1978 Alabama gubernatorial election

1978 Alabama gubernatorial election
	County results; James: 40–50% 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% 80–90% >90%; Hunt: 50–60% 60–70%
Governor before election; George Wallace; Democratic	Elected Governor ; Fob James; Democratic

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.

Hunt was the first Republican to win Cullman County since Reconstruction.

Democratic primary

Candidates

Bill Baxley, Attorney General of Alabama
Jere Beasley, Lieutenant Governor
Albert Brewer, former Governor
Jim Folsom, former Governor
K. C. Foster
Horace Howell
Fob James, businessman^[1]
Sid McDonald, State Senator
Bob Muncaster
Shorty Price, perennial candidate
Fred Sandefer
Cornelia Wallace, former First Lady of Alabama
Charles Woods, businessman and perennial candidate

Results

Despite entering the race as a former Republican with low name identification and little political experience, by the time of the primary, James led Baxley, Beasley, and Brewer, who were considered the main contenders, in the polls. James placed first in the primary, followed by Baxley. Fob James then won the primary runoff against Bill Baxley.

Democratic primary results^[2]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Fob James	256,196	28.47
	Democratic	Bill Baxley	210,089	23.35
	Democratic	Albert Brewer	193,479	21.50
	Democratic	Sid McDonald	143,930	15.99
	Democratic	Jere Beasley	77,202	8.58
	Democratic	K. C. Foster	4,948	0.55
	Democratic	Horace Howell	4,730	0.53
	Democratic	Jim Folsom	4,632	0.52
	Democratic	Bob Muncaster	1,776	0.20
	Democratic	Shorty Price	1,396	0.16
	Democratic	Charles Woods	700	0.08
	Democratic	Fred Sandefer	622	0.07
	Democratic	Cornelia Wallace	217	0.02
Total votes			899,917	100

Democratic runoff results^[3]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Fob James	515,520	55.17
	Democratic	Bill Baxley	418,932	44.83
Total votes			934,452	100

Republican primary

Candidates

Guy Hunt, former Cullman County Probate Judge

Results

Republican primary results^[4]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Guy Hunt	21,499	83.17
	Republican	Bert Hayes	2,817	10.90
	Republican	Julian Elgin	1,534	5.93
Total votes			25,850	100

General election

Results

1978 Alabama gubernatorial election^[5]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Fob James	551,786	72.59
	Republican	Guy Hunt	196,693	25.88
	Prohibition	Jim Partain	8,103	1.07
	Independent	Richard Dare	3,522	0.46
Total votes			760,104	100
	Democratic hold

Fob James won all but two counties: Cullman, where Hunt had been Probate Judge; and Winston, a traditionally Republican stronghold.^[6]

References

^ "Alabama Governors: Forrest Hood (Fob) James, Jr". Alabama Department of Archives and History. Archived from the original on March 3, 2016. Retrieved July 23, 2014.
^ "AL Governor, 1978 - D Primary". Our Campaigns. Retrieved May 30, 2021.
^ "AL Governor, 1978 - D Runoff". Our Campaigns. Retrieved May 30, 2021.
^ "AL Governor, 1978 - R Primary". Our Campaigns. Retrieved May 30, 2021.
^ "AL Governor, 1978". Our Campaigns. Retrieved May 30, 2021.
^ "Source for Popular Vote data: Alabama Secretary of State. Governor - 1978 Election, Alabama Secretary of State". Alabama Secretary of State. Archived from the original on June 10, 2007. Retrieved July 23, 2014.

External links

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[1] "Alabama Governors: Forrest Hood (Fob) James, Jr". Alabama Department of Archives and History. Archived from the original on March 3, 2016. Retrieved July 23, 2014.

[2] "AL Governor, 1978 - D Primary". Our Campaigns. Retrieved May 30, 2021.

[3] "AL Governor, 1978 - D Runoff". Our Campaigns. Retrieved May 30, 2021.

[4] "AL Governor, 1978 - R Primary". Our Campaigns. Retrieved May 30, 2021.

[5] "AL Governor, 1978". Our Campaigns. Retrieved May 30, 2021.

[6] "Source for Popular Vote data: Alabama Secretary of State. Governor - 1978 Election, Alabama Secretary of State". Alabama Secretary of State. Archived from the original on June 10, 2007. Retrieved July 23, 2014.

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