United States gubernatorial elections, 1978

The United States gubernatorial elections of 1978 were held on November 7, 1978 in thirty-six states. The Republicans

Republican Party (United States)

The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...

had a net gain of six seats, Democrats sustained a net-loss of five seats, and there would be no Governors of any other parties following these elections.

This was the first year in which Illinois

Illinois

Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...

held a gubernatorial election in a midterm election year since 1846. The state of Illinois moved its gubernatorial election date from Presidential election years to midterm Congressional election years.

Election results

A bolded state name features an article about the specific election.

State	Incumbent	Party	Status	Opposing Candidates
Alabama Alabama Alabama is a state located in the southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered by Tennessee to the north, Georgia to the east, Florida and the Gulf of Mexico to the south, and Mississippi to the west. Alabama ranks 30th in total land area and ranks second in the size of its inland...	George Wallace George Wallace George Corley Wallace, Jr. was the 45th Governor of Alabama, serving four terms: 1963–1967, 1971–1979 and 1983–1987. "The most influential loser" in 20th-century U.S. politics, according to biographers Dan T. Carter and Stephan Lesher, he ran for U.S...	Democratic Democratic Party (United States) The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...	Term-limited, Democratic victory	Fob James Fob James Forrest Hood James, Jr., known as Fob James , is an American politician, a civil engineer, and an all-American half-back... (Democratic) 72.6% H. Guy Hunt H. Guy Hunt Harold Guy Hunt was an American politician who served as the 49th Governor of Alabama from 1987 to 1993. He was the first Republican to serve as governor of the state since Reconstruction.- Early life :... (Republican) 25.9% Jim Partain (Prohibition Prohibition Party The Prohibition Party is a political party in the United States best known for its historic opposition to the sale or consumption of alcoholic beverages. It is the oldest existing third party in the US. The party was an integral part of the temperance movement... ) 1.1% Richard Dare (Independent Independent (politician) In politics, an independent or non-party politician is an individual not affiliated to any political party. Independents may hold a centrist viewpoint between those of major political parties, a viewpoint more extreme than any major party, or they may have a viewpoint based on issues that they do... ) 0.5%
Alaska Alaska Alaska is the largest state in the United States by area. It is situated in the northwest extremity of the North American continent, with Canada to the east, the Arctic Ocean to the north, and the Pacific Ocean to the west and south, with Russia further west across the Bering Strait...	Jay Hammond Jay Hammond Jay Sterner Hammond was an American politician of the Republican Party, who served as the fourth Governor of Alaska from 1974 to 1982.-Early life:...	Republican Republican Party (United States) The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...	Re-elected, 39.1%	Walter Joseph Hickel Walter Joseph Hickel Walter Joseph "Wally" Hickel was an industrialist, focused mostly on construction and real estate development, and a politician of the Republican and Alaskan Independence parties from the U.S. state of Alaska. Hickel served as the second and eighth Governor of Alaska... (write-in Write-in candidate A write-in candidate is a candidate in an election whose name does not appear on the ballot, but for whom voters may vote nonetheless by writing in the person's name. Some states and local jurisdictions allow a voter to affix a sticker with a write-in candidate's name on it to the ballot in lieu... ) 26.4% Chancy Croft (Democratic) 20.2% Tom Kelly (Independent) 12.3% Don R. Wright (Alaskan Ind. Alaskan Independence Party The Alaskan Independence Party is a political party in the U.S. state of Alaska that advocates an in-state referendum which includes the option of Alaska becoming an independent country... ) 1.9%
Arizona Arizona Arizona ; is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. It is also part of the western United States and the mountain west. The capital and largest city is Phoenix...	Bruce Babbitt Bruce Babbitt Bruce Edward Babbitt , a Democrat, served as United States Secretary of the Interior and as the 16th governor of Arizona, from 1978 to 1987.-Biography:...	Democratic Democratic Party (United States) The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...	Re-elected, 52.5%	Evan Mecham Evan Mecham Evan Mecham was the 17th Governor of Arizona. A decorated veteran of World War II, Mecham earned his living as an automotive dealership owner and occasional newspaper publisher... (Republican) 44.8% V. Gene Lewter (Liberatarian Libertarian Party (United States) The Libertarian Party is the third largest and fastest growing political party in the United States. The political platform of the Libertarian Party reflects its brand of libertarianism, favoring minimally regulated, laissez-faire markets, strong civil liberties, minimally regulated migration... ) 1.9% Jessica Sampson (Socialist Workers Socialist Workers Party (United States) The Socialist Workers Party is a far-left political organization in the United States. The group places a priority on "solidarity work" to aid strikes and is strongly supportive of Cuba... ) 0.8%
