1978 United States Senate election in Delaware
1978 United States Senate election in Delaware
County results State House district results Biden:
50–60% 60–70% 70–80% 80–90%
Baxter: 40–50% 50–60% 60–70%
The 1978 United States Senate election in Delaware was held on November 7, 1978. Incumbent Democratic 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 in which Biden won all counties.
Republican primary
The Republican Party primary was held on September 9, 1978. Venema was previously an independent before declaring himself a candidate in March 1978. Candidates Venema and Baxter were described by The Washington Post 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] desegregation busing activist, president of the Positive Action Committee and the National Association of Neighborhood Schools[ 3] [ 4]
Results
General election
Candidates
James H. Baxter Jr. (R), Sussex County Recorder of Deeds[ 2]
Joe Biden (D), incumbent Delaware Senator running for his first reelectionDonald G. Gies (A), engineer, perennial candidate and officer in the US Air Force Reserve [ 6] [ 7]
Results
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
^ a b Edmonds, Rick (September 9, 1978). "Conservative Rivals Face Delaware Vote" . The Washington Post (Digital). Retrieved February 9, 2023 . ^ a b "James H. Baxter Jr., farmer, politician" . Cape Gazette . Retrieved August 1, 2021 .^ a b "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 .^ a b Wrightson, Lewis. STATE OF DELAWARE: Official Results of General Election (PDF) . p. 12. ^ a b "Our Campaigns - DE US Senate Race - Nov 07, 1978" . www.ourcampaigns.com . Retrieved September 8, 2021 .
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