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County results James: 40–50% 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% 80–90% >90% Hunt: 50–60% 60–70% | |||||||||||||||||
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Elections in Alabama |
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Government |
The 1978 Alabama gubernatorial election took place on November 7, 1978, to elect the governor of Alabama. Incumbent Democratic Governor George Wallace did not run for re-election. 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. This election was the only Alabama gubernatorial election between 1958 and 1982 that did not feature a member of the Wallace family.
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.
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 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Democratic | Fob James | 515,520 | 55.17 | |
Democratic | Bill Baxley | 418,932 | 44.83 | |
Total votes | 934,452 | 100 |
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 |
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]
Forrest Hood "Fob" James Jr. is an American politician, civil engineer, entrepreneur, and former football player. He served as the 48th governor of Alabama, first as a Democrat from 1979–1983, and then as a Republican from 1995–1999.
James Elisha 'Jim' Folsom Jr. is an American politician who was the 50th governor of Alabama from April 22, 1993, to January 16, 1995. He has also served as the lieutenant governor of Alabama on two occasions. He is a member of the Democratic Party.
Harold Guy Hunt was an American politician, pastor, and convicted felon who served as the 49th governor of Alabama from 1987 to 1993. He was the first Republican to serve as governor of the state since Reconstruction.
William Joseph Baxley II, is an American Democratic politician and attorney from Dothan, Alabama.
Charles Woods was an Alabama businessman and broadcaster, and aspiring politician. Woods was raised in an orphanage. He enlisted in the Royal Canadian Air Force before joining the U.S. Army Air Corps in World War II. He was a decorated pilot with the Air Corps.
The Alabama Democratic Party is the affiliate of the Democratic Party in the state of Alabama. It is chaired by Randy Kelley.
The lieutenant governor of Alabama is the president of the Alabama Senate, elected to serve a four-year term. The office was created in 1868, abolished in 1875, and recreated in 1901. According to the current constitution, should the governor be out of the state for more than 20 days, the lieutenant governor becomes acting governor, and if the governor dies, resigns or is removed from office, the lieutenant governor ascends to the governorship. Earlier constitutions said the powers of the governor devolved upon the successor, rather than them necessarily becoming governor, but the official listing includes these as full governors. The governor and lieutenant governor are not elected on the same ticket.
The Alabama gubernatorial election of 1998 was held on November 3, 1998, to select the governor of Alabama. The election saw incumbent Governor Fob James (R) against Lieutenant Governor Don Siegelman (D). The result saw Don Siegelman win a decisive victory over Fob James. This was the second of three consecutive Alabama gubernatorial elections in which the incumbent was defeated. As of 2024, this was the last time that a Democrat was elected governor of Alabama.
The 1994 Alabama gubernatorial election was held on November 8, 1994, to select the governor of Alabama. The election saw Republican Fob James defeat incumbent Democrat Jim Folsom Jr. in an upset. This was the first of three consecutive Alabama gubernatorial elections where the incumbent was defeated.
The 1990 Alabama gubernatorial election was held on November 6, 1990, to select the governor of Alabama. The election saw incumbent Republican Governor Guy Hunt defeat Democrat Paul Hubbert, executive secretary of the Alabama Education Association. This marked the first time in history that a Republican won a second gubernatorial term in Alabama.
The 1970 Alabama gubernatorial election was marked by a competitive Democratic primary battle between incumbent moderate Governor Albert Brewer and segregationist former governor and 1968 independent presidential candidate George Wallace. The Alabama Constitution was amended in 1968, allowing a governor to serve two consecutive terms.
The 1982 Alabama gubernatorial election was held on November 2, 1982, to elect the governor of Alabama. The incumbent, Fob James, declined to run for re-election, resulting in an open race. Former Democratic Governor George Wallace, who narrowly won the Democratic primary, defeated Republican Emory Folmar, the Mayor of Montgomery, Alabama.
The 1986 Alabama gubernatorial election saw the election of Republican H. Guy Hunt over Democrat Bill Baxley. In state politics, this election is largely seen as a realigning election since Hunt was the first Republican to be elected governor in 114 years – the last Republican to be elected was David P. Lewis in 1872 during the Reconstruction era. In March 1986, incumbent George Wallace announced that he would not seek a fifth term as governor, ending an era in Alabama politics.
The 2010 Alabama gubernatorial election took place on November 2, 2010. Incumbent Governor Bob Riley was term-limited and unable to seek re-election. The party primaries were held on June 1, 2010, with a Republican runoff on July 13. In the general election, Robert J. Bentley defeated Democrat Ron Sparks. This was the first election in which Republicans won three consecutive gubernatorial elections in the state. This was also the first time since Reconstruction that a Republican carried Colbert County, Franklin County, and Lawrence County in a gubernatorial race.
Bill Armistead is an American politician from the state of Alabama. He served as the chairman of the Alabama Republican Party from 2011 to 2015. He served in the Alabama Senate from 1995 to 2003.
The 1966 Alabama gubernatorial election took place on November 8, 1966, and saw the election of Lurleen Wallace as the governor over U.S. Representative James D. Martin. Incumbent Democrat George Wallace was term limited and could not seek a second consecutive term.
The 1978 United States Senate election in Alabama was held on November 7, 1978. Incumbent Democratic U.S. Senator John Sparkman decided to retire and Alabama Supreme Court Chief Justice Howell Heflin was elected to succeed him.
The 1974 Alabama gubernatorial election took place on November 5, 1974. Incumbent Democratic Governor George Wallace was reelected in a landslide over his Republican opponent, businessman Elvin McCary. Wallace was the first Alabama governor to win election to a second consecutive term, as the state's Constitution was amended in 1968 to allow governors to serve a maximum two elected consecutive terms. This was also Wallace's first campaign after having been paralyzed following being shot by Arthur Bremer in an assassination attempt during Wallace's run for the 1972 Democratic presidential nomination.
The 1978 United States Senate special election in Alabama was held on November 7, 1978. It was a special election to fill the seat which had been held by Senator Jim Allen, who died on June 1. His widow Maryon was appointed on June 8 by governor George Wallace to fill the vacancy until a special election could be held.
The 2022 Alabama gubernatorial election took place on November 8, 2022, to elect the governor of Alabama. Incumbent Governor Kay Ivey took office on April 10, 2017, upon the resignation of Robert J. Bentley (R) and won a full term in 2018. In 2022, she won her bid for a second full term in a landslide.