1978 Maryland Senate election
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All 47 seats in the Maryland Senate 24 seats needed for a majority | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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The 1978 Maryland Senate election was held on November 7, 1978, to determine which party would control the Maryland Senate for the following four years. All 47 seats were up for election and the primary was held on September 12, 1978. Prior to the election, 39 seats were held by Democrats and 8 seats were held by Republicans. The general election saw the Democrats expand their majority by a single seat.[1][2]
Democrats
- District 7: Donald P. Hutchinson retired to run for Baltimore County Executive.
- District 8: Roy N. Staten retired.
- District 13: John C. Coolahan retired.
- District 17: Charles W. Gilchrist retired to run for Montgomery County Executive.
- District 22: Meyer M. Emanuel Jr. retired.
- District 26: Steny Hoyer retired to run for lieutenant governor of Maryland alongside Blair Lee III.
- District 32: Alfred J. Lipin retired.
- District 34: Elroy G. Boyer retired.
Republicans
- District 5: C. A. Porter Hopkins retired.
- District 16: Newton I. Steers Jr. retired.
Incumbents defeated
In primary
Democrats
- District 19: C. Lawrence Wiser lost renomination to Sidney Kramer.
- District 36: E. Homer White Jr. lost renomination to Joseph J. Long Sr.
Closest races
Seats where the margin of victory was under 10%:
- District 16, 0.78%
- District 30, 3.22%
- District 5, 9.48% (gain)
Results
District 1
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Edward J. Mason (incumbent) | 13,981 | 55.27% | |
| Democratic | Philip T. Carolan | 11,313 | 44.73% | |
| Total votes | 25,294 | 100.0% | ||
| Republican hold | ||||
District 2
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Victor Cushwa (incumbent) | 15,338 | 100.0% | |
| Total votes | 15,338 | 100.0% | ||
| Democratic hold | ||||
District 3
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Edward P. Thomas Jr. (incumbent) | 11,281 | 100.0% | |
| Total votes | 11,281 | 100.0% | ||
| Republican hold | ||||
District 4
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Charles H. Smelser (incumbent) | 16,453 | 100.0% | |
| Total votes | 16,453 | 100.0% | ||
| Democratic hold | ||||
District 5
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Francis X. Kelly | 16,256 | 54.74% | |
| Republican | George A. Price | 13,439 | 45.26% | |
| Total votes | 29,695 | 100.0% | ||
| Democratic gain from Republican | ||||
District 6
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Arthur Henry Helton Jr. (incumbent) | 15,152 | 100.0% | |
| Total votes | 15,152 | 100.0% | ||
| Democratic hold | ||||
District 7
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Dennis F. Rasmussen | 16,446 | 76.72% | |
| Republican | Leonard A. Kraus | 4,991 | 23.28% | |
| Total votes | 21,437 | 100.0% | ||
| Democratic hold | ||||
District 8
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Patrick T. Welsh | 15,295 | 87.35% | |
| Republican | Bob H. Estes | 2,214 | 12.65% | |
| Total votes | 17,509 | 100.0% | ||
| Democratic hold | ||||
District 9
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Norman R. Stone Jr. (incumbent) | 17,445 | 100.0% | |
| Total votes | 17,445 | 100.0% | ||
| Democratic hold | ||||
District 10
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | John J. Bishop Jr. (incumbent) | 15,205 | 60.98% | |
| Democratic | David J. Preller | 9,729 | 39.02% | |
| Total votes | 24,934 | 100.0% | ||
| Republican hold | ||||
District 11
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Robert E. Stroble (incumbent) | 14,112 | 61.24% | |
| Democratic | Roy E. Estes | 8,931 | 38.76% | |
| Total votes | 23,043 | 100.0% | ||
| Republican hold | ||||
District 12
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Melvin Steinberg (incumbent) | 22,223 | 82.01% | |
| Republican | Harvey T. Galonoy | 4,874 | 17.99% | |
| Total votes | 27,097 | 100.0% | ||
| Democratic hold | ||||
District 13
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Timothy R. Hickman | 15,803 | 100.0% | |
| Total votes | 15,803 | 100.0% | ||
| Democratic hold | ||||
District 14
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | James Clark Jr. (incumbent) | 28,909 | 100.0% | |
| Total votes | 28,909 | 100.0% | ||
| Democratic hold | ||||
District 15
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Laurence Levitan (incumbent) | 16,507 | 48.00% | |
| Republican | John Henry Hiser Jr. | 13,693 | 39.81% | |
| Independent | Bette Marshall | 4,194 | 12.19% | |
| Total votes | 34,394 | 100.0% | ||
| Democratic hold | ||||
District 16
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Howard A. Denis | 13,558 | 50.39% | |
| Democratic | Joseph D. Gebhardt | 13,347 | 49.61% | |
| Total votes | 26,905 | 100.0% | ||
| Republican hold | ||||
District 17
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | S. Frank Shore | 12,113 | 56.48% | |
| Republican | Albert E. Nunn | 9,335 | 43.52% | |
| Total votes | 21,448 | 100.0% | ||
| Democratic hold | ||||
District 18
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Margaret Schweinhaut (incumbent) | 16,359 | 71.94% | |
| Republican | Donald H. Dalton | 6,382 | 28.06% | |
| Total votes | 22,741 | 100.0% | ||
| Democratic hold | ||||
District 19
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Sidney Kramer | 17,332 | 100.0% | |
| Total votes | 17,332 | 100.0% | ||
| Democratic hold | ||||
District 20
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Victor L. Crawford (incumbent) | 11,638 | 100.0% | |
| Total votes | 11,638 | 100.0% | ||