Arkansas Arkansas gubernatorial election, 1978 The Arkansas gubernatorial election of 1978, held on November 7, was the first time that future President of the United States Bill Clinton was elected Governor of Arkansas.-Democratic nomination:At this time, one gubernatorial term was two years...	David Pryor David Pryor David Hampton Pryor is a former Democratic member of the United States House of Representatives and United States Senator from the State of Arkansas. Pryor also served as 39th Governor of Arkansas from 1975 to 1979 and was a member of the Arkansas House of Representatives from 1960 to 1966...	Democratic Democratic Party (United States) The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...	Retired, Democratic victory	Bill Clinton Bill Clinton William Jefferson "Bill" Clinton is an American politician who served as the 42nd President of the United States from 1993 to 2001. Inaugurated at age 46, he was the third-youngest president. He took office at the end of the Cold War, and was the first president of the baby boomer generation... (Democratic) 63.4% Lynn Lowe Lynn Lowe Aylmer Lynn Lowe, known as A. Lynn Lowe , was a farmer and politician from Garland in Miller County in southwestern Arkansas, who was a major figure in the Arkansas Republican Party... (Republican) 36.6%
California California gubernatorial election, 1978 The 1978 California gubernatorial election occurred on November 7, 1978. The Democratic incumbent, Jerry Brown, defeated the Republican nominee, Attorney General Evelle J...	Jerry Brown Jerry Brown Edmund Gerald "Jerry" Brown, Jr. is an American politician. Brown served as the 34th Governor of California , and is currently serving as the 39th California Governor...	Democratic California Democratic Party The California Democratic Party is the state branch of the Democratic Party in the state of California, headquartered in Sacramento. It is chaired by veteran Democratic politician and former United States Representative John L. Burton, who succeeded Art Torres in April 2009. It is the majority...	Re-elected, 56.0%	Evelle J. Younger Evelle J. Younger Evelle Jansen Younger was an American politician. He was California Attorney General from 1971 to 1979. Prior to that, he was Los Angeles County District Attorney from 1964 to 1971. In 1978, he ran for Governor of California, but lost to incumbent Jerry Brown. Younger was a member of the... (Republican California Republican Party The California Republican Party is the California affiliate of the United States Republican Party. The party chairman is Tom Del Beccaro and is based in Burbank, California, a suburb of Los Angeles. The RPC also has a headquarters in Sacramento.... ) 36.5% Ed Clark Ed Clark Ed Clark is an American politician who ran for Governor of California in 1978, and for President of the United States as the nominee of the Libertarian Party in the 1980 presidential election.... (Independent Independent (politician) In politics, an independent or non-party politician is an individual not affiliated to any political party. Independents may hold a centrist viewpoint between those of major political parties, a viewpoint more extreme than any major party, or they may have a viewpoint based on issues that they do... ) 5.5% Marilyn Seals (PF) 1.0% Theresa F. Dietrich (AI American Independent Party The American Independent Party is a right-wing political party of the United States that was established in 1967 by Bill and Eileen Shearer. In 1968, the American Independent Party nominated George C. Wallace as its presidential candidate and retired Air Force General Curtis E. LeMay as the vice... ) 1.0%
Colorado Colorado Colorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...	Richard Lamm Richard Lamm Richard Douglas "Dick" Lamm is an American politician, Certified Public Accountant, college professor, and lawyer. He served three terms as 38th Governor of Colorado as a Democrat and ran for the Reform Party's nomination for President of the United States in 1996.He is currently the Co-Director...	Democratic Democratic Party (United States) The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...	Re-elected, 58.8%	Ted L. Strickland Ted L. Strickland Ted L. Strickland was the 39th Lieutenant Governor of Colorado, serving from 1973 to 1975 under John David Vanderhoof.-References:... (Republican) 38.5% Roy Peister (Tea) 1.7% Elsa Blum (Socialist Workers) 0.4% Sal Mandor (Independent) 0.3% Earl Dodge Earl Dodge Earl Farwell Dodge, Jr. was a long-time temperance movement leader and a politician of the Prohibition Party, from the U.S. state of Colorado.-Biography:... (Prohibition) 0.3%
Connecticut Connecticut Connecticut is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, and the state of New York to the west and the south .Connecticut is named for the Connecticut River, the major U.S. river that approximately...	Ella T. Grasso Ella T. Grasso Ella Grasso , born Ella Giovanna Oliva Tambussi, was an American politician, and first woman elected governor of Connecticut.-Biography:...	Democratic Democratic Party (United States) The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...	Re-elected, 59.1%	Ronald A. Sarasin Ronald A. Sarasin Ronald Arthur Sarasin is a former U.S. Representative from Connecticut.Born in Fall River, Massachusetts, Sarasin attended Center Elementary School in Beacon Falls, Connecticut and graduated from Naugatuck High School 1952. He served in the United States Navy from 1952 to 1956.Attained rank of... (Republican) 40.7%
