The 1978 Wisconsin gubernatorial election was held on November 7, 1978. Republican Lee S. Dreyfus won the election with 54% of the vote, winning his first term as Governor of Wisconsin and defeating incumbent Democrat Martin J. Schreiber. Bob Kasten unsuccessfully sought the Republican nomination.
As of 2024, this is the last occasion that Florence County has voted Democratic in a gubernatorial election.
The primary election was held on September 12, 1978. Nominees for Governor and Lieutenant Governor were selected in separate primaries before running on a joint ticket in the general election.
Democratic party
Governor
Candidates
Nominee
Martin J. Schreiber, incumbent governor
Eliminated in primary David Carley, nominee for lieutenant governor in 1962 Edmond Hou-Seye, American party nominee for United States Senate in 1970
Results
Lieutenant Governor
Candidates
Nominee
Doug La Follette, Secretary of State of Wisconsin
Eliminated in primary Robert A. Anderson Dale T. McKenna, State senator from the 13th district Paul Offner, State senator from the 32nd district Harout Sanasarian, former state representative Charles E. Smith Monroe Swan, State senator from the 6th district
Results
Republican party
Governor
Candidates
Nominee Lee S. Dreyfus, Chancellor of University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point
Eliminated in primary Robert W. Kasten, member of United States House of Representatives from the 9th district
Results
Lieutenant Governor
Candidates
Nominee
Russell A. Olson, member of Wisconsin State Assembly
Eliminated in primary La Verne Ausman, member of Wisconsin State Assembly
Results
Conservative party
Governor
Candidates Eugene R. Zimmerman, American party nominee for Secretary of State in 1974
Results
Lieutenant Governor
Candidates George Reed, American party nominee for Secretary of State in 1970
Results
Independent nominations
Candidates John C. Doherty & Marion A. Doherty Adrienne Kaplan & William Breihan Henry A. Ochsner & Robert E. Nordlander
Results
General election Candidates Martin J. Schreiber & Douglas J. La Follette, Democrat Lee S. Dreyfus & Russell A. Olson, Republican Eugene R. Zimmerman & George Reed, Conservative John C. Doherty & Marion A. Doherty, Independent Adrienne Kaplan & William Breihan, Independent Henry A. Ochsner & Robert E. Nordlander, Independent
Results
Results by county Dreyfus was the first Republican since Walter J. Kohler Jr. in 1952 to win Forest County, Portage County, and Rusk County. St. Croix County backed the losing candidate for the first time since 1892, breaking a bellwether streak of 40 consecutive gubernatorial elections. Barron County, Buffalo County, Pepin County, and Washburn County would not vote for the losing candidate again until 2018. County Lee S. DreyfusRepublican Martin J. SchreiberDemocratic All OthersVarious Margin Total votes cast # % # % # % # %Adams2,56756.50%1,94142.73%350.77%62613.78%4,543Ashland2,64145.60%3,10853.66%430.74%-467-8.06%5,792Barron4,86849.57%4,90149.91%510.52%-33-0.34%9,820Bayfield2,35444.42%2,88954.52%561.06%-535-10.10%5,299Brown31,61057.19%23,14641.88%5140.93%8,46415.31%55,270Buffalo1,98045.65%2,32953.70%280.65%-349-8.05%4,337Burnett1,93141.33%2,66457.02%771.65%-733-15.69%4,672Calumet5,59357.51%4,09142.07%410.42%1,50215.44%9,725Chippewa7,62455.97%5,88043.17%1180.87%1,74412.80%13,622Clark6,12356.80%4,58342.52%730.68%1,54014.29%10,779Columbia8,37762.09%5,06337.53%520.39%3,31424.56%13,492Crawford2,33252.63%2,07146.74%280.63%2615.89%4,431Dane56,63150.24%54,91648.72%1,1661.03%1,7151.52%112,713Dodge14,28061.89%8,65637.51%1380.60%5,62424.37%23,074Door5,22659.50%3,52040.08%370.42%1,70619.42%8,783Douglas5,50438.94%8,49460.10%1350.96%-2,990-21.16%14,133Dunn4,31746.40%4,82451.85%1631.75%-507-5.45%9,304Eau