| Election Name: | 1978 Alabama gubernatorial election |
| Country: | Alabama |
| Type: | presidential |
| Ongoing: | no |
| Previous Election: | 1974 Alabama gubernatorial election |
| Previous Year: | 1974 |
| Next Election: | 1982 Alabama gubernatorial election |
| Next Year: | 1982 |
| Election Date: | November 7, 1978 |
| Image1: | Reagan Contact Sheet C1331 (cropped2) (cropped).jpg |
| Image Upright: | 0.6 |
| Nominee1: | Fob James |
| Party1: | Democratic Party (United States) |
| Popular Vote1: | 551,786 |
| Percentage1: | 72.6% |
| Nominee2: | H. Guy Hunt |
| Party2: | Republican Party (United States) |
| Popular Vote2: | 196,963 |
| Percentage2: | 25.9% |
| Map Size: | 250px |
| Governor | |
| Before Election: | George Wallace |
| Before Party: | Democratic Party (United States) |
| After Election: | Fob James |
| After Party: | Democratic Party (United States) |
The 1978 Alabama gubernatorial election took place on November 7, 1978, to elect the governor of Alabama. Fob James, a businessman who had switched from the Republican Party to the Democratic Party and campaigned as a "born-again Democrat", won the Democratic primary in an upset over Attorney General Bill Baxley. He went on to defeat Guy Hunt in a landslide in the general election. Incumbent Democrat George Wallace was term limited and could not seek a third consecutive term; he later successfully ran again in 1982.
Hunt was the first Republican to win Cullman County since Reconstruction.
Despite entering the race as a former Republican with low name identification and little political experience, by the time of the primary, James led Baxley, Beasley, and Brewer, who were considered the main contenders, in the polls. James placed first in the primary, followed by Baxley. Fob James then won the primary runoff against Bill Baxley.
Fob James won all but two counties: Cullman, where Hunt had been Probate Judge; and Winston, a traditionally Republican stronghold.[2]