1978 Maine gubernatorial election
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 County results Brennan: 40–50% 50–60% Palmer: 30–40% 40–50% 50–60% | |||||||||||||||||||||
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The 1978 Maine gubernatorial election took place on November 7, 1978. Incumbent Independent Governor James B. Longley had promised to not seek a second term when he was elected in 1974, and held true to his pledge. Attorney General Joseph E. Brennan of the Democratic Party defeated both challenger Republican Linwood E. Palmer Jr. and right-wing independent candidate Herman Frankland. Richard Carey unsuccessfully ran for the Democratic nomination, while Charles Cragin unsuccessfully ran for the Republican nomination.
Democratic primary
Candidates
- Joseph E. Brennan, Maine Attorney General, of Portland
- Richard Carey, state representative, of Waterville
- Philip L. Merrill, state senator, of Portland
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Joseph E. Brennan | 38,631 | 52.19 | |
| Democratic | Philip L. Merrill | 26,803 | 36.21 | |
| Democratic | Richard Carey | 8,588 | 11.60 | |
| Total votes | 74,022 | 100.00 | ||
Republican primary
Candidates
- Charles Cragin, attorney, of Falmouth
- Linwood E. Palmer Jr., state representative, of Nobleboro
- Jerrold Speers, state senator, of Winthrop
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Linwood E. Palmer Jr. | 35,976 | 48.73 | |
| Republican | Charles Cragin | 28,244 | 38.26 | |
| Republican | Jerrold Speers | 9,603 | 13.01 | |
| Total votes | 73,826 | 100.00 | ||
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Joseph Brennan | 176,493 | 47.80% | − | |
| Republican | Linwood E. Palmer Jr. | 126,862 | 34.36% | − | |
| Independent | Herman C. Frankland | 65,889 | 17.84% | − | |
| Majority | 49,631 | 13.44% | |||
| Democratic gain from Independent | Swing | ||||
Notes
- ISBN 978-1-56802-981-8. Retrieved May 6, 2009.
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