1978 United States Senate election in Kentucky

The 1978 United States Senate election in Kentucky took place on November 7, 1978. Incumbent Senator Walter Dee Huddleston won reelection to a second term. As of 2020, this was the last time Democrats and/or anyone other than Mitch McConnell won the Class 2 Senate seat in Kentucky.

1978 United States Senate election in Kentucky

← 1972 November 7, 1978 1984 →
 
Nominee Walter Dee Huddleston Louie Guenthner Jr.
Party Democratic Republican
Popular vote 290,730 175,766
Percentage 60.98% 36.87%

County results
Huddleston:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%      80–90%
Guenthner:      40-50%      50-60%      60-70%

U.S. senator before election

Walter Dee Huddleston
Democratic

Elected U.S. Senator

Walter Dee Huddleston
Democratic

Republican primary

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Candidates

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Results

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Republican Primary results[1]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Louie Guenthner Jr. 14,218 47.21%
Republican Oline Carmical 9,346 31.04%
Republican Thurman Jerome Hamlin 6,550 21.75%

Democratic primary

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Candidates

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Results

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Democratic primary results[2]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Walter Dee Huddleston (incumbent) 89,333 75.62%
Democratic Jack Watson 13,177 11.15%
Democratic William Taylor 8,710 7.37%
Democratic George Tolhurst 6,921 5.86%

General election

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Results

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General election results[3]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Walter Dee Huddleston (incumbent) 290,730 60.98%
Republican Louie Guenthner Jr. 175,766 36.87%
Democratic hold

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Our Campaigns - KY US Senate - R Primary Race - May 23, 1978". www.ourcampaigns.com.
  2. ^ "Our Campaigns - KY US Senate - D Primary Race - May 23, 1978". www.ourcampaigns.com.
  3. ^ Clerk of the United States House of Representatives (1979). "Statistics of the Congressional Election of November 7, 1978" (PDF). U.S. Government Printing Office.