| Democratic hold | ||||
District 21
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Arthur Dorman (incumbent) | 10,315 | 61.45% | |
| Republican | Julia Brown | 6,470 | 38.55% | |
| Total votes | 16,785 | 100.0% | ||
| Democratic hold | ||||
District 22
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | John J. Garrity | 9,938 | 100.0% | |
| Total votes | 9,938 | 100.0% | ||
| Democratic hold | ||||
District 23
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Thomas Patrick O'Reilly (incumbent) | 9,192 | 70.08% | |
| Republican | Richard Anthony Blancato | 3,924 | 29.92% | |
| Total votes | 13,116 | 100.0% | ||
| Democratic hold | ||||
District 24
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Edward T. Conroy (incumbent) | 15,072 | 100.0% | |
| Total votes | 15,072 | 100.0% | ||
| Democratic hold | ||||
District 25
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Tommie Broadwater (incumbent) | 5,542 | 62.07% | |
| Republican | Joseph M. Parker | 3,386 | 37.93% | |
| Total votes | 8,928 | 100.0% | ||
| Democratic hold | ||||
District 26
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | B. W. Mike Donovan | 7,362 | 100.0% | |
| Total votes | 7,362 | 100.0% | ||
| Democratic hold | ||||
District 27
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Peter A. Bozick (incumbent) | 9,150 | 100.0% | |
| Total votes | 9,150 | 100.0% | ||
| Democratic hold | ||||
District 28
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Thomas V. Miller Jr. (incumbent) | 11,846 | 72.44% | |
| Republican | Ray Velasquez | 4,506 | 27.56% | |
| Total votes | 16,352 | 100.0% | ||
| Democratic hold | ||||
District 29
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | James C. Simpson (incumbent) | 15,433 | 100.0% | |
| Total votes | 15,433 | 100.0% | ||
| Democratic hold | ||||
District 30
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Edward T. Hall (incumbent) | 11,639 | 51.61% | |
| Democratic | George M. Nutwell | 10,913 | 48.39% | |
| Total votes | 22,552 | 100.0% | ||
| Republican hold | ||||
District 31
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Jerome F. Connell Sr. (incumbent) | 11,413 | 56.64% | |
| Republican | Gary Q. Green | 8,737 | 43.36% | |
| Total votes | 20,150 | 100.0% | ||
| Democratic hold | ||||
District 32
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | H. Erle Schafer | 12,332 | 67.75% | |
| Republican | Richard L. Stack | 5,871 | 32.25% | |
| Total votes | 18,203 | 100.0% | ||
| Democratic hold | ||||
District 33
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | John A. Cade (incumbent) | 14,179 | 65.73% | |
| Democratic | Darrell L. Henry | 7,392 | 34.27% | |
| Total votes | 21,571 | 100.0% | ||
| Republican hold | ||||
District 34
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Walter M. Baker | 12,519 | 57.24% | |
| Republican | Peter K. Monk | 9,352 | 42.76% | |
| Total votes | 21,871 | 100.0% | ||
| Democratic hold | ||||
District 35
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Frederick Malkus (incumbent) | 15,209 | 100.0% | |
| Total votes | 15,209 | 100.0% | ||
| Democratic hold | ||||
District 36
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Joseph J. Long Sr. | 17,952 | 75.05% | |
| Republican | Noah Ames Pennewell | 5,968 | 24.95% | |
| Total votes | 23,920 | 100.0% | ||
| Democratic hold | ||||
District 37
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Harry J. McGuirk (incumbent) | 7,930 | 100.0% | |
| Total votes | 7,930 | 100.0% | ||
| Democratic hold | ||||
District 38
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Clarence Mitchell III (incumbent) | 7,150 | 100.0% | |
| Total votes | 7,150 | 100.0% | ||
| Democratic hold | ||||
District 39
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Julian L. Lapides (incumbent) | 10,625 | 100.0% | |
| Total votes | 10,625 | 100.0% | ||
| Democratic hold | ||||
District 40
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Verda Welcome (incumbent) | 9,389 | 100.0% | |
| Total votes | 9,389 | 100.0% | ||
| Democratic hold | ||||
District 41
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Clarence W. Blount (incumbent) | 9,849 | 100.0% | |
| Total votes | 9,849 | 100.0% | ||
| Democratic hold | ||||
District 42
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Rosalie Silber Abrams (incumbent) | 16,617 | 100.0% | |
| Total votes | 16,617 | 100.0% | ||
| Democratic hold | ||||
District 43
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | J. Joseph Curran Jr. (incumbent) | 15,431 | 100.0% | |
| Total votes | 15,431 | 100.0% | ||
| Democratic hold | ||||
District 44
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | John Carroll Byrnes (incumbent) | 14,898 | 100.0% | |
| Total votes | 14,898 | 100.0% | ||
| Democratic hold | ||||
District 45
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Robert Douglass (incumbent) | 6,893 | 100.0% | |
| Total votes | 6,893 | 100.0% | ||
| Democratic hold | ||||
District 46
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Joseph S. Bonvegna (incumbent) | 13,034 | 100.0% | |
| Total votes | 13,034 | 100.0% | ||
| Democratic hold | ||||
District 47
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Cornell N. Dypski (incumbent) | 11,872 | 100.0% | |
| Total votes | 11,872 | 100.0% | ||
| Democratic hold | ||||
References
- ↑ "Maryland manual 1979-1980" (PDF). maryland.gov. 1980. Retrieved 2025-11-27.
- ↑ "Archives of Maryland Historical List Senate, 1777-". maryland.gov. March 15, 2000. Retrieved 2025-11-27.
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See also: Political party strength in Maryland | |||||||||||||||||||
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