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.
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.
Close states
States where the margin of victory was under 1%:
- Texas, 0.8%
States where the margin of victory was under 5%:
- New Mexico, 1.1%
- Ohio, 1.7%
- Wyoming, 1.8%
- Kansas, 2.1%
- New Hampshire, 4.0%
- Guam, 4.2%
- Oklahoma, 4.5%
States where the margin of victory was under 10%:
- Massachusetts, 5.3%
- New York, 5.7%
- Pennsylvania, 6.1%
- Minnesota, 7.0%
- Arizona, 7.7%
- Wisconsin, 9.5%
- Oregon, 9.8%
Alabama
The 1978 Alabama gubernatorial election took place on November 7, 1978, to elect the governor of Alabama. Fob James, a businessman who had switched from the Republican Party to the Democratic Party and campaigned as a "born-again Democrat", won the Democratic primary in an upset over Attorney General Bill Baxley. He went on to defeat Guy Hunt in a landslide in the general election. Incumbent Democrat George Wallace was term limited and could not seek a third consecutive term; he later successfully ran again in 1982.
Alaska
The 1978 Alaska gubernatorial election took place on November 7, 1978, to elect the governor of Alaska. Republican incumbent Jay Hammond defeated four opponents: former Governor of Alaska and write-in candidate Wally Hickel, Alaska Senator and Democratic nominee Chancy Croft, former Commissioner of Natural Resources and Independent candidate Tom Kelly and Alaskan Independence Party nominee Don Wright. After losing to Hammond in the Republican primary, Hickel ran as a write-in candidate and was able to outperform Croft. Republican Tom Fink and Democrat Jay Kerttula also ran in the open primary.
This was the first time an incumbent Republican governor was re-elected for a second term, and this would not occur again until 2022.
Arizona
The 1978 Arizona gubernatorial election took place on November 7, 1978, for the post of Governor of Arizona. Democrat Bruce Babbitt defeated Republican nominee Evan Mecham. Babbitt was the former Attorney General of Arizona, but after the death of Governor Wesley Bolin, Babbit became governor. Bolin himself ascended to office from the position of Secretary of State, meaning his replacement, Rose Mofford was not eligible to the office as she was not elected. This drama of exchanging office would continue after Babbitt's term came to an end, as Mofford would become governor and succeeded Evan Mecham, Babbitt's challenger, in 1988.
Arkansas
The 1978 Arkansas gubernatorial election, held on November 7, was the first time that future president Bill Clinton was elected Governor of Arkansas.
California
The 1978 California gubernatorial election occurred on November 7, 1978. The Democratic incumbent, Jerry Brown, defeated the Republican nominee Attorney General Evelle J. Younger and independent candidate Ed Clark in a landslide.
Colorado
The 1978 Colorado gubernatorial election was held on November 7, 1978. Incumbent Democrat Richard Lamm defeated Republican nominee Ted L. Strickland with 58.76% of the vote.
Connecticut
The 1978 Connecticut gubernatorial election was held on Tuesday November 7, to elect Governor of Connecticut, Incumbent Governor Ella Grasso and running mate William A. O'Neill defeated Republican candidate Ronald A. Sarasin and running mate Lewis Rome with 59.15% of the vote.
Florida
The 1978 Florida gubernatorial election was held on November 7, 1978. Democratic nominee Bob Graham was elected, defeating Republican nominee Jack Eckerd with 55.59% of the vote.
Georgia
The 1978 Georgia gubernatorial election was held on November 7, 1978. George Busbee was re-elected, the first time a Governor of Georgia was re-elected for a second four-year term under the amendment made to the constitution in 1976 and the first time overall after serving a complete first four-year term.
Hawaii
The 1978 Hawaii gubernatorial election was Hawaii's sixth gubernatorial election. The election was held on November 7, 1978, and resulted in a victory for the Democratic candidate, Governor George Ariyoshi over Republican candidate, State Senator John R. Leopold and three other candidates. Ariyoshi received more votes than any other candidate in every county in the state.
Idaho
The 1978 Idaho gubernatorial election was held on Tuesday, November 7, and incumbent Democrat John Evans defeated Republican nominee Allan Larsen with 58.75% of the vote.
Illinois
The 1978 Illinois gubernatorial election was held on Tuesday, November 7, 1978. Republican James R. Thompson easily won a second term in office, defeating Democratic nominee Michael Bakalis by nearly 600,000 votes.
Iowa
The 1978 Iowa gubernatorial election was held on November 7, 1978. Incumbent Republican Robert D. Ray defeated Democratic nominee Jerome D. Fitzgerald with 58.32% of the vote.
Kansas
The 1978 Kansas gubernatorial election was held on November 7, 1978. Democratic nominee John W. Carlin defeated incumbent Republican Robert Frederick Bennett with 49.4% of the vote.
Maine
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 E. Brennan of the Democratic Party defeated both challenger Republican Linwood E. Palmer Jr. and right-wing independent candidate Herman Frankland. Richard Carey unsuccessfully ran for the Democratic nomination, while Charles Cragin unsuccessfully ran for the Republican nomination.
Maryland
The 1978 Maryland gubernatorial election was held on November 7, 1978. Democratic nominee Harry Hughes defeated Republican nominee John Glenn Beall Jr. with 70.62% of the vote.
