1986Flipped from DemocraticFinal results
1986 election for Maine Governor
Governor · Maine
John R. McKernan Jr. (R) won with 39.9% of the vote, defeating James Tierney (D) by 9.7 points, a seat Democrats won last time.
John R. McKernan Jr.Republican · winner
39.9%170,312
James TierneyDemocrat
30.2%128,744
Sherry HuberIndependent
15.1%64,317
John MenarioIndependent
14.9%63,474
426,847 votes
Source: English WikipediaUpdated Oct 5, 2026, 4:05 AM ET
The seat over time
D − R margin in this seat's races around 1986
Races before and after
Source: English WikipediaUpdated Oct 5, 2026, 4:05 AM ET