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1978 U.S. Senate election results

Results of all 35 Senate races in 1978 (seats won: Republican 19, Democratic 16); 14 changed party. Winners, margins and every candidate.

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  • Republican 19
  • Democratic 16
Alabama: Howell Heflin DEM +88.0Alaska: Ted Stevens REP +51.5ArizonaArkansas: David Hampton Pryor DEM +60.2CaliforniaColorado: William L. Armstrong REP +18.4 gainConnecticutDelaware: Joe Biden DEM +16.9District of ColumbiaFloridaGeorgia: Sam Nunn DEM +66.3HawaiiIdaho: James A. McClure REP +36.9Illinois: Charles Percy REP +7.9IndianaIowa: Roger W. Jepsen REP +3.2 gainKansas: Nancy Kassebaum REP +11.5Kentucky: Walter Darlington Huddleston DEM +24.1Louisiana: Bennett Johnston DEM +18.8Maine: William S. Cohen REP +22.7 gainMarylandMassachusetts: Paul E. Tsongas DEM +10.2 gainMichigan: Carl Levin DEM +4.3 gainMinnesota: Rudolph E. Boschwitz REP +16.2 gainMississippi: Thad Cochran REP +13.5 gainMissouriMontana: Max Baucus DEM +11.4Nebraska: J. James Exon DEM +35.3 gainNevadaNew Hampshire: Gordon Humphrey REP +2.2 gainNew Jersey: Bill Bradley DEM +12.2 gainNew Mexico: Pete V. Domenici REP +6.8New YorkNorth Carolina: Jesse Helms REP +9.0North DakotaOhioOklahoma: David Boren DEM +32.6 gainOregon: Mark Odom Hatfield REP +23.4PennsylvaniaRhode Island: Claiborne Pell DEM +50.2South Carolina: Strom Thurmond REP +11.4South Dakota: Larry Pressler REP +33.7 gainTennessee: Howard Baker REP +15.3Texas: John G. Tower REP +0.5UtahVermontVirginia: John W. Warner REP +0.4WashingtonWest Virginia: Jennings Randolph DEM +1.0WisconsinWyoming: Raymond B. Whitaker DEM +24.3 gainVermontNew Hampshire: Gordon Humphrey REP +2.2 gainMassachusetts: Paul E. Tsongas DEM +10.2 gainRhode Island: Claiborne Pell DEM +50.2ConnecticutNew Jersey: Bill Bradley DEM +12.2 gainDelaware: Joe Biden DEM +16.9MarylandDistrict of Columbia
States with a race in 1978, coloured by the winning party and shaded by margin. Grey: no race.

Seats that changed party

All races

StateSeatWinnerPartyMarginBefore
Alabama Class II Howell Heflin Democratic 88.0 Democratic
Alabama special Class III Donald Stewart Democratic 11.7 Democratic
Alaska Class II Ted Stevens Republican 51.5 Republican
Arkansas Class II David Hampton Pryor Democratic 60.2 Democratic
Colorado Class II William L. Armstrong Republican 18.4 Democratic flip
Delaware Class II Joe Biden Democratic 16.9 Democratic
Georgia Class II Sam Nunn Democratic 66.3 Democratic
Idaho Class II James A. McClure Republican 36.9 Republican
Illinois Class II Charles Percy Republican 7.9 Republican
Iowa Class II Roger W. Jepsen Republican 3.2 Democratic flip
Kansas Class II Nancy Kassebaum Republican 11.5 Republican
Kentucky Class II Walter Darlington Huddleston Democratic 24.1 Democratic
Louisiana Class II Bennett Johnston Democratic 18.8 Democratic
Maine Class II William S. Cohen Republican 22.7 Democratic flip
Massachusetts Class II Paul E. Tsongas Democratic 10.2 Republican flip
Michigan Class II Carl Levin Democratic 4.3 Republican flip
Minnesota Class II Rudolph E. Boschwitz Republican 16.2 Democratic flip
Minnesota special Class I David Ferdinand Durenberger Republican 26.9 Democratic flip
Mississippi Class II Thad Cochran Republican 13.5 Democratic flip
Montana Class II Max Baucus Democratic 11.4 Democratic
Nebraska Class II J. James Exon Democratic 35.3 Republican flip
New Hampshire Class II Gordon Humphrey Republican 2.2 Democratic flip
New Jersey Class II Bill Bradley Democratic 12.2 Republican flip
New Mexico Class II Pete V. Domenici Republican 6.8 Republican
North Carolina Class II Jesse Helms Republican 9.0 Republican
Oklahoma Class II David Boren Democratic 32.6 Republican flip
Oregon Class II Mark Odom Hatfield Republican 23.4 Republican
Rhode Island Class II Claiborne Pell Democratic 50.2 Democratic
South Carolina Class II Strom Thurmond Republican 11.4 Republican
South Dakota Class II Larry Pressler Republican 33.7 Democratic flip
Tennessee Class II Howard Baker Republican 15.3 Republican
Texas Class II John G. Tower Republican 0.5 Republican
Virginia Class II John W. Warner Republican 0.4 Republican
West Virginia Class II Jennings Randolph Democratic 1.0 Democratic
Wyoming Class II Raymond B. Whitaker Democratic 24.3 Republican flip

Source: FiveThirtyEight election-results; each race page links the official source it was compiled from.