1978 United States Senate election in Delaware
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  Biden:
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70–80%
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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 Incumbent 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
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
- 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
| 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
Candidates
- 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), engineer, perennial candidate and officer in the US Air Force Reserve[6][7]
Results
| 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
| 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 |
Results by state representative district
| District[9][10] | Joseph R. Biden Jr.
Democratic |
James H. Baxter Jr.
Republican |
Donald G. Gies
American |
Total votes cast |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| District 1 | 2,852 | 1,336 | 27 | 4,215 |
| District 2 | 1,247 | 248 | 15 | 1,510 |
| District 3 | 1,238 | 263 | 10 | 1,511 |
| District 4 | 1,491 | 470 | 12 | 1,973 |
| District 5 | 2,423 | 496 | 33 | 2,952 |
| District 6 | 3,066 | 1,956 | 44 | 5,066 |
| District 7 | 1,965 | 1,774 | 37 | 3,776 |
| District 8 | 1,953 | 1,400 | 55 | 3,408 |
| District 9 | 1,812 | 1,548 | 88 | 3,448 |
| District 10 | 2,539 | 2,254 | 53 | 4,846 |
| District 11 | 2,627 | 2,999 | 67 | 5,693 |
| District 12 | 2,528 | 2,620 | 54 | 5,202 |
| District 13 | 2,227 | 3,416 | 41 | 5,684 |
| District 14 | 2,712 | 2,150 | 53 | 4,915 |
| District 15 | 2,951 | 944 | 46 | 3,941 |
| District 16 | 2,315 | 1,463 | 55 | 3,833 |
| District 17 | 1,757 | 597 | 26 | 2,380 |
| District 18 | 1,960 | 571 | 31 | 2,562 |
| District 19 | 2,541 | 1,304 | 66 | 3,911 |
| District 20 | 2,139 | 1,085 | 77 | 3,301 |
| District 21 | 2,340 | 1,434 | 52 | 3,826 |
| District 22 | 2,664 | 1,993 | 55 | 4,712 |
| District 23 | 2,209 | 1,903 | 69 | 4,181 |
| District 24 | 2,445 | 1,685 | 78 | 4,208 |
| District 25 | 2,393 | 1,743 | 65 | 4,201 |
| District 26 | 1,370 | 967 | 36 | 2,373 |
| District 27 | 3,229 | 2,938 | 77 | 6,244 |
| District 28 | 2,611 | 1,697 | 71 | 4,379 |
| District 29 | 2,652 | 1,580 | 56 | 4,288 |
| District 30 | 2,752 | 1,668 | 22 | 4,442 |
| District 31 | 2,358 | 1,483 | 18 | 3,859 |
| District 32 | 2,129 | 1,867 | 16 | 4,012 |
| District 33 | 2,213 | 1,322 | 14 | 3,549 |
| District 34 | 1,037 | 694 | 10 | 1,741 |
| District 35 | 2,371 | 1,451 | 27 | 3,849 |
| District 36 | 2,595 | 2,128 | 31 | 4,754 |
| District 37 | 3,094 | 3,112 | 21 | 6,227 |
| District 38 | 2,411 | 2,108 | 23 | 4,542 |
| District 39 | 2,086 | 2,039 | 16 | 4,141 |
| District 40 | 2,238 | 1,770 | 8 | 4,016 |
| District 41 | 2,390 | 2,003 | 8 | 4,401 |
| Total | 93,930 | 66,479 | 1,663 | 162,072 |
See also
References
- ^ 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.
- ^ a b Wrightson, Lewis. STATE OF DELAWARE: Official Results of General Election (PDF). p. 12.
- ^ a b "Our Campaigns - DE US Senate Race - Nov 07, 1978". www.ourcampaigns.com. Retrieved September 8, 2021.
