1986 Florida Attorney General election

* * *

| ← 1982 | November 4, 1986 | 1990 →

|
|

|   |  |

|
|

Nominee  | Bob Butterworth | Jim Watt  |
Party  | Democratic | Republican
Popular vote  | 1,900,890 | 1,341,090
Percentage  | 58.6% | 41.4%

* * *

Butterworth:      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%      80-90%
Watt:      50–60%      60–70%

* * *

| Attorney General before election

James C. Smith
Democratic

| Elected Attorney General

Bob Butterworth
Democratic

|

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Government

* v
* t
* e

The 1986 Florida Attorney General election was held on November 4, 1986. Bob Butterworth would be elected defeating Jim Watt with 58.63% of the vote. Incumbent James C. Smith would not run in this election.[1]

## Primary election

[edit]

Primary elections were held on September 2, 1986.[1]

### Democratic primary

[edit]

The positions for Walt Dartland are known. Dartland would say while running for Attorney General that he was opposed to the death penalty, giving the juries the option of recommending life sentences without parole instead of the death penalty. He would also uniquely offer a money-back guarantee for anyone who made a donation under $100 and was unsatisfied with his performance when he became attorney general would give a refund.[2]

#### Candidates

[edit]

* Ed M. Dunn, Jr., State Senator[3]
* Bob Butterworth, former Sheriff of Broward County
* Joe Gersten, State Senator
* Walt Dartland, deputy Attorney General and consumer rights advocate.[4]

#### Results

[edit]

Democratic Primary – September 2, 1986[5] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %

|
|
|

| Democratic | Ed M. Dunn, Jr. | 315,897  | 34.1%'
| Democratic | Bob Butterworth | 301,192  | 32.5%
| Democratic | Joe Gersten | 231,171  | 25.0%
| Democratic | Walt Dartland  | 77,758  | 8.4%
Total votes | 926,018  | 100

### Republican primary

[edit]

Watt would be in favor of: giving tougher penalties to those who were crack cocaine dealers, give more power to the attorney general for fighting consumer fraud especially for the elderly, limiting the number of appeals death row inmates can make, increase the federal government's commitments to intersect drug smugglers, giving state cabinet members two terms while he would be against gambling in casinos.[6]

#### Candidates

[edit]

* C. Lavon Ward, former Broward County public defender, state representative and Broward County state circuit court judge. Attorney for the Broward County Republican Party.[7]
* Jim Watt, State Representative,[2] Florida House of Representatives minority leader and attorney.[6]

#### Results

[edit]

Republican Primary – September 2, 1986[8] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %

|
|
|

| Republican | Jim Watt | 346,429 | 73.2%
| Republican | C. Lavon Ward  | 126,782  | 26.8%
Total votes | 473,211  | 100

## General election

[edit]

### Candidates

[edit]

Bob Butterworth, Democratic

Jim Watt, Republican

### Results

[edit]

1986 Florida Attorney General election  Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Democratic | Bob Butterworth | 1,900,890  | 58.63%  |
| Republican | Jim Watt  | 1,341,090  | 41.37%  |
| Democratic hold | Swing |  |

## References

[edit]

1. ^ a b "Florida Department of State - Election Results". results.elections.myflorida.com. Retrieved July 23, 2021.
2. ^ a b Straight, Harry (March 5, 1986). "CONSUMER ADVOCATE WANTS TOP LAW JOB". Orlando Sentinel. Retrieved January 3, 2022.
3. ^ "EDGAR DUNN JR. LIVED TO SERVE". Orlando Sentinel. June 21, 2000. Retrieved July 23, 2021.
4. ^ Cotterell, Bill (March 2, 2018). "'A champion for consumers and underdogs': Walt Dartland dies at 83". Tallahassee Democrat. Retrieved March 2, 2018.
5. ^ "September 2, 1986 Primary Election: Democratic Primary". Florida Department of State Division of Elections. Archived from the original on January 31, 2017. Retrieved January 3, 2022.
6. ^ a b "WATT RECOMMMENDED AS NOMINEE IN GOP ATTORNEY GENERAL'S RACE". Sun-Sentinel. August 23, 1986. Retrieved January 3, 2022.
7. ^ Nolin, Robert (September 18, 2009). "Ex-judge, legislator C. Lavon Ward dies". Sun-Sentinel. Retrieved January 3, 2022.
8. ^ "September 2, 1986 Primary Election: Republican Primary". Florida Department of State Division of Elections. Archived from the original on January 31, 2017. Retrieved January 3, 2022.

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(1985 ←)   1986 United States elections   (→ 1987)

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