The 1986 Wisconsin gubernatorial election was held on November 4, 1986. Republican Tommy G. Thompson won the election with 53% of the vote, winning his first term as Governor of Wisconsin and defeating incumbent Governor Anthony S. Earl. This was the first time since 1962 that the winner of a Wisconsin gubernatorial election was of the same party as the incumbent president. Jonathan B. Barry unsuccessfully sought the Republican nomination.
Primary election
The primary election was held on September 9, 1986. Nominees for Governor and Lieutenant Governor were selected in separate primaries before running on a joint ticket in the general election.
Democratic party
Governor
- Anthony S. Earl, incumbent governor
- Edmond Hou-Seye, perennial candidate
Lieutenant Governor
- Taylor Benson, former member of Wisconsin Senate
- Gervase Hephner, member of Wisconsin State Assembly
- Cletus J. Johnson, nominee for Secretary of State of Wisconsin in 1966
- Sharon K. Metz, member of Wisconsin State Assembly
- Arlyn F. Wollenburg, perennial candidate
Republican party
Governor
- Jonathan B. Barry, Dane County Executive
- Joseph A. Ortiz
- Tommy G. Thompson, member of Wisconsin State Assembly
- George Watts, Milwaukee businessman
- Albert Lee Wiley Jr.
Lieutenant Governor
- Patricia A. Goodrich, former member of Wisconsin State Assembly
- Drew W. Heiden
- Scott McCallum, member of Wisconsin Senate
- Robert Nolan
Labor-Farm party
Governor
Lieutenant Governor
Independent nominations
Governor
- Sanford Knapp
- Darold E. Wall
General election
Candidates
- Anthony S. Earl & Sharon K. Metz, Democrat
- Tommy G. Thompson & Scott McCallum, Republican
- Kathryn A. Christensen & John Ervin Bergum, Labor-Farm
- Darold E. Wall & Irma L. Lotts, Independent
- Sanford Knapp & Verdell Hallingstad, Independent
Results by county
Thompson was the first Republican since Walter J. Kohler Jr. in 1952 to win Ashland County and Manitowoc County.
Counties that flipped from Democratic to Republican
- Adams
- Ashland
- Barron
- Brown
- Buffalo
- Fond du Lac
- Forest
- Jackson
- Jefferson
- Kewaunee
- La Crosse
- Langlade
- Manitowoc
- Marathon
- Oneida
- Outagamie
- Pepin
- Racine
- Rock
- Rusk
- Sheboygan
- Washburn
- Winnebago
- Wood