 15, 2009) was an American Democratic Party politician from Nebraska. Early life Helen Boosalis was born as Helen Geankoplis in Minneapolis, Minnesota to Greek immigrant parents, where she grew up working ...

. Incumbent Democratic governor

Bob Kerrey Joseph Robert Kerrey (born August 27, 1943) is an American politician who served as the 35th Governor of Nebraska from 1983 to 1987 and as a United States Senator from Nebraska from 1989 to 2001. Before entering politics, he served in the Vietna ...

did not seek a second term. The election was the first state gubernatorial election in U.S. history where the candidates of both major national parties were women.Knudson, Thomas J.
"Nebraska, in new page to history, installs woman".''New York Times''.
1987-01-09. Retrieved 2017-09-17.

Democratic primary

Candidates

Chris Beutler Chris Beutler (born November 14, 1944) is an American politician and former Mayor of Lincoln, Nebraska, having served from 2007 to 2019. A member of the Democratic Party, he previously served in the Nebraska Legislature from 1979 to 1986 and fro ...

, member of the

Nebraska Legislature The Nebraska Legislature (also called the Unicameral) is the legislature of the U.S. state of Nebraska. The Legislature meets at the Nebraska State Capitol in Lincoln. With 49 members, known as "senators", the Nebraska Legislature is the small ...

, former mayor of

Lincoln Lincoln most commonly refers to: * Abraham Lincoln (1809–1865), the sixteenth president of the United States * Lincoln, England, cathedral city and county town of Lincolnshire, England * Lincoln, Nebraska, the capital of Nebraska, U.S. * Lincol ...

and Director of the Nebraska Department of Aging *Barton E. Chandler *Mina B. Dillingham *

David Domina David Alan Domina is an American lawyer and politician from Nebraska. A member of the Democratic Party, he was involved in a number of high-profile legal cases, including the impeachment of Nebraska Attorney General Paul L. Douglas in 1986, and ...

, attorney *Marge Higgins *Robert J. Prokop

Results

Republican primary

Candidates

Kermit Brashear Kermit Brashear (born March 16, 1944) is an American politician and lawyer from Omaha, Nebraska. He was a member of the unicameral Nebraska Legislature from 1995 to 2007, and he served as its speaker from 2005 to 2007. __NOTOC__ Personal lif ...

, attorney and former Chairman of the

Nebraska Republican Party The Nebraska Republican Party (NEGOP) is the affiliate of the Republican Party in Nebraska. The party is led by chair Dan Welch. Its headquarters is located in Lincoln. It is currently the dominant party in the state, controlling all of Nebrask ...

*Nancy Hoch, businesswoman and Republican nominee for U.S. Senate in 1984 *Chuck Loos *

Kay A. Orr Kay Avonne Orr (née Stark; January 2, 1939) is an American politician who served as the 36th governor of Nebraska from 1987 to 1991. A member of the Republican Party, she was the state's first and to date only female governor. Early life and e ...

, state Treasurer *Paul A. Rosberg *Everett Sileven *Monte Taylor *Roger Yant

Results

General election

Results

References

Gubernatorial A governor is an politician, administrative leader and head of a polity or Region#Political_regions, political region, ranking under the Head of State, head of state and in some cases, such as governor-general, governors-general, as the head of ...

1986 The year 1986 was designated as the International Year of Peace by the United Nations. Events January * January 1 ** Aruba gains increased autonomy from the Netherlands by separating from the Netherlands Antilles. **Spain and Portugal ente ...

Nebraska Nebraska () is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States. It is bordered by South Dakota to the north; Iowa to the east and Missouri to the southeast, both across the Missouri River; Kansas to the south; Colorado to the southwe ...

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