1978 New Mexico gubernatorial election explained

Election Name:1978 New Mexico gubernatorial election
Type:presidential
Country:New Mexico
Previous Election:1974 New Mexico gubernatorial election
Previous Year:1974
Next Election:1982 New Mexico gubernatorial election
Next Year:1982
Ongoing:no
Election Date:November 7, 1978
Image1:File:Governor Bruce King.jpg
Nominee1:Bruce King
Party1:Democratic Party (United States)
Popular Vote1:174,631
Percentage1:50.55%
Nominee2:Joe Skeen
Party2:Republican Party (United States)
Popular Vote2:170,848
Percentage2:49.45%
Map Size:230px
Governor
Before Election:Jerry Apodaca
Before Party:Democratic Party (United States)
After Election:Bruce King
After Party:Democratic Party (United States)

The 1978 New Mexico gubernatorial election took place on November 7, 1978, in order to elect the Governor of New Mexico. Due to term limits, incumbent Democrat Jerry Apodaca was ineligible to seek a second term as governor. Bruce King, a member of the Democratic Party who had previously served as governor from 1971 to 1975, won the open seat. With a margin of victory of just 1.09% this was the second closest contest of the 1978 Gubernatorial Cycle, behind only the election in Texas.

Primary election

Democratic primary

The Democratic primary was won by former Governor Bruce King.

Results

Republican primary

The Republican primary was won by former state senator Joe Skeen.

Results

General election

Results by county

CountyBruce King
Democratic
Joe Skeen
Republican
MarginTotal votes cast
%%%
Bernalillo55,44848.26%59,44351.74%-3,995-3.48%114,891
Catron64949.13%67250.87%-23-1.74%1,321
Chaves5,13433.94%9,99166.06%-4,857-32.11%15,125
Colfax2,18753.12%1,93046.88%2576.24%4,117
Curry4,05448.51%4,30351.49%-249-2.98%8,357
De Baca52152.31%47547.69%464.62%996
Doña Ana9,53945.12%11,60354.88%-2,064-9.76%21,142
Eddy7,41954.02%6,31445.98%1,1058.05%13,733
Grant4,62459.74%3,11640.26%1,50819.48%7,740
Guadalupe1,59169.72%69130.28%90039.44%2,282
Harding25941.77%36158.23%-102-16.45%620
Hidalgo76654.36%64345.64%1238.73%1,409
Lea4,66544.48%5,82455.52%-1,159-11.05%10,489
Lincoln1,00929.46%2,41670.54%-1,407-41.08%3,425
Los Alamos2,34932.65%4,84567.35%-2,496-34.70%7,194
Luna2,11745.29%2,55754.71%-440-9.41%4,674
McKinley5,24459.29%3,60040.71%1,64418.59%8,844
Mora1,49462.07%91337.93%58124.14%2,407
Otero4,14044.43%5,17855.57%-1,038-11.14%9,318
Quay1,63247.65%1,79352.35%-161-4.70%3,425
Rio Arriba7,10668.78%3,22631.22%3,88037.55%10,332
Roosevelt1,79336.87%3,07063.13%-1,277-26.26%4,863
San Juan6,86644.31%8,63155.69%-1,765-11.39%15,497
San Miguel4,72962.29%2,86337.71%1,86624.58%7,592
Sandoval5,30359.77%3,57040.23%1,73319.53%8,873
Santa Fe14,08060.44%9,21739.56%4,86320.87%23,297
Sierra1,48647.66%1,63252.34%-146-4.68%3,118
Socorro2,52457.39%1,87442.61%65014.78%4,398
Taos4,41866.07%2,26933.93%2,14932.14%6,687
Torrance1,85862.06%1,13637.94%72224.11%2,994
Union70441.46%99458.54%-290-17.08%1,698
Valencia8,92361.03%5,69838.97%3,22522.06%14,621
Total174,63150.55%170,84849.45%3,7831.10%345,479

Counties that flipped from Republican to Democratic

Counties that flipped from Democratic to Republican