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1978 United States Senate election in New Jersey

← 1972 November 7, 1978 1984 →

Nominee Bill Bradley Jeff Bell Party Democratic Republican Popular vote 1,082,960 844,200 Percentage 55.32% 43.13%

County results Bradley:      50–60%      60–70%      70–80% Bell:      40–50%      50–60%

U.S. senator before election Clifford P. Case Republican Elected U.S. Senator Bill Bradley Democratic

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v t e

The 1978 United States Senate election in New Jersey was held on November 7, 1978. Incumbent Senator Clifford P. Case ran for re-election to a fifth term in office, narrowly losing the Republican primary by anti-tax conservative Jeff Bell, who lost the general election to Democrat Bill Bradley. Bell was the unsuccessful Republican nominee for this seat again in 2014.

Primary elections were held on June 6, 1978. This was the first time Democrats won this seat since 1936, and the first time since 1938 that Democrats held both seats in the state.

Republican primary

Candidates

• Jeff Bell, political aide and speechwriter for Ronald Reagan's 1976 presidential campaign
• Clifford P. Case, incumbent U.S. Senator

Results

Democratic primary

Candidates

• Wesley K. Bell, former Mayor of Stafford Township
• Bill Bradley, former professional basketball player
• Richard Leone, former New Jersey State Treasurer
• Alexander J. Menza, State Senator from Hillside
• Kenneth C. McCarthy
• Ray Rollinson

Results

General election

Candidates

• Jeff Bell, political aide and speechwriter for Ronald Reagan's 1976 presidential campaign (Republican)
• Robert Bowen (Labor)
• Bill Bradley, former professional basketball player (Democratic)
• J.M. Carter (God We Trust)
• Alice Conner (Socialist Workers)
• Bill Gahres (Down With Lawyers)
• Paul Ferguson (Socialist Labor)
• Jasper C. Gould (Independent)
• Jack Moyers (Libertarian)
• Herbert H. Shaw, perennial candidate (Politicians are Crooks)
• William R. Thorn (Independent)

Polling

1. Key:
   A – all adults
   RV – registered voters
   LV – likely voters
   V – unclear

with Case

with Bell

1. ^ Key:
   A – all adults
   RV – registered voters
   LV – likely voters
   V – unclear

Results

1978 United States Senate election in New Jersey

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Democratic	Bill Bradley	1,082,960	55.32%	20.81
	Republican	Jeff Bell	844,200	43.13%	19.33
	Independent	Herbert H. Shaw	4,736	0.24%	N/A
	Independent	Bill Gahres	3,817	0.20%	N/A
	Libertarian	Jack Moyers	3,809	0.20%	N/A
	U.S. Labor	Robert Bowen	3,656	0.19%	N/A
	Independent	J.M. Carter	3,618	0.19%	N/A
	Independent	Jasper C. Gould	2,955	0.15%	N/A
	Independent	William R. Thorn	2,776	0.14%	N/A
	Socialist Labor	Paul Ferguson	2,604	0.13%	0.23
	Socialist Workers	Alice Conner	2,384	0.12%	N/A
Total votes			1,957,515	100.00%
	Democratic gain from Republican

References

1. ^ "1978 Primary Election Results" (PDF). Secretary of State of New Jersey. 1978. Archived from the original (PDF) on July 21, 2013. Retrieved November 12, 2018.
2. ^ Rutgers-Eagleton
3. "1978 General Election Results" (PDF). Secretary of State of New Jersey. 1978. Archived from the original (PDF) on March 5, 2016. Retrieved November 12, 2018.

• United States Senate elections in New Jersey
• 1978 United States Senate elections
• 1978 New Jersey elections