Florida Florida Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...	Reubin O'Donovan Askew Reubin O'Donovan Askew Reubin O'Donovan Askew is an American politician, who served as the 37th Governor of the U.S. state of Florida from 1971 to 1979.-Early life and career:...	Democratic Democratic Party (United States) The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...	Term-limited, Democratic victory	Bob Graham Bob Graham Daniel Robert "Bob" Graham is an American politician. He was the 38th Governor of Florida from 1979 to 1987 and a United States Senator from that state from 1987 to 2005... (Democratic) 55.6% Jack Eckerd Jack Eckerd Jack Eckerd , was an American businessman who was a major innovator in drugstore retailing, and a public servant, politician and philanthropist.-Biography:... (Republican) 44.4%
Georgia Georgia (U.S. state) Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...	George Busbee George Busbee George Dekle Busbee was an American politician who served as the 77th Governor of the U.S. state of Georgia from 1975 to 1983....	Democratic Democratic Party (United States) The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...	Re-elected, 80.7%	Rodney M. Cook (Republican) 19.3%
Hawaii Hawaii Hawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of...	George Ariyoshi George Ariyoshi George Ryoichi Ariyoshi , served as the third Governor of Hawaii from 1974 to 1986. He is a member of the Democratic Party. He assumed the governorship when John A. Burns was declared incapacitated. When he was elected, Ariyoshi became the first American of Asian descent to be elected governor of...	Democratic Democratic Party (United States) The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...	Re-elected, 54.5%	John R. Leopold John R. Leopold John Robinson Leopold is an American Republican politician and was formerly a member of the Maryland House of Delegates. In 2006, he was elected Anne Arundel County Executive.-Biography:... (Republican) 44.3% Alema Leota Alema Leota Alema Leota was an alleged Hawaiian organized crime boss during the 1960s and 1970s, who led an unsuccessful nonpartisan campaign for the Governor of Hawaii during the 1978 election... (Non-partisan) 0.7% Gregory Reeser (Libertarian) 0.4% John Moore (Aloha Democratic) 0.2%
Idaho Idaho Idaho is a state in the Rocky Mountain area of the United States. The state's largest city and capital is Boise. Residents are called "Idahoans". Idaho was admitted to the Union on July 3, 1890, as the 43rd state....	John V. Evans John V. Evans John Victor Evans, Sr. was the 27th Governor of Idaho from 1977–87. He is a member of the Democratic Party.Evans was elected to the Idaho Senate in 1952 and re-elected in 1954 and 1956, serving as majority leader in his final term. In 1960, Evans became mayor of Malad City and served in that...	Democratic Democratic Party (United States) The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...	Re-elected, 58.8%	Allan Larsen Allan Larsen Allan F. Larsen was a Republican politician from Idaho. He was the Republican nominee for Governor of Idaho in 1978. Larsen was defeated by the Democratic incumbent, John V. Evans.... (Republican) 39.6% Wayne Loveless (American) 1.7%
Illinois Illinois Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...	James R. Thompson James R. Thompson James Robert Thompson, Jr. , also known as Big Jim Thompson, was the 37th and longest serving Governor of the US state of Illinois...	Republican Republican Party (United States) The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...	Re-elected, 59.0%	Michael Bakalis Michael Bakalis Michael J. Bakalis is an American academic and politician. He was the Democratic nominee for Governor of Illinois in 1978, losing to incumbent Republican governor James R. Thompson.... (Democratic) 40.1% Georgia Shields (Libertarian) 0.4% Cecil Lampkin (Socialist Workers) 0.4% Melvin Klenetsky (U.S. Labor U.S. Labor Party The U.S. Labor Party was a political party formed in 1973 by the National Caucus of Labor Committees . It served as a vehicle for Lyndon LaRouche to run for President of the United States in 1976, but it also sponsored many candidates for local offices and Congressional and Senate seats between... ) 0.2%
Iowa Iowa Iowa is a state located in the Midwestern United States, an area often referred to as the "American Heartland". It derives its name from the Ioway people, one of the many American Indian tribes that occupied the state at the time of European exploration. Iowa was a part of the French colony of New...	Robert D. Ray Robert D. Ray Robert Dolph Ray served as the 38th Governor of Iowa from January 16, 1969 to January 14, 1983. He served in the United States Army. He received his B.A. in Business from Drake University in 1952 and his Law Degree in 1954...	Republican Republican Party (United States) The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...	Re-elected, 58.3%	Jerome D. Fitzgerald (Democratic) 41.0% John Ball (Libertarian) 0.5% Joseph Grant (Socialist Socialist Party USA The Socialist Party USA is a multi-tendency democratic-socialist party in the United States. The party states that it is the rightful continuation and successor to the tradition of the Socialist Party of America, which had lasted from 1901 to 1972.The party is officially committed to left-wing... ) 0.2%
