1978 Iowa Senate election

The 1978 Iowa State Senate elections took place as part of the biennial 1978 United States elections. Iowa voters elected state senators in half of the state senate's districts—the 25 odd-numbered state senate districts. State senators serve four-year terms in the Iowa State Senate, with half of the seats up for election each cycle. A statewide map of the 50 state Senate districts in the year 1978 is provided by the Iowa General Assembly here.

1978 Iowa Senate election
November 7, 1978
25 out of 50 seats in the Iowa State Senate
26 seats needed for a majority
  Majority party Minority party
 
Leader Calvin Hultman George Kinley
Party Republican Democratic
Leader's seat 49th 34th
Last election 24 26
Seats before 24 26
Seats after 28 22
Seat change Increase4 Decrease4
Majority Leader before election

George Kinley
Democratic

 Elected Majority Leader

Calvin Hultman
Republican

Elections in Iowa
Federal government
U.S. Presidential elections
Presidential caucuses
Democratic
1976
1980
1992
2000
2004
2008
2012
2016
2020
2024
Republican
1980
1996
2000
2008
2012
2016
2020
2024
U.S. Senate elections
U.S. House of Representatives elections
State government
General elections
Gubernatorial elections
Secretary of State elections
Attorney General elections
Senate elections
House of Representatives elections
Territorial Council elections
Ballot measures
2020
Question 1
2022
Amendment 1
Cedar Rapids
Mayoral elections
Des Moines
Mayoral elections

The primary election on June 6, 1978 determined which candidates appeared on the November 7, 1978 general election ballot. Primary election results can be obtained here.[1] General election results can be obtained here.[2]

Following the previous election in 1976, Democrats had control of the Iowa state Senate with 26 seats to Republicans' 24 seats.

To take control of the chamber from Democrats, the Republicans needed to net 2 Senate seats.

Republicans flipped control of the Iowa State Senate following the 1978 general election, with Republicans claiming 28 seats and Democrats falling to 22 seats after the election (a net gain of 4 seats for the Republicans).

Summary of Results
  • NOTE: The 25 even-numbered districts did not have elections in 1978 so they are not listed here.
State Senate District Incumbent Party Elected Senator Party
1st Lucas DeKoster Rep Lucas DeKoster Republican
3rd Warren E. Curtis Rep Arne F. Waldstein Republican
5th Ray Taylor Rep Ray Taylor Republican
7th Milo Merritt Dem Arthur Gratias Republican
9th Dale L. Tieden Rep Dale L. Tieden Republican
11th Stephen W. Bisenius Rep Stephen W. Bisenius Republican
13th James M. Redmond Dem Arthur R. Kudart Republican
15th Robert "Bob" Rush Dem Robert "Bob" Rush Democratic
17th Fred Nolting Dem Richard L. Comito Republican
19th Clifford Earl Burroughs Rep John W. Jensen Republican
21st John S. Murray Rep John S. Murray Republican
23rd C. Joseph Coleman Dem C. Joseph Coleman Democratic
25th E. Kevin Kelly Rep Clarence S. Carney Republican
27th Louis P. Culver Dem Jack W. Hester Republican
29th Norman Rodgers Dem Norman Rodgers Democratic
31st Earl Willits Dem Earl Willits Democratic
33rd Philip B. Hill Rep Julia Gentleman Republican
35th Eugene Marshall Hill Dem Joe Brown Democratic
37th Minnette Doderer Dem Arthur A. Small Democratic
39th Roger John Shaff Rep Norman J. Goodwin Republican
41st Forrest F. Ashcraft Rep Patrick J. Deluhery Democratic
43rd Lowell Junkins Dem Lowell Junkins Democratic
45th Gene W. Glenn Dem Sue Yenger Republican
47th Richard Ramsey Rep Richard Ramsey Republican
49th Calvin Hultman Rep Calvin Hultman Republican

Source:[3]

Detailed Results
  • Reminder: Only odd-numbered Iowa Senate seats were up for election in 1978; therefore, even-numbered seats did not have elections in 1978 & are not shown.

