# 1978 Alabama gubernatorial election

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vte :
The 1978 Alabama gubernatorial election took place on November 7, 1978, to elect the governor of Alabama. Fob James, a businessman who had switched from the Republican Party to the Democratic Party and campaigned as a "born-again Democrat", won the Democratic primary in an upset over Attorney General Bill Baxley. He went on to defeat Guy Hunt in a landslide in the general election. Incumbent Democrat George Wallace was term limited and could not seek a third consecutive term; he later successfully ran again in 1982.
Hunt was the first Republican to win Cullman County since Reconstruction.

## Democratic primary
### Candidates

* Bill Baxley, Attorney General of Alabama
* Jere Beasley, Lieutenant Governor
* Albert Brewer, former Governor
* Jim Folsom, former Governor
* K. C. Foster
* Horace Howell
* Fob James, businessman
* Sid McDonald, State Senator
* Bob Muncaster
* Shorty Price, perennial candidate
* Fred Sandefer
* Cornelia Wallace, former First Lady of Alabama
* Charles Woods, businessman and perennial candidate

### Results

Despite entering the race as a former Republican with low name identification and little political experience, by the time of the primary, James led Baxley, Beasley, and Brewer, who were considered the main contenders, in the polls. James placed first in the primary, followed by Baxley. Fob James then won the primary runoff against Bill Baxley.
Democratic primary results :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Fob James | 256,196 | 28.47 |
| | Democratic | Bill Baxley | 210,089 | 23.35 |
| | Democratic | Albert Brewer | 193,479 | 21.50 |
| | Democratic | Sid McDonald | 143,930 | 15.99 |
| | Democratic | Jere Beasley | 77,202 | 8.58 |
| | Democratic | K. C. Foster | 4,948 | 0.55 |
| | Democratic | Horace Howell | 4,730 | 0.53 |
| | Democratic | Jim Folsom | 4,632 | 0.52 |
| | Democratic | Bob Muncaster | 1,776 | 0.20 |
| | Democratic | Shorty Price | 1,396 | 0.16 |
| | Democratic | Charles Woods | 700 | 0.08 |
| | Democratic | Fred Sandefer | 622 | 0.07 |
| | Democratic | Cornelia Wallace | 217 | 0.02 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 899,917 | 100 |
Democratic runoff results :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Fob James | 515,520 | 55.17 |
| | Democratic | Bill Baxley | 418,932 | 44.83 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 934,452 | 100 |

## Republican primary
### Candidates

* Guy Hunt, former Cullman County Probate Judge

### Results

Republican primary results :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Guy Hunt | 21,499 | 83.17 |
| | Republican | Bert Hayes | 2,817 | 10.90 |
| | Republican | Julian Elgin | 1,534 | 5.93 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 25,850 | 100 |

## General election
### Results

1978 Alabama gubernatorial election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Fob James | 551,786 | 72.59 |
| | Republican | Guy Hunt | 196,693 | 25.88 |
| | Prohibition | Jim Partain | 8,103 | 1.07 |
| | Independent | Richard Dare | 3,522 | 0.46 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 760,104 | 100 |
| | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold |
Fob James won all but two counties: Cullman, where Hunt had been Probate Judge; and Winston, a traditionally Republican stronghold.