1978 United States Senate election in Nebraska
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The 1978 United States Senate election in Nebraska was held on November 7, 1978. Incumbent Republican Senator Carl Curtis declined to seek re-election to a fifth term. Governor J. James Exon won the Democratic nomination uncontested and then faced Republican Donald Shasteen, an aide to Senator Curtis, in the general election. Despite nationwide Republican gains, Exon defeated Shasteen in a landslide, picking up the seat. Exon's victory made him the first Democrat to ever win the Class II Senate seat, and the first non-Republican to do so since George W. Norris's victory as an independent in 1936.
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November 7, 1978
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 County results Exon: 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% Shasteen: 50–60% | |||||||||||||||||
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Democratic primary
Candidates
- J. James Exon, Governor of Nebraska
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | J. J. Exon | 127,142 | 99.35% | |
| Democratic | Write-ins | 828 | 0.65% | |
| Total votes | 127,970 | 100.00% | ||
Republican primary
Candidates
- Don Shasteen, aide to outgoing Senator Carl Curtis[2]
- Lenore Etchison, perennial candidate[3]
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Don Shasteen | 129,525 | 78.68% | |
| Republican | Lenore Etchison | 34,916 | 21.21% | |
| Republican | Write-ins | 174 | 0.11% | |
| Total votes | 164,615 | 100.00% | ||
General election
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | J. James Exon | 334,276 | 67.62% | +20.85% | |
| Republican | Donald Shasteen | 159,806 | 32.33% | −20.76% | |
| Write-in | 286 | 0.06% | — | ||
| Majority | 174,470 | 35.29% | +28.97% | ||
| Total votes | 494,368 | 100.00% | |||
| Democratic gain from Republican | |||||