United States Senate election in South Carolina, 1978

Elections in South Carolina
Federal government Presidential elections 1984 1988 1992 1996 2000 2004 2008 2012 Presidential primaries Democratic 2004 2008 Republican 2000 2008 2012 United States Senate elections 1896 1902 1908 1912 1914 1918 1920 1924 1926 1930 1932 1936 1938 1942 1944 1948 1950 1954 1956 1960 1962 1966 1968 1972 1974 1978 1980 1984 1986 1990 1992 1996 1998 2002 2004 2008 2010 2014 2016 United States House elections 1788 1870 1872 1874 1876 1878 1880 1882 1884 1886 1888 1890 1892 1894 1896 1898 1900 1902 1904 1906 1908 1910 1912 1914 1916 1918 1920 1922 1924 1926 1928 1930 1932 1934 1936 1938 1940 1942 1944 1946 1948 1950 1952 1954 1956 1958 1960 1962 1964 1966 1968 1970 1972 1974 1976 1978 1980 1982 1984 1986 1988 1990 1992 1994 1996 1998 2000 2002 2004 2006 2008 2010 2012 2014 Special elections Senate, 1897 7th district, 1901 4th district, 1915 Senate, 1918 6th district, 1919 7th district, 1919 Senate, 1941 4th district, 1953 1st district, 1971 2nd district, 2001 1st district, 2013 Senate, 2014 Others
State offices General elections 2006 2010 2014 Gubernatorial elections 1865 1868 1870 1872 1874 1876 1878 1880 1882 1884 1886 1888 1890 1892 1894 1896 1898 1900 1902 1904 1906 1908 1910 1912 1914 1916 1918 1920 1922 1924 1926 1930 1934 1938 1942 1946 1950 1954 1958 1962 1966 1970 1974 1978 1982 1986 1990 1994 1998 2002 2006 2010 2014 State Senate elections 2008 State House elections 2008
Ballot measures 2006 (Amendment 1) 2008 2010 2012 2014

Strom Thurmond

The 1978 South Carolina United States Senate election was held on November 7, 1978 to select the U.S. Senator from the state of South Carolina. Popular incumbent Republican Senator Strom Thurmond defeated Democratic challenger Charles D. Ravenel.

Democratic primary

The South Carolina Democratic Party held their primary for governor on June 13, 1978. Charles D. Ravenel, an unsuccessful candidate in the 1974 gubernatorial contest, originally planned to run for Governor again in 1978, but was convinced by Vice President Walter Mondale in 1977 to run for Senator. He garnered over 50% of the vote in the primary and avoided a runoff election.

Republican primary

Senator Strom Thurmond faced no opposition from South Carolina Republicans and avoided a primary election.

General election campaign

Thurmond generally ignored Ravenel on the campaign and refused to debate him. When they did cross paths, Thurmond criticized Ravenel for never having held a political office. Ravenel did not help his cause by his actions in the 1974 gubernatorial race when he refused to endorse the Democratic nominee after he had been disqualified. This irritated many Democrats and they also accused him of being nothing more than a liberal New Yorker. Age was beginning to become an issue with Thurmond, so to combat perceptions of old age, Thurmond often appeared with his children on the campaign trail. While 1978 was generally a Democratic year, Thurmond was able to pull off a commanding victory over Ravenel.

Election results

See also

• List of United States Senators from South Carolina
• United States Senate elections, 1978
• South Carolina gubernatorial election, 1978

References

• Bass, Jack; Marilyn W. Thompson (1998). Ol' Strom: An Unauthorized Biography of Strom Thurmond. Longstreet. pp. 290–292. 
• State Election Commission (1979). Report of the South Carolina State Election Commission. Columbia, SC: State Election Commission. p. 54. 
• "Challenging a Southern Legend". Time. 1978-10-16. Retrieved 2008-02-09.