1978 Oregon gubernatorial election

none January 2025 September 2023 1978 Oregon gubernatorial election Oregon presidential no 1974 Oregon gubernatorial election 1974 1982 Oregon gubernatorial election 1982 November 7, 1978 File:Victor Atiyeh from Marion County Voters' Pamphlet, 1978 (page 82 crop).jpg 150x150px Victor Atiyeh Republican Party (United States) 498,452 54.71% File:Bob Straub.jpg Robert Straub Democratic Party (United States) 409,411 44.93% 1978 Oregon gubernatorial election results map by county.svg 260px County resultsAtiyeh: #E27F7F 50–60% #D75D5D 60–70% #D72F30 70–80%Straub: #7996E2 50–60% Governor Robert Straub Democratic Party (United States) Victor Atiyeh Republican Party (United States) The 1978 Oregon gubernatorial election took place on November 7, 1978. In a rematch of the 1974 contest, Republican nominee Victor Atiyeh defeated Democratic incumbent Robert Straub. As of 2026, this is the last Oregon gubernatorial race where the incumbent was defeated. Democratic primary Candidates Nominee Robert W. Straub, incumbent Governor of Oregon Eliminated in primary Marvin J. Hollingsworth, former state representative (1971-1972) Emily Ashworth, teacher2017-06-09 Emily Ashworth featured at Gallery By the Bay July and August https://theworldlink.com/lifestyles/go/emily-ashworth-featured-at-gallery-by-the-bay-july-and-august/article_251093b2-5ea8-5348-a1b6-6477629bc3ba.html 2025-11-10 The Coos Bay World en William L. Patrick, car salesman James R. Smith E. "Buck" Lambert, car dealer E. Allen Propst, retired cropduster and candidate for governor in 19701970 Gubernatorial Democratic Primary Election Results - Oregon https://uselectionatlas.org/RESULTS/state.php?fips=41&year=1970&f=0&off=5&elect=1 2025-11-10 uselectionatlas.org Results Democratic primary resultsOfficial Abstract of Votes, Primary Election, May 23, 1978 https://records.sos.state.or.us/ORSOSWebDrawer/RecordView/8411047 November 9, 2025 Oregon Secretary of State Democratic Party (United States) Robert W. Straub (inc.) 144,761 51.71%Democratic Party (United States) Marvin J. Hollingsworth 52,901 18.90%Democratic Party (United States) Emily Ashworth 49,201 17.58%Democratic Party (United States) William L. Patrick 11,232 4.01%Democratic Party (United States) James R. Smith 8,195 2.93%Democratic Party (US) E. "Buck" Lambert 8,005 2.86%Democratic Party (US) E. Allen Propst 5,649 2.02%279,944 100.0% Republican primary Candidates Nominee Victor G. Atiyeh, state senator and nominee in 1974 Eliminated in primary Tom McCall, former Governor of Oregon (1967-1975) Roger E. Martin, state representative William A. Jolley, refrigeration service engineerOregon Secretary of State Oregon Secretary of State 1978 Marion County Voters' Pamphlet https://digitalcollections.library.oregon.gov/nodes/view/24553 Oregon State Library L.E. "Bud" Kretsinger, tavern ownerDillon Dave 2008-06-19 Remembering Bud https://www.tillamookheadlightherald.com/news/remembering-bud/article_0e7bc67c-fcac-5131-b7c8-3fce3dc55f48.html 2025-11-10 Tillamook Headlight-Herald en Gerald Wayne "Jerry" Todd William Desmond Hewitt, pianist and marijuana legalization advocateWilliam Hewitt Obituary (1932 - 2023) - Portland, OR - The Oregonian https://obits.oregonlive.com/us/obituaries/oregon/name/william-hewitt-obituary?id=53942107 2025-11-10 Legacy.com Results Republican primary results Republican Party (United States) Victor Atiyeh 115,593 46.42%Republican Party (United States) Tom McCall 83,568 33.56%Republican Party (United States) Roger Martin 