1978 United States Senate election in Alabama

none the Class II general election for the next term in the United States Senate the Class III special election to complete James Allen's unexpired term 1978 United States Senate special election in Alabama March 2026 September 2023 1978 United States Senate election in Alabama Alabama presidential no 1972 United States Senate election in Alabama 1972 1984 United States Senate election in Alabama 1984 November 7, 1978 File:Heflin.jpg 150x150px Howell Heflin Democratic Party (United States) 547,054 93.99% 3x4.svg Jerome B. Couch Prohibition Party (United States) 34,951 6.01% 1978 United States Senate election in Alabama results map by county.svg 250px County resultsHeflin: #3933e5 80–90% #3933e5 >90% U.S. Senator John Sparkman Democratic Party (United States) Howell Heflin Democratic Party (United States) thumb|Democratic primary first round results by county #7996E2 Heflin #BDD3FF 30–40% #A5B0FF 40–50% #7996E2 50–60% #6674DE 60–70% #584CDE 70–80% #3933E5 80–90% #51c2c2 Flowers #7ddddd 40–50% #51c2c2 50–60% #2aacac 60–70% #009696 70–80% #008080 80–90% #ffdc43 Baker #ffe680 40–50% #ffdc43 50–60% #f4c200 60–70% thumb|Democratic primary runoff results by county #7996E2 Heflin #7996E2 50–60% #6674DE 60–70% #584CDE 70–80% #3933E5 80–90% #51c2c2 Flowers #51c2c2 50–60% #2aacac 60–70% #009696 70–80% The 1978 United States Senate election in Alabama was held on November 7, 1978. Incumbent Democratic U.S. Senator John Sparkman decided to retire and Alabama Supreme Court Chief Justice Howell Heflin was elected to succeed him. Heflin won the Democratic primary against Rep. Walter Flowers and faced only nominal opposition from Prohibition Party nominee Jerome Couch in the general election. Democratic primary Candidates John Baker, Alabama State Senator Walter Flowers, U.S. Representative Howell Heflin, former Chief Justice of the Alabama Supreme Court Mac Newton Margaret Stewart, perennial candidate Gordon Tucker Glenn Hewitt Campaign Prior to 1978, Alabama had never popularly elected any Senator from a party other than the Democratic Party, and Democratic candidates typically faced nominal opposition in the general election. Therefore, victory in the Democratic primary was considered tantamount to election. Incumbent Democrat John Sparkman declined to seek a seventh consecutive term in office. Senator Sparkman retired as the longest-serving Senator in Alabama history. Alabama Supreme Court Chief Justice Howell Heflin and Congressman Walter Flowers of Tuscaloosa were the leading candidates. Heflin came from a noted Alabama political family which included former Senator James Thomas Heflin, a famous advocate of white supremacy. Flowers was a strong ally of Governor George Wallace, a critic of President Jimmy Carter,https://www.nytimes.com/1977/07/24/archives/an-old-pol-takes-on-the-new-president-oneill.html AN OLD POL TAKES ON THE NEW PRESIDENT Martin Tolchin The New York Times 24 July 1977 1 Nov 2018 and had cast a crucial vote to impeach President Richard Nixon, despite Nixon's strong support in the state.http://www.time.com/time/printout/0,8816,879405,00.html https://web.archive.org/web/20071001005014/http://www.time.com/time/printout/0,8816,879405,00.html dead October 1, 2007 The Fatal Vote to Impeach 5 August 1974 2007-06-22 Timehttps://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/local/1984/04/13/ex-rep-walter-flowers-of-impeachment-panel-dies/3fe6a817-b143-4325-839b-cb7c56f1e03e/ Ex-Rep. Walter Flowers of Impeachment Panel Dies 13 April 1984 2018-11-01 Martin Weil The New York Times During the campaign, Heflin attempted to tie himself to the late Senator James Allen. He was rebuffed by Allen's widow, Maryon, who succeeded her husband as Senator and supported Flowers. Maryon noted that Heflin worked for her husband's primary opponent during the 1974 campaign.https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/lifestyle/1978/07/30/maryon-allen-the-southerngirl-in-the-senate/795ea659-98e6-4076-b610-f2040d993d6e/ Sally Quinn 30 July 1978 Maryon Allen - The Southerngirl in the Senate The Washington Post Results Heflin and Flowers both proceeded to a run-off election, where Heflin won by over 250,000 votes. Primary election resultsAL US Senate – D Primary, 1978 https://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=121963 OurCampaigns.com 10 October 2018 Democratic Party (United States) Howell Heflin 369,270 48.37% Democratic Party (United States) Walter Flowers 236,894 31.03% Democratic Party (United States) John Baker 101,110 13.24% Democratic Party (United States) Mac Newton 18,709 2.45% Democratic Party (United States) Margaret E. Stewart 17,562 2.35% Democratic Party (United States) Gordon Tucker 10,206 2.35% Democratic Party (United States) Glenn Hewett 9,702 1.27% 763,453 100.00% Primary runoff election resultsAL US Senate – D Primary Runoff, 1978 https://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=113017 OurCampaigns.com 10 October 2018 Democratic Party (United States) Howell Heflin 556,685 64.93% Democratic Party (United States) Walter Flowers 300,654 35.07% 857,339 100.00% Republican primary Candidates Withdrew James D. Martin, former U.S. Representative for Alabama's 7th congressional district (to run in the special election) After James Martin withdrew from the race to run in the concurrent special election to fill the late Senator Allen's seat, the Republican Party was left without a candidate for this election. General election Results United States Senate election in Alabama, 1978AL US Senate, 1978 https://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=3308 OurCampaigns.com 10 October 2018 http://clerk.house.gov/member_info/electionInfo/1978election.pdf Statistics of the Congressional Election of November 7, 1978 Clerk of the United States House of Representatives Clerk of the United States House of Representatives U.S. Government Printing Office 1979 Democratic Party (United States) Howell Heflin 547,054 93.99% +31.72 Prohibition Party (United States) Jerome B. Couch 34,951 6.01% N/A 582,005 100.00% N/A Democratic Party (United States) See also 1978 United States Senate elections 1978 Alabama gubernatorial election References Category:1978 Alabama elections Alabama 1978