Governor, 1978 Election

General

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Date: November 7, 1978
Cycle: 1978
Office: Governor
State: Minnesota
District: Statewide
Candidate Gender Running mate Party Votes Percent Margin
Albert H. (Al) Quie Man Lou Wangberg (Man) Independent-Republican 830,019 52.35 +7.05
Rudy (R.G.) Perpich Incumbent Man Alec G. Olson (Man) Incumbent Democratic-Farmer-Labor 718,244 45.30
Richard Pedersen Man Joyce M. Baier (Woman) American 21,058 1.33
Jill Lakowske Woman Marc Shaver (Man) Socialist Workers 6,287 0.40
Tom McDonald Man Russ Payzant (Man) Honest Government 4,254 0.27
Robin E. Miller Man Mary Rosenbauer (Woman) Libertarian 3,689 0.23
Edwin Pommerening Man Robert M. Stegmaier (Man) Savings Account 2,043 0.13

Governor Perpich became the seventh Minnesota governor to lose a general election and the fifth in nine cycles joining Democratic-People’s Governor John Lind in 1900, Farmer-Laborite Elmer Benson in 1938, Republican C. Elmer Anderson in 1954, DFLer Orville Freeman in 1960, Republican Elmer Andersen in 1962, and DFLer Karl Rolvaag in 1966.

Quie was a farmer from Dennison, former state Senator (SD 18, 1955-1958), and sitting U.S. Representative (CD 01, 1958-1979); Wangberg was a school superintendent from Bemidji. They were nominated by petition.

Pedersen was an electronics engineer from New Brighton; Baier was a resident of Minneapolis. They were nominated by petition.

Lakowske was a resident of Minneapolis; Shaver was a steel worker from St. Paul. They were nominated by petition.

McDonald was a perennial candidate from Minneapolis who sought the DFL gubernatorial nomination in 1974; Payzant was a resident of Minneapolis. They were nominated by petition.

Miller was a computer analyst from Anoka; Rosenbauer was a resident of Bloomington. They were nominated by petition.

Pommerening was farmer from Randolph; Stegmaier was a resident of Lakeville. They were nominated by petition.

Related Reports

Sources

  • State of Minnesota Legislative Manual, 1979-1980 (p. 489).