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1978 Wisconsin gubernatorial election
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.
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.
As of 2024, this is the last occasion that Florence County has voted Democratic in a gubernatorial election.
The primary election was held on September 12, 1978. Nominees for Governor and Lieutenant Governor were selected in separate primaries before running on a joint ticket in the general election.
- David Carley, nominee for lieutenant governor in 1962
- Edmond Hou-Seye, American party nominee for United States Senate in 1970
- Martin J. Schreiber, incumbent governor
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | 217,572 | 60.44% | |
| Democratic | 132,901 | 36.92% | |
| Democratic | 9,487 | 2.64% | |
| 359,960 | 100.00% |
- Robert A. Anderson
- Douglas J. La Follette, Secretary of State of Wisconsin
- Dale T. McKenna, member of Wisconsin State Senate
- Paul Offner, member of Wisconsin State Senate
- Harout Sanasarian, former member of Wisconsin State Assembly
- Charles E. Smith
- Monroe Swan, member of Wisconsin State Senate
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | 151,366 | 44.78% | |
| Democratic | 47,257 | 13.98% | |
| Democratic | 40,268 | 11.91% | |
| Democratic | 40,008 | 11.84% | |
| Democratic | 21,230 | 6.28% | |
| Democratic | 19,504 | 5.77% | |
| Democratic | 18,392 | 5.44% | |
| 338,025 | 100.00% |
- Lee S. Dreyfus, Chancellor of University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point
- Robert W. Kasten, member of United States House of Representatives from the 9th district
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | 197,279 | 57.91% | |
| Republican | 143,361 | 42.09% | |
| 340,640 | 100.00% |
- Russell A. Olson, member of Wisconsin State Assembly
- La Verne Ausman, member of Wisconsin State Assembly
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | 185,332 | 63.84% | |
| Republican | 104,986 | 36.16% | |
| 290,318 | 100.00% |
- Eugene R. Zimmerman, American party nominee for Secretary of State in 1974
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Conservative | Eugene R. Zimmerman | 1,213 | 100.00% | |
| 1,213 | 100.00% |
- George Reed, American party nominee for Secretary of State in 1970
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Conservative | George Reed | 964 | 100.00% | |
| 964 | 100.00% |
- John C. Doherty & Marion A. Doherty
- Adrienne Kaplan & William Breihan
- Henry A. Ochsner & Robert E. Nordlander
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| Independent | 683 | 51.78% | |
| Independent | 383 | 29.04% | |
| Independent | 253 | 19.18% | |
| 1,319 | 100.00% |
- Martin J. Schreiber & Douglas J. La Follette, Democrat
- Lee S. Dreyfus & Russell A. Olson, Republican
- Eugene R. Zimmerman & George Reed, Conservative
- John C. Doherty & Marion A. Doherty, Independent
- Adrienne Kaplan & William Breihan, Independent
- Henry A. Ochsner & Robert E. Nordlander, Independent
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | .mw-parser-output .tooltip-dotted{border-bottom:1px dotted;cursor:help}±% |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | 816,056 | 54.37% | +12.30% | |
| Democratic | 673,813 | 44.89% | −8.29% | |
| Conservative | 6,355 | 0.42% | ||
| Independent | 2,183 | 0.15% | ||
| Independent | 1,548 | 0.10% | ||
| Independent | 849 | 0.06% | ||
| 192 | 0.01% | |||
| 142,243 | 9.48% | |||
| 1,500,996 | 100.00% | |||
| Republican gain from Democratic | +20.60% |
Dreyfus was the first Republican since Walter J. Kohler Jr. in 1952 to win Forest County, Portage County, and Rusk County. St. Croix County backed the losing candidate for the first time since 1892, breaking a bellwether streak of 40 consecutive gubernatorial elections. Barron County, Buffalo County, Pepin County, and Washburn County would not vote for the losing candidate again until 2018.
- Brown
- Calumet
- Chippewa
- Clark
- Crawford
- Dane
- Eau Claire
- Forest
- Langlade
- Lincoln
- Marathon
- Marinette
- Outagamie
- Ozaukee
- Portage
- Price
- Racine
- Rock
- Rusk
- Sawyer
- Sheboygan
- Taylor
- Trempealeau
- Washington
- Waukesha
- Wood
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