1978 United States Senate election in Delaware
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  Biden: 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% 80–90% Baxter: 50–60% 60–70% | |||||||||||||||||
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Personal U.S. Senator from Delaware 47th Vice President of the United States Vice presidential campaigns 46th President of the United States Tenure   |
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The 1978 United States Senate election in Delaware was held on November 7, 1978. Incumbent Democratic senator Joe Biden won re-election to a second term, defeating Republican challenger James H. Baxter Jr. in a landslide victory. This is the first of five elections in which Biden won all counties.
Republican primary
[edit]The Republican Party primary was held on September 9, 1978. Venema was previously an independent before declaring himself a candidate in March 1978. Candidates Venema and Baxter were described by The Washington Post as being "two think-alike Reagan conservatives" but differed in terms of background and "personal style".[1]
Candidates
[edit]- James H. Baxter Jr., Sussex County Recorder of Deeds[2]
- James Allyn Venema, cardboard sign manufacturer,[1] anti-desegregation busing activist, president of the Positive Action Committee and the National Association of Neighborhood Schools[3][4]
Results
[edit]| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | James H. Baxter Jr. | 12,107 | 53.74% | |
| Republican | James Allyn Venema[3] | 10,422 | 46.26% | |
| Total votes | 22,662 | 100.00% | ||
General election
[edit]Candidates
[edit]- James H. Baxter Jr. (R), Sussex County Recorder of Deeds[2]
- Joe Biden (D), incumbent Delaware Senator running for his first reelection
- Donald G. Gies (A), officer in the US Air Force Reserve[6][7]
Results
[edit]| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Joseph R. Biden, Jr. (incumbent) | 93,930 | 57.96% | +7.48% | |
| Republican | James H. Baxter Jr. | 66,479 | 41.02% | −8.08% | |
| American | Donald G. Gies | 1,663 | 1.02% | +0.68% | |
| Majority | 27,451 | 16.94% | +15.56% | ||
| Turnout | 162,072 | ||||
| Democratic hold | Swing | ||||
County results
[edit]| County[9][10] | Joseph R. Biden Jr.
Democratic |
James H. Baxter Jr.
Republican |
Donald G. Gies
American |
Total votes cast | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| # | % | # | % | # | % | ||
| Kent | 12,860 | 59.95% | 8,485 | 39.95% | 107 | 0.5% | 21,452 |
| New Castle | 66,256 | 58.87% | 44,834 | 39.84% | 1,449 | 1.29% | 112,539 |
| Sussex | 14,814 | 52.75% | 13,160 | 46.86% | 107 | 0.38% | 28,081 |
| Total | 93,930 | 57.96% | 66,479 | 41.02% | 1,663 | 1.03% | 162,072 |
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ a b Edmonds, Rick (September 9, 1978). "Conservative Rivals Face Delaware Vote". The Washington Post (Digital). Retrieved February 9, 2023.
- ^ a b "James H. Baxter Jr., farmer, politician". Cape Gazette. August 13, 2018. Retrieved August 1, 2021.
- ^ a b "James Allyn Venema". Legacy.com. delawareonline. Archived from the original on September 8, 2021. Retrieved September 8, 2021.
- ^ "Our Campaigns - Candidate - James E. Venema". www.ourcampaigns.com. Retrieved September 8, 2021.
- ^ "Our Campaigns - DE US Senate- R Primary Race - Sep 09, 1978". www.ourcampaigns.com. Retrieved September 8, 2021.
- ^ "Our Campaigns - Candidate - Donald G. Gies". www.ourcampaigns.com. Retrieved September 6, 2021.
- ^ "DONALD GIES". Legacy.com. May 21, 2008. Archived from the original on September 6, 2021. Retrieved September 6, 2021.
- ^ "Statistics of the Congressional Election of November 7, 1978" (PDF). Clerk of the United States House of Representatives. Retrieved July 2, 2014.
- ^ Wrightson, Lewis. STATE OF DELAWARE: Official Results of General Election (PDF). p. 12.
- ^ "Our Campaigns - DE US Senate Race - Nov 07, 1978". www.ourcampaigns.com. Retrieved September 8, 2021.
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