Kansas Kansas Kansas is a US state located in the Midwestern United States. It is named after the Kansas River which flows through it, which in turn was named after the Kansa Native American tribe, which inhabited the area. The tribe's name is often said to mean "people of the wind" or "people of the south...	Robert F. Bennett Robert Frederick Bennett Robert Frederick Bennett was an American lawyer and the 39th Governor of Kansas from 1975 to 1979.Bennett was born May 23, 1927 in Kansas City, Missouri. He married Joan Gregory, whom he met at Shawnee Mission Rural High School while participating in debate. They had four children: Robert F. ,...	Republican Republican Party (United States) The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...	Defeated, 47.3%	John W. Carlin John W. Carlin John William Carlin served as fortieth Governor of Kansas from 1979 to 1987, and Archivist of the United States from May 30, 1995, to February 15, 2005.-Biography:... (Democratic) 49.4% Frank W. Shelton Jr. (American) 2.3% Berry Beets (Prohibition) 1.0%
Maine Maine gubernatorial election, 1978 The 1978 Maine gubernatorial election took place on November 7, 1978. Incumbent Independent Governor James B. Longley had promised to not seek a second term when he was elected in 1974, and held true to his pledge. Former state Senator Joseph Brennan of the Democratic Party defeated both...	James B. Longley James B. Longley James Bernard Longley, Sr. was an American politician. He served as the 69th Governor of Maine from 1975 to 1979, and was the first Independent to hold the office. In 1949, he married the former Helen Angela Walsh, who died on September 13, 2005. They had five children, including former Republican...	Independent Independent (politician) In politics, an independent or non-party politician is an individual not affiliated to any political party. Independents may hold a centrist viewpoint between those of major political parties, a viewpoint more extreme than any major party, or they may have a viewpoint based on issues that they do...	Retired, Democratic victory	Joseph Brennan Joseph Brennan (politician) Joseph Edward Brennan is an American Democratic Party politician from Maine. He served as the 70th Governor of Maine, he is currently a commissioner on the Federal Maritime Commission.... (Democratic) 47.7% Linwood E. Palmer (Republican) 34.3% Herman Franklin (Independent) 17.8% James B. Longley (write-in Write-in candidate A write-in candidate is a candidate in an election whose name does not appear on the ballot, but for whom voters may vote nonetheless by writing in the person's name. Some states and local jurisdictions allow a voter to affix a sticker with a write-in candidate's name on it to the ballot in lieu... ) 0.2%
Maryland Maryland Maryland is a U.S. state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware to its east...	Marvin Mandel Marvin Mandel Marvin Mandel , a member of the United States Democratic Party, was the 56th Governor of Maryland in the United States from January 7, 1969, to January 17, 1979. He was Maryland's first, and, to date, only Jewish governor.- Early life :...	Democratic Democratic Party (United States) The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...	Term-limited, Democratic victory	Harry Hughes Harry Hughes Harry Roe Hughes , a member of the United States Democratic Party, was the 57th Governor of Maryland in the United States from 1979 to 1987.-Early life and family:... (Democratic) 70.6% John Glenn Beall, Jr. John Glenn Beall, Jr. John Glenn Beall, Jr. was a Republican member of the United States Senate, representing the State of Maryland 1971–1977. He was also a member of the Maryland House of Delegates 1962–1968, and the U.S. House of Representatives from the sixth district of Maryland from 1969 to 1971... (Republican) 29.4%
Massachusetts Massachusetts gubernatorial election, 1978 The 1978 Massachusetts gubernatorial election was held on November 7, 1978. Massachusetts Port Authority executive director Edward J. King was elected to a four-year term, from January 4, 1979 until January 6, 1983...	Michael Dukakis Michael Dukakis Michael Stanley Dukakis served as the 65th and 67th Governor of Massachusetts from 1975–1979 and from 1983–1991, and was the Democratic presidential nominee in 1988. He was born to Greek immigrants in Brookline, Massachusetts, also the birthplace of John F. Kennedy, and was the longest serving...	Democratic Democratic Party (United States) The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...	Defeated in primary, Democratic victory	Edward J. King Edward J. King Edward Joseph "Ed" King was the 66th Governor of the U.S. state of Massachusetts from 1979 to 1983.Born in Chelsea, Massachusetts, and a graduate of Boston College and Bentley College, King played professional football as a guard with the All-America Football Conference Buffalo Bisons from 1948 to... (Democratic) 52.5% Francis W. Hatch, Jr. Francis W. Hatch, Jr. Francis W. Hatch, Jr. is a former Massachusetts politician who was a member of the Board of Alderman in Beverly, Massachusetts from 1957–1963 and as a member of the Massachusetts House of Representatives from 1963–1979... (Republican) 47.2%
Michigan Michigan Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....	William Milliken William Milliken William Grawn Milliken , is an American politician and served as the 44th Governor of Michigan from January 1969 to January 1983.-Biography:...	Republican Republican Party (United States) The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...	Re-elected, 56.8%	William B. Fitzgerald, Jr. (Democratic) 43.2%
