1978 Maine gubernatorial election

none January 2025 September 2023 1978 Maine gubernatorial election Maine presidential no 1974 Maine gubernatorial election 1974 1982 Maine gubernatorial election 1982 November 7, 1978 Image:Joseph E. Brennan (ME).png 150x150px Joseph Brennan Democratic Party (United States) 176,493 47.80% Image:Linwood Palmer.jpg Linwood E. Palmer Jr. Republican Party (United States) 126,862 34.36% 3x4.svg Herman C. Frankland Independent 65,889 17.84% 280px County results 280px Municipality results Brennan: #BDD3FF 30–40% #a5b0ff 40–50% #7996e2 50–60% #6674de 60–70% #584cde 70–80% #3933e5 80–90%Palmer: #FFC8CD 30–40% #ffb2b2 40–50% #e27f7f 50–60% #d75d5d 60–70% #d72f30 70–80%Frankland: #E6E6E6 30–40% #D9D9D9 40–50% #BDBDBD 50–60% #969696 60–70% Tie: #DECDE6 30–40% #D2B1D9 40–50% Governor James B. Longley Independent Joseph Brennan Democratic Party (United States) The 1978 Maine gubernatorial election took place in the US state on November 7, 1978. Incumbent Independent Governor James B. Longley chose not to run for re-election, holding himself to the one-term pledge he made when he was elected in 1974. Attorney General Joseph E. Brennan of the Democratic Party defeated both challenger Republican Linwood E. Palmer Jr. and right-wing independent candidate Herman Frankland. Richard Carey unsuccessfully ran for the Democratic nomination, while Charles Cragin unsuccessfully ran for the Republican nomination. Democratic primary Candidates Joseph E. Brennan, Maine Attorney General, of Portland Richard Carey, state representative, of Waterville Philip L. Merrill, state senator, of Portland Results Democratic primary results Joseph E. Brennan Democratic Party (United States) 38,631 52.19 Philip L. Merrill Democratic Party (United States) 26,803 36.21 Richard Carey Democratic Party (United States) 8,588 11.60 74,022 100.00 Republican primary Candidates Charles Cragin, attorney, of Falmouth Linwood E. Palmer Jr., state representative, of Nobleboro Jerrold Speers, state senator, of Winthrop Results Republican primary results Linwood E. Palmer Jr. Republican Party (United States) 35,976 48.73 Charles Cragin Republican Party (United States) 28,244 38.26 Jerrold Speers Republican Party (United States) 9,603 13.01 73,826 100.00 Results Brennan won much of the state, including the Greater Portland area, the Lewiston–Auburn area, and Bangor, the largest population centers in the state, and performed particularly well in Aroostook County. Palmer did well in the staunchly Republican coastal counties of Lincoln, Waldo, Knox, and Hancock, as well as the lightly-populated inland rural county of Piscataquis. Frankland carried a handful of municipalities in rural Hancock, Washington, Aroostook, Oxford, and Franklin counties.1978 Gubernatorial Election, Maine Guide to US Elections Fifth II CQ Press 2005 1497–1499 https://archive.org/details/guidetouselectio00cqpr 978-1-56802-981-8 2009-05-06 registration Democratic Party (United States) Joseph Brennan 176,493 47.80% - Republican Party (United States) Linwood E. Palmer Jr. 126,862 34.36% - Independent Herman C. Frankland 65,889 17.84% - 49,631 13.44% Democratic Party (United States) Independent politician Counties that flipped from Independent to Democratic Androscoggin (largest city: Lewiston) Franklin (largest town: Farmington) Kennebec (largest city: Augusta) Oxford (largest town: Rumford) Penobscot (largest city: Bangor) Sagadahoc (largest town: Bath) Somerset (largest town: Skowhegan) Washington (largest city: Calais) Counties that flipped from Independent to Republican Hancock (largest municipality: Ellsworth) Knox (largest municipality: Rockland) Lincoln (largest city: Waldoboro) Piscataquis (largest municipality: Dover-Foxcroft) Waldo (largest city: Belfast) Notes expanded 1978 Gubernatorial Maine Category:November 1978 in the United States