District 1 • District 3 • District 5 • District 7 • District 9 • District 11 • District 13 • District 15 • District 17 • District 19 • District 21 • District 23 • District 25 • District 27 • District 29 • District 31 • District 33 • District 35 • District 37 • District 39 • District 41 • District 43 • District 45 • District 47 • District 49

  • Note: If a district does not list a primary, then that district did not have a competitive primary (i.e., there may have only been one candidate file for that district).

District 1
Iowa Senate, District 1 Republican Primary Election, 1978
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Lucas DeKoster (incumbent) 4,330 50.4
Republican Henry T. Hoefakker 4,268 49.6
Total votes 8,598 100.0
Iowa Senate, District 1 General Election, 1978
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Lucas DeKoster (incumbent) 9,038 63.0
Independent Henry T. Hoefakker 5,307 37.0
Total votes 14,345 100.0
Republican hold

District 3
Iowa Senate, District 3 Republican Primary Election, 1978
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Arne Waldstein 2,152 63.5
Republican Dick Angove 1,239 36.5
Total votes 3,391 100.0
Iowa Senate, District 3 General Election, 1978
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Arne Waldstein 8,597 53.6
Democratic Keith Baker 7,451 46.4
Total votes 16,048 100.0
Republican hold

District 5
Iowa Senate, District 5 General Election, 1978
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Ray Taylor (incumbent) 8,838 60.0
Democratic Daryl Frey 5,889 40.0
Total votes 14,727 100.0
Republican hold

District 7
Iowa Senate, District 7 General Election, 1978
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Arthur Gratias 9,838 54.9
Democratic Milo Merritt (incumbent) 8,080 45.1
Total votes 17,918 100.0
Republican gain from Democratic

District 9
Iowa Senate, District 9 General Election, 1978
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Dale L. Tieden (incumbent) 10,702 100.0
Total votes 10,702 100.0
Republican hold

District 11
Iowa Senate, District 11 General Election, 1978
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Stephen W. Bisenius (incumbent) 9,146 54.3
Democratic Maurice Hennessey 7,684 45.7
Total votes 16,830 100.0
Republican hold

District 13
Iowa Senate, District 13 Democratic Primary Election, 1978
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic James M. Redmond (incumbent) 1,447 51.8
Democratic Walter L. McNamara 1,345 48.2
Total votes 2,792 100.0
Iowa Senate, District 13 General Election, 1978
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Arthur R. Kudart 9,433 57.6
Democratic Nick Berry 6,953 42.4
Total votes 16,386 100.0
Republican gain from Democratic

District 15
Iowa Senate, District 15 General Election, 1978
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Bob Rush (incumbent) 8,847 54.6
Republican Lloyd E. Humphreys 7,354 45.4
Total votes 16,201 100.0
Democratic hold

District 17
Iowa Senate, District 17 General Election, 1978
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Richard Comito 8,691 51.5
Democratic Fred Nolting (incumbent) 8,184 48.5
Total votes 16,875 100.0
Republican gain from Democratic

District 19
Iowa Senate, District 19 Republican Primary Election, 1978
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican John W. Jensen 2,672 60.3
Republican Cliff Burroughs (incumbent) 1,761 39.7
Total votes 4,433 100.0
Iowa Senate, District 19 General Election, 1978
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican John W. Jensen 9,564 61.8
Democratic Jerald Fuerstenberg 5,900 38.2
Total votes 15,464 100.0
Republican hold

District 21
Iowa Senate, District 21 General Election, 1978
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican John S. Murray (incumbent) 11,906 62.7
Democratic Larry N. Larson 7,083 37.3
Total votes 18,989 100.0
Republican hold

District 23
Iowa Senate, District 23 General Election, 1978
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic C. Joseph Coleman (incumbent) 10,388 100.0
Total votes 10,388 100.0
Democratic hold

District 25
Iowa Senate, District 25 General Election, 1978
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Clarence Carney 8,247 55.1
Democratic Fred T. Kelly 6,724 44.9
Total votes 14,971 100.0
Republican hold

