1986 United States Senate election in California

The 1986 United States Senate election in California took place on November 4, 1986. Incumbent Democratic U.S. Senator Alan Cranston narrowly won re-election to a fourth and final term over Republican U.S. Congressman Ed Zschau. This was the last time where both major party nominees for the Class 3 Senate seat in California were men until 2022.

Candidates

 * John Hancock Abbott, perennial candidate
 * Robert John Banuelos, resident of Costa Mesa
 * Alan Cranston, incumbent Senator
 * Charles Greene
 * Brian Lantz, candidate for Mayor of San Francisco in 1983

Candidates

 * William B. Allen, professor at Harvey Mudd College and member of the National Council on the Humanities
 * Michael D. Antonovich, Los Angeles County Supervisor and former State Assemblyman
 * Eldridge Cleaver, author and former Black Panther
 * Edward M. Davis, State Senator and former chief of the Los Angeles Police Department
 * Bobbi Fiedler, U.S. Representative from Encino
 * Bruce Herschensohn, political commentator for KABC-TV in Los Angeles
 * Joe Knowland, actor, publisher of The Oakland Tribune and son of former Senator William Knowland
 * Art Laffer, economic advisor to President Ronald Reagan
 * George Montgomery
 * Robert W. Naylor, State Assemblyman from Menlo Park
 * William H. Pemberton, candidate for Senate in 1982
 * John W. Spring
 * Ed Zschau, U.S. Representative from Los Altos

Candidates

 * Lenni Brenner, Trotskyist anti-war activist and writer
 * Paul Kangas, private investigator and perennial candidate