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      Data: MIT Election Lab, VEST, Census Bureau
      Home/Elections/1978/Governor/Tennessee
      1978·Governor·Tennessee

      Tennessee Governor

      Winner
      REP
      Lamar Alexander
      55.6%661,959 votes
      Runner-up
      DEM
      Jake Butcher
      44.0%523,495 votes
      Margin
      R+11.6
      1,189,695 total votes
      3 candidates1,189,695 total votes
      CandidatePartyVotes ▼%Vote Share
      Lamar AlexanderREP✓
      		REP661,95955.6%
      Jake ButcherDEM
      		DEM523,49544.0%
      OtherOTH
      		OTH4,2410.4%

      Seat History

      Governor in Tennessee

      2022
      Bill LeeREP
      R+32.0
      2018
      Bill LeeREP
      R+21.0
      2014
      Bill HaslamREP
      R+47.5
      2010
      Bill HaslamREP
      R+31.9
      2006
      Phil BredesenDEM
      D+38.9
      2002
      Phil BredesenDEM
      D+3.0
      1998
      Don SundquistREP
      R+39.1
      1994
      Don SundquistREP
      R+9.6
      1990
      Ned R McWherterDEM
      D+24.2
      1986
      Ned R McWherterDEM
      D+8.5
      1982
      Lamar AlexanderREP
      R+19.1
      1974
      L. Ray BlantonDEM
      D+11.7
      1970
      Winfield DunnREP
      R+6.0
      1966
      Buford EllingtonDEM
      D+81.2
      View all Governor history for Tennessee →

      Candidates

      Jake ButcherDEM
      Record0W-1L
      Avg MarginR+11.6
      Career1978-1978
      Governor
      Full profile →
      Lamar AlexanderREP
      Record5W-1L
      Avg MarginR+15.4
      Career1974-2014
      US Senate / Governor
      Full profile →

      Also in Tennessee, 1978

      US Senate1 contest →US House8 contests →
      ← All 1978 Governor races1978 overviewTennessee profileAll elections