District 27
Iowa Senate, District 27 Democratic Primary Election, 1978
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Louis P. Culver (incumbent) 1,436 51.0
Democratic John R. Meyer 1,379 49.0
Total votes 2,815 100.0
Iowa Senate, District 27 General Election, 1978
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Jack W. Hester 8,555 57.3
Democratic Wade Burchett 6,364 42.7
Total votes 14,919 100.0
Republican gain from Democratic

District 29
Iowa Senate, District 29 Democratic Primary Election, 1978
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Norman Rodgers (incumbent) 1,682 55.1
Democratic Barry Piatt 1,369 44.9
Total votes 3,051 100.0
Iowa Senate, District 29 General Election, 1978
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Norman Rodgers (incumbent) 10,641 55.2
Republican Roy W. Meadows 8,649 44.8
Total votes 19,290 100.0
Democratic hold

District 31
Iowa Senate, District 31 General Election, 1978
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Earl Willits (incumbent) 8,349 63.2
Republican Donald Kerr 4,859 36.8
Total votes 13,208 100.0
Democratic hold

District 33
Iowa Senate, District 33 General Election, 1978
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Julia Gentleman 12,736 61.4
Democratic John Dengler 7,078 34.1
Independent Michael Feld 928 4.5
Total votes 20,742 100.0
Republican hold

District 35
Iowa Senate, District 35 Democratic Primary Election, 1978
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Joe Brown 1,285 44.8
Democratic Eugene M. Hill (incumbent) 1,088 37.9
Democratic Arnold Brouwer 495 17.3
Total votes 2,868 100.0
Iowa Senate, District 35 General Election, 1978
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Joe Brown 10,063 56.0
Republican Bart Basche 7,911 44.0
Total votes 17,974 100.0
Democratic hold

District 37
Iowa Senate, District 37 Republican Primary Election, 1978
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Victor V. Woolums II 818 55.3
Republican Bob Baker 662 44.7
Total votes 1,480 100.0
Iowa Senate, District 37 Democratic Primary Election, 1978
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Arthur A. Small 2,502 55.6
Democratic William J. Hargrave, Jr. 1,994 44.4
Total votes 4,496 100.0
Iowa Senate, District 37 General Election, 1978
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Arthur A. Small 10,781 63.6
Republican Victor V. Woolums II 5,817 34.3
Socialist David Manuel 357 2.1
Total votes 16,955 100.0
Democratic hold

District 39
Iowa Senate, District 39 General Election, 1978
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Norman J. Goodwin 9,522 59.4
Democratic Paul R. Willis, Jr. 6,515 40.6
Total votes 16,037 100.0
Republican hold

District 41
Iowa Senate, District 41 Democratic Primary Election, 1978
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Patrick J. Deluhery 1,174 72.2
Democratic Mike Manno 453 27.8
Total votes 1,627 100.0
Iowa Senate, District 41 General Election, 1978
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Patrick J. Deluhery 6,368 57.0
Republican Forrest F. Ashcraft (incumbent) 4,808 43.0
Total votes 11,176 100.0
Democratic gain from Republican

District 43
Iowa Senate, District 43 General Election, 1978
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Lowell Junkins (incumbent) 8,757 63.5
Republican Gordon C. McMillan 5,033 36.5
Total votes 13,790 100.0
Democratic hold

District 45
Iowa Senate, District 45 General Election, 1978
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Sue Yenger 8,387 51.6
Democratic Gene W. Glenn (incumbent) 7,860 48.4
Total votes 16,247 100.0
Republican gain from Democratic

District 47
Iowa Senate, District 47 General Election, 1978
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Dick Ramsey (incumbent) 11,178 60.3
Democratic Rollin C. Bridge 7,369 39.7
Total votes 18,547 100.0
Republican hold

District 49
Iowa Senate, District 49 General Election, 1978
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Calvin Hultman (incumbent) 9,983 66.2
Democratic David Childs 5,087 33.8
Total votes 15,070 100.0
Republican hold

    See also

    References
    1. "Primary Election 1978 Canvass Summary" (PDF). Iowa Secretary of State. Retrieved April 24, 2020.
    2. "General Election 1978 Canvass Summary" (PDF). Iowa Secretary of State. Retrieved April 24, 2020.
    3. "Legislators". Iowa State Senate. Retrieved April 24, 2020.
    This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.