42,644 17.13%Republican Party (United States) William A. Jolley 3,133 1.26%Republican Party (United States) L.E. "Bud" Kretsinger 2,332 0.94%Republican Party (United States) Gerald Wayne "Jerry" Todd 989 0.40%Republican Party (United States) William Desmond Hewitt 741 0.30%249,000 100.0% General election Results 1978 Oregon gubernatorial electionOfficial Abstract of Votes General Election November 7, 1978 1978 Oregon Secretary of State 6 https://records.sos.state.or.us/ORSOSWebDrawer/RecordView/8411046 12 April 2026 Republican Party (United States) Victor G. Atiyeh 498,452 54.90% +12.56% Democratic Party (United States) Robert W. Straub (inc.) 409,411 45.10% -12.79% Write-in Scattering 3,280 0.36% 911,143 100.00% 89,041 9.77% Republican Party (United States) Democratic Party (United States) +25.35% Results by county Lane County backed the losing candidate for the first time since 1930 and after this election, has voted for the winner in every subsequent gubernatorial election to date (as of 2026). This was also one of only two elections in the 20th century in which the winning gubernatorial candidate did not carry Multnomah County.The other was in 1948 County Victor G. AtiyehRepublican Robert W. StraubDemocratic ScatteringWrite-in Margin Total votes cast # % # % # % # %Baker3,73966.31%1,89633.62%40.07%1,84332.68%5,639Benton13,65855.20%10,98544.40%990.40%2,67310.80%24,742Clackamas48,70855.73%38,34943.88%3400.39%10,35911.85%87,397Clatsop6,78755.98%5,31143.81%250.21%1,47612.18%12,123Columbia6,14248.02%6,57651.42%720.56%-434-3.39%12,790Coos11,59753.80%9,94346.13%150.07%1,6547.67%21,555Crook2,61958.96%1,80640.66%170.38%81318.30%4,442Curry4,17067.23%2,02432.63%90.15%2,14634.60%6,203Deschutes11,22657.50%8,26542.33%340.17%2,96115.17%19,525Douglas19,03063.85%10,74036.03%350.12%8,29027.81%29,805Gilliam62767.56%30032.33%10.11%32735.24%928Grant1,95365.98%1,00433.92%30.10%94932.06%2,960Harney1,84664.05%1,02935.70%70.24%81728.35%2,882Hood River3,24656.83%2,44442.79%220.39%80214.04%5,712Jackson22,81455.32%18,38944.59%350.08%4,42510.73%41,238Jefferson2,32864.65%1,26535.13%80.22%1,06329.52%3,601Josephine13,51573.27%4,90826.61%220.12%8,60746.66%18,445Klamath12,06066.76%5,98533.13%190.11%6,07533.63%18,064Lake1,92965.66%1,00334.14%60.20%92631.52%2,938Lane40,44643.22%52,98556.62%1410.15%-12,539-13.40%93,572Lincoln7,28656.76%5,53143.09%190.15%1,75513.67%12,836Linn17,48262.48%10,44437.33%540.19%7,03825.15%27,980Malheur5,54672.55%2,09727.43%10.01%3,44945.12%7,644Marion41,11559.97%27,06739.48%3790.55%14,04820.49%68,561Morrow1,28760.42%83939.39%40.19%44821.03%2,130Multnomah100,53046.83%112,75452.52%1,3910.65%-12,224-5.69%214,675Polk9,75458.35%6,89941.27%640.38%2,85517.08%16,717Sherman62762.45%37136.95%60.60%25625.50%1,004Tillamook4,48854.26%3,74745.30%360.44%7418.96%8,271Umatilla9,27261.62%5,75938.27%160.11%3,51323.35%15,047Union5,63567.01%2,76332.86%110.13%2,87234.15%8,409Wallowa1,91970.50%79829.32%50.18%1,12141.18%2,722Wasco4,74258.82%3,30040.93%200.25%1,44217.89%8,062Washington49,91859.30%33,95540.34%3000.36%15,96318.96%84,173Wheeler35753.68%30746.17%10.15%507.52%665Yamhill10,05456.85%7,57342.82%590.33%2,48114.03%17,686Total498,45254.71%409,41144.93%3,2800.36%89,0419.77%911,143 Counties that flipped from Democratic to Republican Baker Benton Clackamas Clatsop Coos Crook Curry Deschutes Douglas Grant Harney Hood River Jackson Lincoln Linn Marion Morrow Polk Tillamook Umatilla Wasco Washington Wheeler Yamhill Notes References 1978 Gubernatorial Oregon Category:November 1978 in the United States