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The 1978 Idaho gubernatorial election was held on Tuesday, November 7, and incumbent Democrat John Evans defeated Republican nominee Allan Larsen with 58.75% of the vote.[1][2][3] It was the third consecutive win for the Democrats (1970, 1974, 1978), but the only significant victory for the party in Idaho in 1978.[3]
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County results Evans: 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% Larsen: 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% | |||||||||||||||||
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Primary elections were held on Tuesday, August 8, 1978.[4][5][6]
Evans ran unopposed in the Democratic primary.[5][6][7] Elected lieutenant governor in 1974, he succeeded Cecil Andrus in January 1977,[8][9] who left to become U.S. Secretary of the Interior in the new Carter Administration.[10]
Entering the primary, Vern Ravenscroft and Butch Otter were the apparent front runners,[11][12] but were upset by Larsen.[5][7]
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Republican | Allan Larsen | 33,778 | 28.73 | |
Republican | Vern Ravenscroft | 32,455 | 27.61 | |
Republican | Butch Otter | 30,523 | 25.97 | |
Republican | Larry Jackson | 13,510 | 11.49 | |
Republican | James Crowe | 4,447 | 3.78 | |
Republican | Jay S. Amyx | 2,842 | 2.42 | |
Total votes | 117,555 | 100.00 |
The election was notable as it was the first time Idaho elected a governor from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Both major candidates were members,[19] and through 2023, Evans remains the only Mormon to be elected governor in the state.
Major party candidates
Other candidates
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Democratic | John Evans (incumbent) | 169,540 | 58.75% | ||
Republican | Allan Larsen | 114,149 | 39.56% | ||
American | Wayne Loveless | 4,877 | 1.69% | ||
Majority | 55,391 | ||||
Turnout | 288,566 | ||||
Democratic hold | Swing |
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