United States gubernatorial elections were held on November 7, 1978, in 36 states and two territories. The Republicans 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.
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38 governorships 36 states; 2 territories | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Republican hold
Republican gain
Democratic hold
Democratic gain |
This was the first year in which Illinois 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. This election coincided with the Senate and the House elections.
Election results
editA bolded state name features an article about the specific election.
States
editState | Incumbent | Party | First elected |
Result | Candidates |
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Alabama | George Wallace | Democratic | 1962 1966 (term-limited) 1970 |
Incumbent term-limited. New governor elected. Democratic hold. |
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Alaska | Jay Hammond | Republican | 1974 | Incumbent re-elected. |
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Arizona | Bruce Babbitt | Democratic | 1978[a] | Incumbent elected to full term. |
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Arkansas | David Pryor | Democratic | 1974 | Incumbent retired. New governor elected. Democratic hold. |
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California | Jerry Brown | Democratic | 1974 | Incumbent re-elected. |
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Colorado | Richard Lamm | Democratic | 1974 | Incumbent re-elected. |
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Connecticut | Ella Grasso | Democratic | 1974 | Incumbent re-elected. |
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Florida | Reubin Askew | Democratic | 1970 | Incumbent term-limited. New governor elected. Democratic hold. |
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Georgia | George Busbee | Democratic | 1974 | Incumbent re-elected. |
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Hawaii | George Ariyoshi | Democratic | 1974 | Incumbent re-elected. |
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Idaho | John Evans | Democratic | 1978[b] | Incumbent elected to full term. |
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Illinois | James R. Thompson | Republican | 1976 | Incumbent re-elected. |
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Iowa | Robert D. Ray | Republican | 1968 | Incumbent re-elected. |
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Kansas | Robert F. Bennett | Republican | 1974 | Incumbent lost re-election. New governor elected. Democratic gain. |
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Maine | James B. Longley | Independent | 1974 | Incumbent retired. New governor elected. Democratic gain. |
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Maryland | Marvin Mandel (Blair Lee III, acting governor) |
Democratic | 1969 (special) | Incumbent term-limited. New governor elected. Democratic hold. |
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Massachusetts | Michael Dukakis | Democratic | 1974 | Incumbent lost re-nomination. New governor elected. Democratic hold. |
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Michigan | William Milliken | Republican | 1969[c] | Incumbent re-elected. |
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Minnesota | Rudy Perpich | Democratic | 1976[d] | Incumbent lost election to full term. New governor elected. Republican hold. |
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Nebraska | J. James Exon | Democratic | 1970 | Incumbent term-limited. New governor elected. Republican gain. |
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Nevada | Mike O'Callaghan | Democratic | 1970 | Incumbent term-limited. New governor elected. Republican gain. |
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New Hampshire | Meldrim Thomson Jr. | Republican | 1972 | Incumbent lost re-election. New governor elected. Democratic gain. |
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New Mexico | Jerry Apodaca | Democratic | 1974 | Incumbent term-limited. New governor elected. Democratic hold. |
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New York | Hugh Carey | Democratic | 1974 | Incumbent re-elected. |
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Ohio | Jim Rhodes | Republican | 1962 1970 (term-limited) 1974 |
Incumbent re-elected. |
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Oklahoma | David Boren | Democratic | 1970 | Incumbent retired. New governor elected. Democratic hold. |
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Oregon | Robert W. Straub | Democratic | 1974 | Incumbent lost re-election. New governor elected. Republican gain. |
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Pennsylvania | Milton Shapp | Democratic | 1970 | Incumbent term-limited. New governor elected. Republican gain. |
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Rhode Island | J. Joseph Garrahy | Democratic | 1976 | Incumbent re-elected. |
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South Carolina | James B. Edwards | Republican | 1974 | Incumbent term-limited. New governor elected. Democratic gain. |
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South Dakota | Harvey L. Wollman | Democratic | 1978[e] | Incumbent lost nomination. New governor elected. Republican gain. |
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Tennessee | Ray Blanton | Democratic | 1974 | Incumbent term-limited. New governor elected. Republican gain. |
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Texas | Dolph Briscoe | Democratic | 1972 | Incumbent lost re-nomination. New governor elected. Republican gain. |
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Vermont | Richard A. Snelling | Republican | 1972 | Incumbent re-elected. |
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Wisconsin | Martin J. Schreiber | Democratic | 1977[f] | Incumbent lost election to full term. New governor elected. Republican gain. |
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Wyoming | Edgar Herschler | Democratic | 1974 | Incumbent re-elected. |
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Territories and federal district
editTerritory | Incumbent | Party | First elected |
Result | Candidates |
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District of Columbia | Walter Washington | Democratic | 1974 | Incumbent lost renomination. New mayor elected. Democratic hold. |
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Guam | Ricardo Bordallo | Democratic | 1974 | Incumbent lost re-election. New governor elected. Republican gain. |
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U.S. Virgin Island | Juan Francisco Luis | ICM | 1978[g] | Incumbent elected to full term. |
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See also
editReferences
edit- ^ Flowers, Steve. "How Fob James pulled off an amazing upset in the 1978 governor's race - INSIDE THE STATEHOUSE". eu.tuscaloosanews.com. Retrieved 11 February 2024.
Notes
edit- ^ Babbitt took office after his predecessor (Wesley Bolin) died.
- ^ Evans took office after his predecessor (Cecil Andrus) resigned.
- ^ Milliken took office after his predecessor (George W. Romney) resigned.
- ^ Perpich took office after his predecessor (Wendell R. Anderson) resigned.
- ^ Wollman took office after his predecessor (Richard F. Kneip) resigned.
- ^ Schreiber took office after his predecessor (Patrick Lucey) resigned.
- ^ Luis took office after his predecessor (Cyril E. King) died.