Minnesota Minnesota gubernatorial election, 1978 The 1978 Minnesota gubernatorial election took place on November 7, 1978. Independent-Republican Party candidate Al Quie defeated Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party incumbent Rudy Perpich.-Results:-External links:...	Rudy Perpich Rudy Perpich Rudolph George "Rudy" Perpich, Sr. was an American politician and the longest-serving governor of Minnesota. A member of the Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party, he served as the 34th and 36th Governor of Minnesota from December 29, 1976 to January 4, 1979, and from January 3, 1983, to January 7, 1991...	DFL Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party The Minnesota Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party is a major political party in the state of Minnesota and the state affiliate of the Democratic Party. It was created on April 15, 1944, with the merger of the Minnesota Democratic Party and the Farmer–Labor Party...	Defeated, 45.3%	Al Quie Al Quie Albert Harold Quie is an American politician who served as the 35th Governor of Minnesota from January 4, 1979, to January 3, 1983.-State and national government service:... (Republican) 52.3% Richard Pedersen (American) 1.3% Jill Lakowske (Socialist Workers) 0.4% Tom McDonald (Honest Government) 0.3% Robin E. Miller (Libertarian) 0.2% Edwin C. Pommerening (Savings Account) 0.1%
Nebraska Nebraska Nebraska is a state on the Great Plains of the Midwestern United States. The state's capital is Lincoln and its largest city is Omaha, on the Missouri River....	J. James Exon J. James Exon John James "Jim" Exon was an American Democratic politician. He served as the 33rd Governor of Nebraska from 1971 to 1979, and as a U.S. Senator from Nebraska from 1979 to 1997. Exon was a Nebraska Democrat who never lost an election, and the only Democrat to hold his Nebraska's Senate Class 2 seat...	Democratic Democratic Party (United States) The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...	Term-limited, Republican victory	Charles Thone Charles Thone Charles Thone is an American Republican politician.-Biography:Charles Thone was born in Hartington, Nebraska. He has three brothers, including John Jr. He graduated from Holy Trinity High School . During World War II, he served in the Infantry of the United States Army... (Republican) 56.0% Gerald T. Whelan (Democratic) 44.0%
Nevada Nevada Nevada is a state in the western, mountain west, and southwestern regions of the United States. With an area of and a population of about 2.7 million, it is the 7th-largest and 35th-most populous state. Over two-thirds of Nevada's people live in the Las Vegas metropolitan area, which contains its...	Mike O'Callaghan Mike O'Callaghan -External links:* * * *...	Democratic Democratic Party (United States) The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...	Term-limited, Republican victory	Robert List Robert List Robert Frank "Bob" List is an American politician. He served as the 24th Governor of Nevada from 1979 to 1983. He was raised in Exeter, California. He served as the Carson City District Attorney and the Nevada Attorney General before becoming Governor. Currently List practices law in Las Vegas... (Republican) 56.2% Robert E. Rose Robert E. Rose Robert E. Rose is an American politician. He was the Lieutenant Governor of Nevada from 1975 to 1979. In 1986 Rose was appointed to the Eighth Judicial District Court. He was elected three times to the Nevada Supreme Court serving from 1989 to 2007.-External links:*... (Democratic) 39.7% Thomas F. Jefferson (Ind. American) 1.7% None of These Candidates None of These Candidates None of These Candidates is a voting option for Nevada voters for President of the United States and for state constitutional positions. This is listed along with the names of individuals running for the position.... 1.7% John W. Grayson Jr. (Libertarian) 0.8%
New Hampshire New Hampshire New Hampshire is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state was named after the southern English county of Hampshire. It is bordered by Massachusetts to the south, Vermont to the west, Maine and the Atlantic Ocean to the east, and the Canadian...	Meldrim Thomson, Jr. Meldrim Thomson, Jr. Meldrim Thomson, Jr. was a Republican who served three terms as Governor of the U.S. state of New Hampshire from 1973 to 1979, during which time he became known as a strong supporter of conservative political values....	Republican Republican Party (United States) The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...	Defeated, 45.4%	Hugh Gallen Hugh Gallen Hugh J. Gallen was an American automobile dealer and Democratic politician from Littleton, New Hampshire. After serving in the New Hampshire House of Representatives, he won two terms as Governor.... (Democratic) 49.4% Wesley Powell Wesley Powell Wesley Powell was an American lawyer and Republican politician from Hampton Falls, New Hampshire.Powell was born in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. He attended schools in Portsmouth before graduating from the University of New Hampshire. He received his law degree from the Southern Methodist College... (Independent) 4.6% Mabel Everett (Libertarian) 4.6% Ralph Brewster (Independent) 0.2%
