# 1978 Arizona gubernatorial election

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The 1978 Arizona gubernatorial election took place on November 7, 1978, for the post of Governor of Arizona. Democrat Bruce Babbitt defeated Republican nominee Evan Mecham. Babbitt was the former Attorney General of Arizona, but after the death of Governor Wesley Bolin, Babbit became governor. Bolin himself ascended to office from the position of Secretary of State, meaning his replacement, Rose Mofford was not eligible to the office as she was not elected. This drama of exchanging office would continue after Babbitt's term came to an end, as Mofford would become governor and succeeded Evan Mecham, Babbitt's challenger, in 1988.
Until 2022, this was the last gubernatorial election where a Democratic governor was elected during the tenure of a Democratic president.

## Democratic primary
### Candidates

* Bruce Babbitt, incumbent Governor
* Dave Moss, perennial candidate

#### Withdrew

* Bill Schulz, businessman (endorsed Babbitt)

### Results

Democratic primary results :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Bruce Babbitt (incumbent) | 108,548 | 76.80% |
| | Democratic | Dave Moss | 32,785 | 23.20% |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 141,333 | 100.00% |

## Republican primary
### Candidates

* Charles King
* Jack Londen, businessman
* Evan Mecham, perennial candidate

### Results

Republican primary results :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Evan Mecham | 50,713 | 44.07% |
| | Republican | Jack Londen | 40,116 | 34.86% |
| | Republican | Charles King | 24,253 | 21.08% |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 115,082 | 100.00% |

## General election
### Results

Arizona gubernatorial election, 1978 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Democratic | Bruce Babbitt (incumbent) | 282,605 | 52.47% | +2.06% |
| | Republican | Evan Mecham | 241,093 | 44.77% | −4.79% |
| | Libertarian | V. Gene Lewter | 10,421 | 1.93% | +1.93% |
| | Socialist Workers | Jessica Sampson | 4,437 | 0.82% | +0.82% |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 41,512 | 7.71% | |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 538,556 | 100.00% | |
| | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Swing | +6.86% | |

### Results by county

| County | Bruce Babbitt Democratic | Bruce Babbitt Democratic | Evan Mecham Republican | Evan Mecham Republican | V. Gene Lewter Libertarian | V. Gene Lewter Libertarian | Jessica Sampson Socialist Workers | Jessica Sampson Socialist Workers | Margin | Margin | Total votes cast |
| County | # | % | # | % | # | % | # | % | # | % | Total votes cast |
| Apache | 4,498 | 67.90% | 1,761 | 26.59% | 196 | 2.96% | 169 | 2.55% | 2,737 | 41.32% | 6,624 |
| Cochise | 8,963 | 57.96% | 6,251 | 40.42% | 94 | 0.61% | 157 | 1.02% | 2,712 | 17.54% | 15,465 |
| Coconino | 10,446 | 67.74% | 4,411 | 28.60% | 388 | 2.52% | 176 | 1.14% | 6,035 | 39.13% | 15,421 |
| Gila | 5,715 | 59.39% | 3,668 | 38.12% | 160 | 1.66% | 80 | 0.83% | 2,047 | 21.27% | 9,623 |
| Graham | 2,565 | 44.41% | 3,085 | 53.41% | 63 | 1.09% | 63 | 1.09% | -520 | -9.00% | 5,776 |
| Greenlee | 2,229 | 69.25% | 917 | 28.49% | 31 | 0.96% | 42 | 1.30% | 1,312 | 40.76% | 3,219 |
| Maricopa | 141,177 | 46.82% | 151,079 | 50.10% | 6,982 | 2.32% | 2,291 | 0.76% | -9,902 | -3.28% | 301,529 |
| Mohave | 6,042 | 48.24% | 6,133 | 48.96% | 277 | 2.21% | 74 | 0.59% | -91 | -0.73% | 12,526 |
| Navajo | 6,269 | 56.47% | 4,518 | 40.70% | 179 | 1.61% | 136 | 1.23% | 1,751 | 15.77% | 11,102 |
| Pima | 67,904 | 64.03% | 36,197 | 34.13% | 1,165 | 1.10% | 785 | 0.74% | 31,707 | 29.90% | 106,051 |
| Pinal | 9,064 | 54.42% | 7,151 | 42.93% | 284 | 1.70% | 158 | 0.95% | 1,913 | 11.48% | 16,657 |
| Santa Cruz | 2,814 | 68.28% | 1,229 | 29.82% | 33 | 0.80% | 45 | 1.09% | 1,585 | 38.46% | 4,121 |
| Yavapai | 8,386 | 46.85% | 8,978 | 50.16% | 408 | 2.28% | 126 | 0.70% | -592 | -3.31% | 17,898 |
| Yuma | 6,533 | 52.08% | 5,715 | 45.56% | 161 | 1.28% | 135 | 1.08% | 818 | 6.52% | 12,544 |
| Totals | 282,605 | 52.47% | 241,093 | 44.77% | 10,421 | 1.93% | 4,437 | 0.82% | 41,512 | 7.71% | 538,556 |

#### Counties that flipped from Republican to Democratic

* Yuma

#### Counties that flipped from Democratic to Republican

* Mohave