CALIFORNIA
      Nov. 4, 1986 U.S. Senate

Gov.
 Sen.3
 Sen.1
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+Alan Cranston (D) i 3,646,672
 		49.29%
Ed Zschau (R)
3,541,804
 		47.87%
Edward B. Vallen (AIP)
109,916
 		1.49%
Breck McKinley (L)
66,261
 		0.90%
Paul Kangas (P&F)
33,869
 		0.46%
write-ins
 27

7,398,549
Plurality: 104,868 votes (1.42 percentage points).



Notes:  Sen. Alan Cranston (D), the Senate Democratic Whip, narrowly won a fourth term, defeating U.S. Rep. Ed Zschau (R) (1, 2).  This was the most expensive Senate race of the cycle: the Los Angeles Times reported the Zschau campaign raised $10.5 million,  the Cranston campaign $10.2 million; spending totaled $25.5 million.

Cranston, 72, and Zschau, 46, were a study in contrasts.  Cranston's resume included work as a correspondent, service as an editor at Army Times during World War II, and president of the World Federalist Association.  He was first elected to public office in 1958, and serving two terms California Controller before being defeated.  He rebounded with his election to the Senate in 1968.  Cranston also  made a run for president; on Feb. 2, 1983 he was the first major candidate to enter the race for the 1984 Democratic presidential nomination (+), but he ended his campaign about a year later. 

Zschau was first elected to Congress in 1982 representing the 12th District (Los Altos/Silicon Valley).  He founded (1968) and served as CEO of a computer company for 13 years and earlier was an assistant professor at Stanford University's business school.
 
Cranston won the Democratic primary with over 80-percent of the vote, while  Zschau, benefiting from several million in self-funding, topped a crowded field of thirteen candidates with 37.12% of the vote, followed by conservative commentator Bruce Herschensohn (29.59%), L.A. County Supervisor Mike Antonovich (9.06%), U.S. Rep. Bobbi Fiedler (7.20%), and state Sen. and former L.A.P.D. police chief Ed Davis (6.56%).  Among the other candidates were Art Laffer and Eldridge Cleaver.

In the general election much attention focused on the TV ad war.  Cranston ads presented Zschau as a flip-flopper with bad ideas (>).  In one Zschau ad (>), the candidate stated, "Alan Cranston believes in more government; I put my faith in individual endeavor."  The tag line concluded "a great Senator for California's future."  In another Zschau ad, the announcer charged, "The Congressional Record shows that for 18 years Alan Cranston has voted against or missed virtually every tough law on terrorism."  That ad prompted Cranston to refuse to debate, terming Zschau a liar.


Campaign Managers:
Alan Cranston:  Darry Scagrow
Attorney in Los Angeles after earning his J.D. from Georgetown University, 1982.  Previously worked five years as a senior aide to Sen. Birch Bayh (IN).  Scagrow's first campaign was in 1972, a congressional race in Muncie Indiana.  Naval officer.  M.A. from University of Pennsylvania, 1968; B.S. from Cornell University, 1966. (>)

Ed Zschau:  Ron Smith
Veteran campaign strategist, started a consulting firm in the earli 1980s.  Earlier races included Dianne Feinstein's 1975 race for Mayor of San Francisco.  Worked on Nixon's 1968 presidential campaign.  Worked for prominent consultant Stuart K. Spencer.  Undergraduate degree in political science from Stanford University, 1963 (>).


See also:
Keith Love.  "Cranston, Zschau Spent Combined $25.5 Million, Making It Costliest California Election Ever."  Los Angeles Times, Dec. 6, 1986.

Paul Taylor.  "Politics Boils Down to 30-Second Ads."  The Washington Post, Oct. 22, 1986

R.W. Apple Jr..  "California Senate Race Reflects Electronic Era."  The New York Times, Oct. 19, 1986.

Keith Love.  "Cranston Calls Zschau Liar, Won't Debate."  Los Angeles Times, Sept. 27, 1986.

Bob Secter.  "Zschau Resort to Big Lie in TV Ads, Cranston Charges."  Los Angeles Times, Sept. 25, 1986.

John Balzar.  "A Portrait of Serendipity: Ed Zschau: An Unknown Grabs for the Brass Ring."  Los Angeles Times, Sep. 7, 1986.

Keith Love.  "Zschau's Campaign Hires Man Who Did '84 TV Ads for Reagan."  Los Angeles Times, Aug. 21, 1986.

Stan W. Metzler.  "Rep. Ed Zschau, a Silicon Valley entrepreneur, downed a dozen rivals..."  UPI, June 4, 1986.

Dan Goodgame.  "California's Crazy Primary."  Time, May 12, 1986.



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