1978 New Mexico gubernatorial election

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1978 New Mexico gubernatorial election
Flag of New Mexico.svg
  1974 November 7, 1978 1982  
  Governor Bruce King.jpg JoeSkeen.jpg
Nominee Bruce King Joe Skeen
Party Democratic Republican
Popular vote174,631170,848
Percentage50.55%49.45%

1978 New Mexico gubernatorial election results map by county.svg
County results
King:     50–60%     60–70%
Skeen:     50–60%     60–70%     70–80%

Governor before election

Jerry Apodaca
Democratic

Elected Governor

Bruce King
Democratic

The 1978 New Mexico gubernatorial election took place on November 7, 1978, in order to elect the Governor of New Mexico. Due to term limits, incumbent Democrat Jerry Apodaca was ineligible to seek a second term as governor. Bruce King, a member of the Democratic Party who had previously served as governor from 1971 to 1975, won the open seat. With a margin of victory of just 1.09% this was the second closest contest of the 1978 Gubernatorial Cycle, behind only the election in Texas.

Contents

Primary election

Democratic primary

The Democratic primary was won by former Governor Bruce King.

Results

New Mexico Democratic gubernatorial primary, 1978 [1]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Democratic Bruce King 92,432 61.31%
Democratic Robert E. Ferguson 58,33438.69%
Total votes150,766 100.00%

Republican primary

The Republican primary was won by former state senator Joe Skeen.

Results

New Mexico Republican gubernatorial primary, 1978 [2]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Republican Joe Skeen 38,638 81.17%
Republican Philip R. Grant8,96618.84%
Total votes47,604 100.00%

General election

Results

1978 New Mexico gubernatorial election [3]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Democratic Bruce King 174,631 50.55% +0.61%
Republican Joseph R. Skeen 170,84849.45%−0.65%
Majority3,7831.10%
Total votes345,479 100.00%
Democratic hold Swing -0.04%

Results by county

CountyBruce King
Democratic
Joe Skeen
Republican
MarginTotal votes cast
# %# %# %
Bernalillo 55,44848.26%59,44351.74%-3,995-3.48%114,891
Catron 64949.13%67250.87%-23-1.74%1,321
Chaves 5,13433.94%9,99166.06%-4,857-32.11%15,125
Colfax 2,18753.12%1,93046.88%2576.24%4,117
Curry 4,05448.51%4,30351.49%-249-2.98%8,357
De Baca 52152.31%47547.69%464.62%996
Doña Ana 9,53945.12%11,60354.88%-2,064-9.76%21,142
Eddy 7,41954.02%6,31445.98%1,1058.05%13,733
Grant 4,62459.74%3,11640.26%1,50819.48%7,740
Guadalupe 1,59169.72%69130.28%90039.44%2,282
Harding 25941.77%36158.23%-102-16.45%620
Hidalgo 76654.36%64345.64%1238.73%1,409
Lea 4,66544.48%5,82455.52%-1,159-11.05%10,489
Lincoln 1,00929.46%2,41670.54%-1,407-41.08%3,425
Los Alamos 2,34932.65%4,84567.35%-2,496-34.70%7,194
Luna 2,11745.29%2,55754.71%-440-9.41%4,674
McKinley 5,24459.29%3,60040.71%1,64418.59%8,844
Mora 1,49462.07%91337.93%58124.14%2,407
Otero 4,14044.43%5,17855.57%-1,038-11.14%9,318
Quay 1,63247.65%1,79352.35%-161-4.70%3,425
Rio Arriba 7,10668.78%3,22631.22%3,88037.55%10,332
Roosevelt 1,79336.87%3,07063.13%-1,277-26.26%4,863
San Juan 6,86644.31%8,63155.69%-1,765-11.39%15,497
San Miguel 4,72962.29%2,86337.71%1,86624.58%7,592
Sandoval 5,30359.77%3,57040.23%1,73319.53%8,873
Santa Fe 14,08060.44%9,21739.56%4,86320.87%23,297
Sierra 1,48647.66%1,63252.34%-146-4.68%3,118
Socorro 2,52457.39%1,87442.61%65014.78%4,398
Taos 4,41866.07%2,26933.93%2,14932.14%6,687
Torrance 1,85862.06%1,13637.94%72224.11%2,994
Union 70441.46%99458.54%-290-17.08%1,698
Valencia 8,92361.03%5,69838.97%3,22522.06%14,621
Total174,63150.55%170,84849.45%3,7831.10%345,479

Counties that flipped from Republican to Democratic

Counties that flipped from Democratic to Republican

References

  1. "NM Governor D Primary 1978". Our Campaigns. Retrieved December 16, 2016.
  2. "NM Governor R Primary 1978". Our Campaigns. Retrieved December 16, 2016.
  3. New Mexico State Records Center & Archives, Canvass of Returns of General Election Held on November 7, 1978 - State of New Mexico