United States Senate election in Minnesota, 1978

United States Senate election in Minnesota, 1978

November 7, 1978

Nominee Rudy Boschwitz Wendell Anderson Party Independent-Republican DFL Popular vote 894,092 638,375 Percentage 56.57% 40.39%

U.S. Senator before election Wendell Anderson DFL Elected U.S. Senator Rudy Boschwitz Independent-Republican

Elections in Minnesota
General elections 2006 2008 2010 2012 2014 2016 2018
Federal elections Presidential elections 1900 1904 1908 1912 1916 1920 1924 1928 1932 1936 1940 1944 1948 1952 1956 1960 1964 1968 1972 1976 1980 1984 1988 1992 1996 2000 2004 2008 2012 2016 2020 Senate elections Class 1 1982 1988 1994 2000 2006 2012 2018 Class 2 1978 1984 1990 1996 2002 2008 2014 2020 House of Representatives elections 2000 2002 2004 2006 2008 2010 2012 2014 2016 2018
State executive elections Gubernatorial elections 1857 1859 1861 1863 1865 1867 1869 1871 1873 1875 1877 1879 1881 1883 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 1966 1970 1974 1978 1982 1986 1990 1994 1998 2002 2006 2010 2014 2018 Lieutenant gubernatorial elections 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 1966 1970 Secretary of State elections 2010 2014 2018 State Auditor elections 2006 2010 2014 2018 Attorney General elections 2010 2014 2018
State legislative elections Senate elections 1976 1980 1982 1986 1990 1992 1996 2000 2002 2006 2010 2012 2016 2020 House of Representatives elections 1974 1976 1978 1980 1982 1984 1986 1988 1990 1992 1994 1996 1998 2000 2002 2004 2006 2008 2010 2012 2014 2016 2018 Special elections Senate House of Representatives
Ballot questions 2012 Amendment 1 Amendment 2
Minneapolis General elections 2005 2009 2013 2017 Mayoral elections 2009 2013 2017 City Council elections 2009 2013 2017 Board of Estimate and Taxation elections 2009 2013 Park and Recreation Board elections 2009 2013
Saint Paul Mayoral elections 2005 2009 2013

The 1978 United States Senate election in Minnesota was held on November 7, 1978. Incumbent Democratic U.S. Senator Wendell Anderson was defeated by Republican challenger Rudy Boschwitz.

Major Candidates

Democratic

Wendell Anderson, Incumbent U.S. Senator since 1976

Republican

Rudy Boschwitz, Businessman

Race Description

In 1978, all three key statewide races in Minnesota were up for election -- the Governorship, and both Senate Seats (the other Senate seat belonged to Hubert Humphrey, who died in 1978). But, there was a particular oddity to the three races -- all three had incumbents who were never elected to the office in the first place. This became a well played issue by the Republicans -- a billboard put up across the state read, "The DFL is going to face something scary -- an election".

When Walter Mondale ascended to the Vice Presidency in 1976, sitting Governor Wendell Anderson appointed himself to the open seat. This act did not sit well with the electorate. Plywood magnate Rudy Boschwitz campaigned as a liberal Republican and spent freely of his own money, but all that seemed to really matter was that he was neither a DFLer or Wendell Anderson in an election cycle where both were rejected by the voters. The end result was not even close -- the challenger Boschwitz won in a 16 point landslide as all three statewide offices switched into Republican hands.

Results

References

Elections in Minnesota
General elections 2006 2008 2010 2012 2014 2016 2018
State elections Executive elections Gubernatorial elections 1857 1859 1861 1863 1865 1867 1869 1871 1873 1875 1877 1879 1881 1883 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 1966 1970 1974 1978 1982 1986 1990 1994 1998 2002 2006 2010 2014 2018 Lieutenant gubernatorial elections 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 1966 1970 Secretary of State elections 2002 2006 2010 2014 2018 State Auditor elections 2002 2006 2010 2014 2018 Attorney General elections 2002 2006 2010 2014 2018 Legislative elections Senate elections 1976 1980 1982 1986 1990 1992 1996 2000 2002 2006 2010 2012 2016 2020 House of Representatives elections 1974 1976 1978 1980 1982 1984 1986 1988 1990 1992 1994 1996 1998 2000 2002 2004 2006 2008 2010 2012 2014 2016 2018 Ballot questions 2012 Amendment 1 Amendment 2 Special elections Senate House of Representatives
Federal elections Presidential elections 1860 1864 1868 1872 1876 1880 1884 1888 1892 1896 1900 1904 1908 1912 1916 1920 1924 1928 1932 1936 1940 1944 1948 1952 1956 1960 1964 1968 1972 1976 1980 1984 1988 1992 1996 2000 2004 2008 2012 2016 2020 Senate elections Class 1 1982 1988 1994 2000 2006 2012 2018 Class 2 1978 1984 1990 1996 2002 2008 2014 2020 House of Representatives elections 2006 2008 2010 2012 2014 2016 2018
Municipal elections Minneapolis General elections 2005 2009 2013 2017 Mayoral elections 2009 2013 2017 City Council elections 2009 2013 2017 Board of Estimate and Taxation elections 2009 2013 Park and Recreation Board elections 2009 2013 Saint Paul Mayoral elections 2005 2009 2013