1978 United States Senate election in Delaware
The 1978 United States Senate election in Delaware was held on November 7, 1978. Incumbent Democratic United States 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 that Biden won all counties.
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70–80%
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Incumbent Tenure
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Republican primary
The Republican Party primary would be held on September 9, 1978. Venema was previously an independent before declaring himself a candidate in March 1978. Both 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 advocate, 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
- Joe Biden (D), incumbent Delaware Senator running for his first reelection
- James H. Baxter Jr. (R), Sussex County Recorder of Deeds[2]
- 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
- Edmonds, Rick (September 9, 1978). "Conservative Rivals Face Delaware Vote". The Washington Post (Digital). Retrieved February 9, 2023.
- "James H. Baxter Jr., farmer, politician". Cape Gazette. August 13, 2018. Retrieved August 1, 2021.
- "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.
- Wrightson, Lewis. STATE OF DELAWARE: Official Results of General Election (PDF). p. 12.
- "Our Campaigns - DE US Senate Race - Nov 07, 1978". www.ourcampaigns.com. Retrieved September 8, 2021.
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