The 1978 New Mexico gubernatorial election took place on November 7, 1978, in order to elect the Governor of New Mexico. Due to term limits, incumbent Democrat Jerry Apodaca was ineligible to seek a second term as governor. Bruce King, a member of the Democratic Party who had previously served as governor from 1971 to 1975, won the open seat. With a margin of victory of just 1.09%, this was the second closest contest of the 1978 cycle, behind only the election in Texas.

Primary election Democratic primary The Democratic primary was won by former Governor Bruce King.

Results

Republican primary The Republican primary was won by former state senator Joe Skeen.

Results

General election

Results

Results by county County Bruce KingDemocratic Joe SkeenRepublican Margin Total votes cast # % # % # %Bernalillo55,44848.26%59,44351.74%-3,995-3.48%114,891Catron64949.13%67250.87%-23-1.74%1,321Chaves5,13433.94%9,99166.06%-4,857-32.11%15,125Colfax2,18753.12%1,93046.88%2576.24%4,117Curry4,05448.51%4,30351.49%-249-2.98%8,357De Baca52152.31%47547.69%464.62%996Doña Ana9,53945.12%11,60354.88%-2,064-9.76%21,142Eddy7,41954.02%6,31445.98%1,1058.05%13,733Grant4,62459.74%3,11640.26%1,50819.48%7,740Guadalupe1,59169.72%69130.28%90039.44%2,282Harding25941.77%36158.23%-102-16.45%620Hidalgo76654.36%64345.64%1238.73%1,409Lea4,66544.48%5,82455.52%-1,159-11.05%10,489Lincoln1,00929.46%2,41670.54%-1,407-41.08%3,425Los Alamos2,34932.65%4,84567.35%-2,496-34.70%7,194Luna2,11745.29%2,55754.71%-440-9.41%4,674McKinley5,24459.29%3,60040.71%1,64418.59%8,844Mora1,49462.07%91337.93%58124.14%2,407Otero4,14044.43%5,17855.57%-1,038-11.14%9,318Quay1,63247.65%1,79352.35%-161-4.70%3,425Rio Arriba7,10668.78%3,22631.22%3,88037.55%10,332Roosevelt1,79336.87%3,07063.13%-1,277-26.26%4,863San Juan6,86644.31%8,63155.69%-1,765-11.39%15,497San Miguel4,72962.29%2,86337.71%1,86624.58%7,592Sandoval5,30359.77%3,57040.23%1,73319.53%8,873Santa Fe14,08060.44%9,21739.56%4,86320.87%23,297Sierra1,48647.66%1,63252.34%-146-4.68%3,118Socorro2,52457.39%1,87442.61%65014.78%4,398Taos4,41866.07%2,26933.93%2,14932.14%6,687Torrance1,85862.06%1,13637.94%72224.11%2,994Union70441.46%99458.54%-290-17.08%1,698Valencia8,92361.03%5,69838.97%3,22522.06%14,621Total174,63150.55%170,84849.45%3,7831.10%345,479

Counties that flipped from Republican to Democratic Colfax De Baca Hidalgo Torrance

Counties that flipped from Democratic to Republican Doña Ana

References