1978 United States Senate election in North Carolina

Summary

The North Carolina United States Senate election of 1978 was held on November 7, 1978 as part of the nationwide elections to the Senate. The general election was between the Republican incumbent Jesse Helms and the Democratic nominee John Ingram. Helms won re-election, by a slightly wider margin than in 1972. This was the first Senate election where Republicans were re-elected.

1978 United States Senate election in North Carolina

← 1972 November 7, 1978 1984 →
 
Nominee Jesse Helms John Ingram
Party Republican Democratic
Popular vote 619,151 516,663
Percentage 54.51% 45.49%

County results

Helms:      50– 60%      60–70%      70–80%

Ingram:      50–60%      60–70%

U.S. senator before election

Jesse Helms
Republican

Elected U.S. Senator

Jesse Helms
Republican

Republican primary edit

Candidates edit

Results edit

Jesse Helms won the Republican Party's nomination unopposed.

Democratic primary edit

Candidates edit

Results edit

1978 North Carolina U.S. Senate Democratic primary election – First round [1][2]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Luther H. Hodges Jr. 260,868 40.08%
Democratic John Ingram 170,715 26.23%
Democratic Lawrence Davis 105,381 16.19%
Democratic McNeill Smith 82,703 12.71%
Democratic Dave McKnight 9,422 1.45%
Democratic William Griffin 8,907 1.37%
Democratic Tom Sawyer 8,482 1.30%
Democratic Joe Felmet 4,464 0.69%
Turnout 650,942
1978 North Carolina U.S. Senate Democratic primary election – Second round [1]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Democratic John Ingram 244,469 54.24% +28.01%
Democratic Luther H. Hodges, Jr. 206,223 45.76% +5.68%
Turnout 450,692

General election edit

Candidates edit

Results edit

1978 North Carolina U.S. Senate election[1]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Republican Jesse Helms (incumbent) 619,151 54.51% +0.50%
Democratic John Ingram 516,663 45.49% -0.50%
Turnout 1,135,814
Republican hold Swing

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ a b c "North Carolina DataNet #46" (PDF). University of North Carolina. April 2008. Archived from the original (PDF) on July 25, 2008. Retrieved June 12, 2009.
  2. ^ "Our Campaigns - NC US Senate - D Primary Race - May 09, 1978".