Claire12,06352.16%10,89847.13%1640.71%1,1655.04%23,125Florence69248.56%72250.67%110.77%-30-2.11%1,425Fond du Lac16,30557.31%11,84841.64%3001.05%4,45715.66%28,453Forest1,65352.08%1,49347.04%280.88%1605.04%3,174Grant8,96359.00%6,13440.38%940.62%2,82918.62%15,191Green5,21159.63%3,49339.97%350.40%1,71819.66%8,739Green Lake4,05669.69%1,73729.85%270.46%2,31939.85%5,820Iowa3,26956.13%2,51943.25%360.62%75012.88%5,824Iron1,29647.81%1,38451.05%311.14%-88-3.25%2,711Jackson3,11858.71%2,15740.61%360.68%96118.09%5,311Jefferson12,25558.59%8,51940.73%1410.67%3,73617.86%20,915Juneau4,35660.91%2,74338.36%520.73%1,61322.56%7,151Kenosha13,51841.36%18,97658.06%1880.58%-5,458-16.70%32,682Kewaunee3,44655.86%2,69043.61%330.53%75612.25%6,169La Crosse15,95456.52%12,05342.70%2180.77%3,90113.82%28,225Lafayette3,37056.19%2,59643.29%310.52%77412.91%5,997Langlade5,21366.01%2,62433.23%600.76%2,58932.78%7,897Lincoln5,83865.77%2,97533.52%630.71%2,86332.26%8,876Manitowoc13,13048.06%13,89850.87%2941.08%-768-2.81%27,322Marathon24,53664.67%12,97334.19%4331.14%11,56330.48%37,942Marinette7,37654.62%6,03044.65%980.73%1,3469.97%13,504Marquette2,42261.36%1,49537.88%300.76%92723.49%3,947Menominee20127.99%51571.73%20.28%-314-43.73%718Milwaukee145,36345.94%168,85453.36%2,2220.70%-23,491-7.42%316,439Monroe5,86865.35%3,06134.09%500.56%2,80731.26%8,979Oconto5,14959.12%3,49740.15%630.72%1,65218.97%8,709Oneida7,81867.98%3,63231.58%500.43%4,18636.40%11,500Outagamie23,54458.89%16,03040.09%4091.02%7,51418.79%39,983Ozaukee17,14567.50%8,16032.12%960.38%8,98535.37%25,401Pepin1,01637.81%1,64761.30%240.89%-631-23.48%2,687Pierce3,46044.25%4,29554.92%650.83%-835-10.68%7,820Polk3,95043.66%5,02755.57%700.77%-1,077-11.90%9,047Portage12,72260.18%8,27239.13%1460.69%4,45021.05%21,140Price3,74064.41%2,02734.91%400.69%1,71329.50%5,807Racine26,74451.62%24,73447.74%3340.64%2,0103.88%51,812Richland3,71260.97%2,34038.44%360.59%1,37222.54%6,088Rock18,83451.24%17,64748.01%2730.74%1,1873.23%36,754Rusk2,51752.13%2,26947.00%420.87%2485.14%4,828Sauk7,86760.46%5,06338.91%820.63%2,80421.55%13,012Sawyer2,44262.76%1,43436.85%150.39%1,00825.91%3,891Shawano7,14563.31%4,09736.30%440.39%3,04827.01%11,286Sheboygan18,93653.30%16,35546.04%2350.66%2,5817.27%35,526St. Croix4,60245.19%5,51554.16%660.65%-913-8.97%10,183Taylor3,39158.62%2,33840.41%560.97%1,05318.20%5,785Trempealeau4,10853.14%3,59546.51%270.35%5136.64%7,730Vernon4,53859.53%3,04839.98%370.49%1,49019.55%7,623Vilas4,61967.54%2,19032.02%300.44%2,42935.52%6,839Walworth12,80863.12%7,38636.40%980.48%5,42226.72%20,292Washburn2,30648.06%2,44751.00%450.94%-141-2.94%4,798Washington15,64560.82%9,95138.69%1270.49%5,69422.14%25,723Waukesha62,06265.53%32,13833.93%5090.54%29,92431.60%94,709Waupaca9,09667.75%4,27331.83%570.42%4,82335.92%13,426Waushara3,79168.39%1,72931.19%230.41%2,06237.20%5,543Winnebago24,87457.24%18,13741.74%4411.01%6,73715.50%43,452Wood14,04560.34%9,07739.00%1550.67%4,96821.34%23,277Total816,05654.37%673,81344.89%11,1270.74%142,2439.48%1,500,996
Counties that flipped from Democratic to Republican Brown Calumet Chippewa Clark Crawford Dane Eau Claire Forest Langlade Lincoln Marathon Marinette Outagamie Ozaukee Portage Price Racine Rock Rusk Sawyer Sheboygan Taylor Trempealeau Washington Waukesha Wood
References