Massachusetts
The 1978 Massachusetts gubernatorial election was held on November 7, 1978. Former Massachusetts Port Authority executive director Edward J. King was elected to a four-year term, from January 4, 1979, until January 6, 1983. King won the Democratic nomination by defeating incumbent governor of Massachusetts Michael Dukakis in the Democratic primary.
Michigan
The 1978 Michigan gubernatorial election was held on November 7, 1978. Incumbent Republican William Milliken was elected to a third term as Michigan Governor.
Minnesota
The 1978 Minnesota gubernatorial election took place on November 7, 1978. Independent-Republican Party candidate U.S. House Rep Al Quie defeated Minnesota Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party incumbent Rudy Perpich.
Nebraska
The 1978 Nebraska gubernatorial election was held on November 7, 1978, and featured U.S. Representative Charles Thone, a Republican, defeating Democratic nominee, Lieutenant Governor Gerald Whelan. Incumbent Governor J. James Exon, a Democrat, was barred from seeking a third term. Exon was elected to the U.S. Senate that same day.
Nevada
The 1978 Nevada gubernatorial election occurred on November 7, 1978. Incumbent Democratic governor Mike O'Callaghan was term limited. Republican nominee Robert List was elected Governor of Nevada, defeating Democratic nominee Robert E. Rose. Jack Lund Schofield unsuccessfully sought the Democratic nomination.
New Hampshire
The 1978 New Hampshire gubernatorial election took place on November 7, 1978. Incumbent Republican governor Meldrim Thomson Jr., who defeated former governor Wesley Powell for the Republican nomination, ran for a fourth term in office, but was defeated by former State Representative Hugh Gallen.
New Mexico
The 1978 New Mexico gubernatorial election took place on November 7, 1978, in order to elect the Governor of New Mexico. Due to term limits, incumbent Democrat Jerry Apodaca was ineligible to seek a second term as governor. Bruce King, a member of the Democratic Party who had previously served as governor from 1971 to 1975, won the open seat.
New York
The 1978 New York gubernatorial election was held on November 7, 1978 to elect the Governor and Lieutenant Governor of New York. It was the first reelection of a Democratic governor in New York since 1938.
Ohio
The 1978 Ohio gubernatorial election was held on November 7, 1978. Incumbent Republican Jim Rhodes defeated Democratic nominee Dick Celeste with 49.31% of the vote.
Oklahoma
The 1978 Oklahoma gubernatorial election was held on November 7, 1978, to elect the next governor of Oklahoma. Incumbent Democratic governor David Boren chose not to run for re-election to a second term in office. Instead, Boren decided to run for the United States Senate. Former governor, and sitting lieutenant governor George Nigh was elected, defeating Republican nominee Ron Shotts.
Oregon
The 1978 Oregon gubernatorial election took place on November 7, 1978. In a rematch of the 1974 contest, Republican nominee Victor Atiyeh defeated Democratic incumbent Robert Straub to win the election.
Pennsylvania
The 1978 Pennsylvania gubernatorial election was held on November 7, 1978. Incumbent Governor Milton Shapp was constitutionally ineligible to run for a third consecutive term in office. Republican Dick Thornburgh defeated Democrat Pete Flaherty in the general election.
Rhode Island
The 1978 Rhode Island gubernatorial election was held on November 7, 1978. Incumbent Democrat J. Joseph Garrahy defeated Republican nominee and future governor Lincoln Almond with 62.79% of the vote.
South Carolina
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 111th governor of South Carolina.
South Dakota
The 1978 South Dakota gubernatorial election was held on November 7, 1978, to elect a Governor of South Dakota. Republican nominee Bill Janklow was elected, defeating Democratic nominee Roger D. McKellips.
Tennessee
The 1978 Tennessee gubernatorial election was held on November 7, 1978, to elect the next governor of Tennessee. Although the Tennessee State Constitution had been amended in early 1978 to allow a governor to succeed himself, Incumbent Democratic governor Ray Blanton chose not to seek re-election amid several scandals. Republican Lamar Alexander once again ran for governor. In the general election, Alexander defeated Democratic nominee Jake Butcher with 55.8% of the vote.
Texas
The 1978 Texas gubernatorial election was held on November 7, 1978, to elect the governor of Texas. In a surprising upset, Republican Bill Clements was narrowly elected over Democratic State Attorney General John Luke Hill, winning 50% of the vote to Hill's 49%. In doing so, Clements became the first Republican to be elected governor since Reconstruction in 1869.
Vermont
The 1978 Vermont gubernatorial election took place on November 7, 1978. Incumbent Republican Richard Snelling ran successfully for a second term as Governor of Vermont, defeating Democratic candidate Edwin Granai. As of 2014, this was the most recent Vermont gubernatorial election in which both major party candidates are now deceased.
Wisconsin
The 1978 Wisconsin gubernatorial election was held on November 7, 1978. Republican Lee S. Dreyfus won the election with 54% of the vote, winning his first term as Governor of Wisconsin and defeating incumbent Democrat Martin J. Schreiber. Bob Kasten unsuccessfully sought the Republican nomination.
Wyoming
The 1978 Wyoming gubernatorial election took place on November 7, 1978. Incumbent Democratic Governor Edgar Herschler ran for re-election to a second term. After winning a contested Democratic primary, he advanced to the general election, where he faced former State Senator John Ostlund, the Republican nominee. Despite the strong Republican performance nationwide, Herschler's personal popularity allowed him to narrowly win re-election to Ostlund, making him the first Democratic Governor to win re-election since Lester C. Hunt in 1946.