New Mexico New Mexico New Mexico is a state located in the southwest and western regions of the United States. New Mexico is also usually considered one of the Mountain States. With a population density of 16 per square mile, New Mexico is the sixth-most sparsely inhabited U.S...	Jerry Apodaca Jerry Apodaca Raymond S. "Jerry" Apodaca was the 24th Governor of New Mexico.Apodaca graduated from the University of New Mexico, and went into the insurance business. In 1965, he was elected to the New Mexico Senate, serving four terms from 1966 to 1974. Apodaca was elected governor of New Mexico as a Democrat...	Democratic Democratic Party (United States) The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...	Term-limited, Democratic victory	Bruce King Bruce King Bruce King was an American politician who served three terms as the governor of the state of New Mexico. He was a Democrat.King was born in 1924 in Stanley, New Mexico. He served in the U.S. Army during World War II... (Democratic) 50.5% Joe Skeen (Republican) 49.4%
New York New York gubernatorial election, 1978 The 1978 New York gubernatorial election was held on November 7, 1978 to elect the Governor and Lieutenant Governor of New York.-Results:...	Hugh Carey Hugh Carey Hugh Leo Carey was an American attorney, the 51st Governor of New York from 1975 to 1982, and a seven-term United States Representative .- Early life :...	Democratic Democratic Party (United States) The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...	Re-elected, 50.9%	Perry Duryea Perry Duryea Perry Belmont Duryea, Jr. was an American politician.-Life:His father ran a wholesale seafood business, Perry B. Duryea and Son, Inc., in Montauk... (Republican) 45.2% Mary Jane Tobin (Right to Life New York State Right to Life Party The New York State Right to Life Party was founded to oppose the legalization of abortion in New York in 1970. The party first made the state ballot in the 1978 gubernatorial election, where its candidate Mary Jane Tobin won 130,000 votes... ) 2.7% Gary Greenberg (Libertarian) 0.4% Dianne M. Feeley (Socialist Workers) 0.3% Jarvis Tyner Jarvis Tyner Jarvis Tyner is an American activist and the current Executive Vice Chair of the Communist Party USA. He is a resident of Manhattan, New York City. In 1972 and 1976, he ran for Vice President of the United States of the CPUSA.-Biography:... (Communist Communist Party USA The Communist Party USA is a Marxist political party in the United States, established in 1919. It has a long, complex history that is closely related to the histories of similar communist parties worldwide and the U.S. labor movement.... ) 0.2% Paul Gallagher (U.S. Labor) 0.2%
Ohio Ohio Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...	Jim Rhodes Jim Rhodes James Allen Rhodes was an American Republican politician from Ohio, and one of only five US state governors to serve four four-year terms in office. As governor in 1970, he decided to send National Guard troops onto the Kent State University campus, resulting in the shooting of students on May 4...	Republican Republican Party (United States) The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...	Re-elected, 49.3%	Dick Celeste Dick Celeste Richard Frank "Dick" Celeste is an American politician from Ohio, and a member of the Democratic Party. He served as the 64th Governor of Ohio from 1983-1991.-Early life and career:... (Democratic) 47.6% Patricia H. Wright (Independent) 1.2% John O'Neill (Independent) 1.0% Allan Friedman (Independent) 0.8%
Oklahoma Oklahoma Oklahoma is a state located in the South Central region of the United States of America. With an estimated 3,751,351 residents as of the 2010 census and a land area of 68,667 square miles , Oklahoma is the 28th most populous and 20th-largest state...	David L. Boren David L. Boren David Lyle Boren is an academic leader and American politician from the state of Oklahoma. A Democrat, he served as the 21st Governor of Oklahoma from 1975 to 1979 and in the United States Senate from 1979 to 1994. He is currently president of the University of Oklahoma. He was the longest serving...	Democratic Democratic Party (United States) The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...	Term-limited, Democratic victory	George Nigh George Nigh George Patterson Nigh , is a popular civic leader in the U.S. state of Oklahoma. Nigh served as the 17th and the 22nd Governor of Oklahoma. He was the first Oklahoma Governor to be re-elected and the first to win all 77 counties in the state... (Democratic) 51.7% Ron Shotts (Republican) 47.2% Billy Joe Clegg (Independent) 0.5% Floyd Sheally (Independent) 0.3% Jim McCuiston (Independent) 0.2%
Oregon Oregon gubernatorial election, 1978 The Oregon gubernatorial election of 1978 took place on November 2, 1978. Republican nominee Victor G. Atiyeh defeated incumbent Democrat Robert W. Straub to win the election.-Election results:...	Robert W. Straub Robert W. Straub Robert William "Bob" Straub , was an American politician and businessman in the state of Oregon. A native of California, he settled in Eugene, Oregon, where he entered politics. A Democratic politician, he served in the Oregon State Senate, as the Oregon State Treasurer, and one term as the 31st...	Democratic Democratic Party (United States) The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...	Defeated, 45.1%	Victor G. Atiyeh Victor G. Atiyeh Victor George Atiyeh is an American politician, elected the 32nd Governor of Oregon in 1978. A member of the Republican Party, Atiyeh was the first elected governor of Arab descent in the United States, serving eight years from 1979 through 1987... (Republican) 54.9%
