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The 1986 IL Governor Election, was a comforable Reelection for Liberal Republican Gov James Thompson over Illinois Solidarity Party nominee Adlai Stevenson III in an election where the most of the Democratic party was captured by the LaRoucheites resulting in major GOP victories.
Having originally won the state in 1976 by beating the Daley Machine, Thompson's margin had declined every election until only winning by 0.14% against Adlai Stevenson III by 0.14% in 1982.
Herein, Thompson's economic formula was criticised for "Buttressing dying businesses rather than spurring growth" (1988 Almanac of American Politics) and before the LaRouchite primary win was a in major trouble in his 1986 reelection.
However, when the LaRouchites won, this placed Stevenson in a tricky situation.
Figuratively and literally hobbled during the campaign—the division in the democratic vote and new access to attack materials allowed Thompson a decisive victory against the man who had nearly beaten him four years prior.
- Data and Shapefile from Harvard's Record of American Democracy: https://dataverse.harvard.edu/dataverse/road
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