John Lewis

==== 1986 ====
[[File:President Ronald Reagan and Nancy Reagan greet John Lewis.jpg|thumb|right|Lewis greets President [[Ronald Reagan]] and [[First Lady of the United States|First Lady]] [[Nancy Reagan]] in 1987.]]
After nine years as a member of the [[U.S. House of Representatives]], Wyche Fowler gave up the seat to make a successful run for the U.S. Senate. Lewis decided to run for the 5th district again. In the August Democratic primary, where a victory was considered [[tantamount to election]], State Representative [[Julian Bond]] ranked first with 47%, just three points shy of winning outright. Lewis finished in second place with 35%.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=388755 |title=GA District 5 – D Primary Race – Aug 12, 1986 |publisher=Our Campaigns |access-date=July 26, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131029191616/http://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=388755|archive-date=October 29, 2013|url-status=live}}</ref> In the run-off, Lewis pulled an upset against Bond, defeating him 52% to 48%.<ref name="ReferenceC">{{cite web |url=http://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=388754 |title=GA District 5 – D Runoff Race – Sep 02, 1986 |publisher=Our Campaigns |access-date=July 26, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131029192722/http://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=388754|archive-date=October 29, 2013|url-status=live}}</ref> The race was said to have "badly strained relations in Atlanta's black community" as many Black leaders had supported Bond over Lewis.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://bittersoutherner.com/2020/the-way-of-john-lewis-cynthia-tucker-black-lives-matter|title=The Way of John Lewis|website=The Bitter Southerner|last1=Tucker|first1=Cynthia|year=2020|author-link=Cynthia Tucker|access-date=June 22, 2020|archive-date=July 18, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200718103059/https://bittersoutherner.com/2020/the-way-of-john-lewis-cynthia-tucker-black-lives-matter|url-status=live}}</ref> Lewis was "endorsed by the Atlanta newspapers and a favorite of the white liberal establishment".<ref name=":0" /> His victory was due to strong results among white voters (a minority in the district).<ref name=":0" /> During the campaign, he ran advertisements accusing Bond of corruption, implying that Bond used [[cocaine]], and suggesting that Bond had lied about his civil rights activism.<ref name=":0">{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1986/09/03/us/ex-colleague-upsets-julian-bond-in-atlanta-congressional-runoff.html |title=Ex-Colleague Upsets Julian Bond in Atlanta Congressional Runoff |first=Dudley |last=Clendinen |newspaper=[[The New York Times]] |date=September 3, 1986 |access-date=August 16, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150820063819/http://www.nytimes.com/1986/09/03/us/ex-colleague-upsets-julian-bond-in-atlanta-congressional-runoff.html |archive-date=August 20, 2015|url-status=live}}</ref>

In the November general election, Lewis defeated Republican Portia Scott 75% to 25%.<ref name="ourcampaigns1">{{cite web |url=http://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=38194 |title=GA District 5 Race – Nov 04, 1986 |publisher=Our Campaigns |access-date=July 26, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131029192925/http://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=38194 |archive-date=October 29, 2013 |url-status=live}}</ref>