Pennsylvania Pennsylvania gubernatorial election, 1978 The Pennsylvania gubernational election of 1978 was held on November 7, 1978 between Republican Dick Thornburgh and Democrat Pete Flaherty.The race began with a primary that slated an impressive field of candidates. Flaherty, the Mayor of Pittsburgh, bested State Auditor General Bob Casey, who had...	Milton Shapp Milton Shapp Milton Jerrold Shapp was the 40th Governor of the U.S. state of Pennsylvania from 1971 to 1979 and was the first Jewish governor of Pennsylvania.- Early life :...	Democratic Democratic Party (United States) The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...	Term-limited, Republican victory	Dick Thornburgh Dick Thornburgh Richard Lewis "Dick" Thornburgh is an American lawyer and Republican politician who served as the 41st Governor of Pennsylvania from 1979 to 1987, and then as the U.S... (Republican) 52.5% Peter F. Flaherty Peter F. Flaherty Peter Francis "Pete" Flaherty was an American politician from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.He served as Assistant District Attorney of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania from 1957 to 1964; a City of Pittsburgh Councilman 1966 to 1970; Democratic mayor of Pittsburgh from 1970 to 1977; United States Deputy... (Democratic) 46.4% Mark Zola (Socialist Workers) 0.5% Lee Frissell (Consumer Citizens Party (United States) The Citizens Party was a political party in the United States. It was founded in Washington, D.C. by Barry Commoner, who wanted to gather under one umbrella political organization all the environmentalist and liberal groups which were unsatisfied with President Carter's administration. The Citizens... ) 0.5%
Rhode Island Rhode Island The state of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, more commonly referred to as Rhode Island , is a state in the New England region of the United States. It is the smallest U.S. state by area...	John Garrahy John Garrahy John Joseph Garrahy was the 69th Governor of Rhode Island from 1977 to 1985.-Early life:Garrahy was born on November 26, 1930 in Providence, Rhode Island. In 1952, Garrahy attended the University of Buffalo and in 1953 he attended the University of Rhode Island. Later that year, Garrahy joined...	Democratic Democratic Party (United States) The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...	Re-elected, 62.8%	Lincoln Almond Lincoln Almond Lincoln Carter Almond is an American attorney, politician and member of the Republican Party. Almond served as United States Attorney for the District of Rhode Island from 1969–1978 and 1981–1993 and latter the 72nd Governor of Rhode Island, serving from 1995 to 2003.- Early life, education and... (Republican) 30.7% Joseph A. Doorley (Independent) 6.5%
South Carolina South Carolina gubernatorial election, 1978 The 1978 South Carolina gubernatorial election was held on November 7, 1978 to select the governor of the state of South Carolina. Richard Riley, the Democratic nominee, defeated Republican Edward Lunn Young and became the 111st governor of South Carolina....	James B. Edwards James B. Edwards James Burrows Edwards is a politician and administrator from South Carolina. He was the first Republican to be elected the Governor of South Carolina since Reconstruction.-Early life and career:...	Republican Republican Party (United States) The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...	Term-limited, Democratic victory	Richard Riley Richard Riley Richard Wilson Riley , American politician, was United States Secretary of Education under President Bill Clinton and the 111th Governor of South Carolina. He is a member of the Democratic Party.... (Democratic) 61.9% Edward Lunn Young (Republican) 38.1%
South Dakota South Dakota South Dakota is a state located in the Midwestern region of the United States. It is named after the Lakota and Dakota Sioux American Indian tribes. Once a part of Dakota Territory, South Dakota became a state on November 2, 1889. The state has an area of and an estimated population of just over...	Harvey L. Wollman Harvey L. Wollman Harvey Lowell Wollman was the 26th Governor of South Dakota. He was the first Lieutenant Governor in the history of South Dakota to move into the Governor's office. As of 2009, he is also the most recent Democrat to hold the title of South Dakota governor.Wollman was born in 1935 in Frankfort,...	Democratic Democratic Party (United States) The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...	Defeated in primary, Republican victory	Bill Janklow Bill Janklow William John "Bill" Janklow served as the 25th Attorney General of South Dakota, before being elected as South Dakota's 27th and 30th Governor, as well as to the United States House of Representatives where he served for a little more than a year. A Republican, Janklow's career has continued as a... (Republican) 56.6% Roger D. McKellips (Democratic) 43.4%
Tennessee Tennessee Tennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It has a population of 6,346,105, making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population, and covers , making it the 36th-largest by total land area...	Ray Blanton Ray Blanton Leonard Ray Blanton was the 44th Governor of Tennessee from 1975 to 1979. Blanton's administration was rife with corruption.-Early life and Congress:...	Democratic Democratic Party (United States) The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...	Retired, Republican victory	Lamar Alexander Lamar Alexander Andrew Lamar Alexander is the senior United States Senator from Tennessee and Conference Chair of the Republican Party. He was previously the 45th Governor of Tennessee from 1979 to 1987, United States Secretary of Education from 1991 to 1993 under President George H. W... (Republican) 55.8% Jake Butcher Jake Butcher Jacob Franklin "Jake" Butcher was a U.S. banker and politician who built a financial empire in East Tennessee, was the Democratic Party nominee for governor of Tennessee in 1978 and the primary promoter of the 1982 World's Fair in Knoxville, Tennessee, and who lost his business and his personal... (Democratic) 44.2%
Texas Texas gubernatorial election, 1978 The 1978 Texas gubernatorial election was held on November 7, 1978 to select the governor of the state of Texas. Former Deputy Secretary of Defense Bill Clements was elected over the Democratic candidate, state Attorney General John Luke Hill,who many experts had predicted to win the governorship...	Dolph Briscoe Dolph Briscoe Dolph Briscoe, Jr. was a Uvalde, Texas rancher and businessman who was the 41st Governor of Texas between 1973 and 1979....	Democratic Democratic Party (United States) The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...	Defeated in primary, Republican victory	Bill Clements Bill Clements William Perry "Bill" Clements, Jr. was the 42nd and 44th Governor of Texas, serving from 1979 to 1983 and 1987 to 1991. Clements was the first Republican to have served as governor of the U.S. state of Texas since Reconstruction... (Republican) 50.0% John Hill John Hill (Texas politician) John Luke Hill, Jr. , was a Texas lawyer, Democratic politician, and judge. He is thus far the only person to have served as Secretary of State of Texas, Texas Attorney General, and Chief Justice of the Texas Supreme Court.... (Democratic) 49.2% Mario Compean (La Raza Unida Raza Unida Party Partido Nacional de La Raza Unida is an American political party centered on Chicano interests. The party was termed La Raza in reference to the Mestizo people. During the 1970s the Party campaigned for better housing, work, and educational opportunities for Mexican-Americans... ) 0.6% Sara Jean Johnston (Socialist Workers) 0.2%
Vermont Vermont Vermont is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state ranks 43rd in land area, , and 45th in total area. Its population according to the 2010 census, 630,337, is the second smallest in the country, larger only than Wyoming. It is the only New England...	Richard A. Snelling Richard A. Snelling Richard Arkwright Snelling was the 76th and 78th Governor of Vermont from 1977 to 1985 and from January 10, 1991 until his death from heart failure.He was the son of Walter O...	Republican Republican Party (United States) The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...	Re-elected, 62.8%	Edwin C. Granai (Democratic) 34.1% Earl S. Gardner (Liberty Union Liberty Union Party The Liberty Union Party of Vermont, founded in 1970 by former Congressman William H. Meyer, Peter Diamondstone and others, originated in the anti-war and People's Party movements of the late 1960s and defines itself as a nonviolent socialist party.-History:... ) 2.9%
Wisconsin	Martin J. Schreiber Martin J. Schreiber Martin James "Marty" Schreiber is an American politician, publisher, and lobbyist. A Democrat, Schreiber served in the Wisconsin State Senate from 1963 to 1971 before becoming lieutenant governor of Wisconsin and Governor of Wisconsin...	Democratic Democratic Party (United States) The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...	Defeated, 44.9%	Lee S. Dreyfus Lee S. Dreyfus Lee Sherman Dreyfus was an American politician and member of the Republican Party who served as the 40th Governor of Wisconsin from January 4, 1979 to January 3, 1983.... (Republican) 54.4% Eugene R. Zimmerman (Constitution Constitution Party (United States) The Constitution Party is a paleoconservative political party in the United States. It was founded as the U.S. Taxpayers' Party by Howard Philips in 1991. Phillips was the party's candidate in the 1992, 1996 and 2000 presidential elections... ) 0.4% John C. Doherty (Independent) 0.1% Adrienne Kaplan (Socialist Workers) 0.1% Henry A. Ochsner (Socialist Labor Socialist Labor Party of America The Socialist Labor Party of America , established in 1876 as the Workingmen's Party, is the oldest socialist political party in the United States and the second oldest socialist party in the world. Originally known as the Workingmen's Party of America, the party changed its name in 1877 and has... ) 0.1%
Wyoming Wyoming Wyoming is a state in the mountain region of the Western United States. The western two thirds of the state is covered mostly with the mountain ranges and rangelands in the foothills of the Eastern Rocky Mountains, while the eastern third of the state is high elevation prairie known as the High...	Edgar Herschler Edgar Herschler Edgar Jacob Herschler , popularly known as "Gov. Ed", was the 28th Governor of Wyoming from 1975 to 1987. Herschler built a personal appeal to voters based on charisma, a small-town background, and shrewd political maneuvering to such an extent that he was the only three-term governor in Wyoming...	Democratic Democratic Party (United States) The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...	Re-elected, 50.9%	John C. Ostlund John C. Ostlund John Chapman Ostlund was a diversified businessman from Gillette and Cheyenne, Wyoming, who served in the Wyoming State Senate from 1973 to 1978, when he resigned to seek the Republican gubernatorial nomination... (Republican) 49.1%

Election results

See also