Retirements

Five Republicans and three Democrats retired instead of seeking re-election. One Democrat retired instead of seeking election to finish the unexpired term and one Democrat retired instead of seeking election to a full term.

Defeats

Three Republicans and four Democrats sought re-election but lost in the primary or general election. One Democrat sought election to a full term but lost in the general election, one Democrat sought election to a full term but lost in the primary and one Democrat sought election to finish the unexpired term but lost in the primary.

Post-election changes

One Democrat resigned on May 7, 1980, and was later replaced by Democratic appointee.

Before the elections

After the elections

Special elections during the 95th Congress

In these special elections, the winner was seated during 1978 or before January 3, 1979; ordered by election date, then state.

Elections leading to the next Congress

In these general elections, the winners were elected for the term beginning January 3, 1979; ordered by state.

All of the elections involved the Class 2 seats.

Alabama (regular)

Quick Facts Nominee, Party ...

Alabama general election

← 1972 1984 →

Nominee Howell Heflin Jerome B. Couch Party Democratic Prohibition Popular vote 547,054 34,951 Percentage 94% 6%

County results Heflin:      80–90%      >90%

U.S. senator before election John Sparkman Democratic Elected U.S. Senator Howell Heflin Democratic

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Democrat John Sparkman retired and was succeeded by Howell Heflin, the former Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Alabama. Heflin, the Democratic candidate, faced no Republican opponent in the general election, defeating Prohibition Party nominee Jerome B. Couch.

Alabama (special)

Quick Facts Nominee, Party ...

Alabama special election

← 1974 1980 →

Nominee Donald W. Stewart James D. Martin Party Democratic Republican Popular vote 401,852 316,170 Percentage 55.1% 43.3%

County results Stewart:      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%      80–90% Martin:      50–60%      60–70%

U.S. senator before election Maryon Pittman Allen Democratic Elected U.S. Senator Donald W. Stewart Democratic

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Following the death of senator Jim Allen, his widow Maryon was appointed by governor George Wallace to fill the vacancy until a special election could be held. In this election, Democratic state senator Donald W. Stewart defeated former Republican Congressman James D. Martin to serve the remaining two years of the term.

Minnesota (regular)

Quick Facts Nominee, Party ...

Minnesota general election

← 1972 1984 →

Nominee Rudy Boschwitz Wendell Anderson Party Ind.-Republican Democratic (DFL) Popular vote 894,092 638,375 Percentage 56.57% 40.39%

County results Boschwitz:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70%      70–80% Anderson:      40–50%

U.S. senator before election Wendell Anderson Democratic (DFL) Elected U.S. Senator Rudy Boschwitz Ind.-Republican

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Democrat Wendell Anderson was defeated by Republican challenger businessman Rudy Boschwitz.

In 1978, all three key statewide races in Minnesota were up for election—the Governorship, and both Senate Seats (the other Senate seat belonged to Hubert Humphrey, who died in 1978). But, there was a particular oddity to the three races—all three had incumbents who were never elected to the office in the first place. This became a well played issue by the Republicans—a billboard put up across the state read, "The DFL is going to face something scary -- an election".

When Walter Mondale resigned after being elected to the Vice Presidency in 1976, sitting Governor Wendell Anderson resigned in order to be appointed by his successor Rudy Perpich to the open seat. This act did not sit well with the electorate. Plywood magnate Rudy Boschwitz campaigned as a liberal Republican and spent freely of his own money, but all that seemed to really matter was that he was neither a DFLer or Wendell Anderson in an election cycle where both were rejected by the voters. The result was not even close—the challenger Boschwitz won in a 16-point landslide as all three statewide offices switched into Republican hands.

Minnesota (special)

Quick Facts Nominee, Party ...

Minnesota special election

← 1976 1982 →

Nominee David Durenberger Bob Short Party Ind.-Republican Democratic (DFL) Popular vote 957,908 538,675 Percentage 61.47% 34.57%

County results Durenberger:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70%      70–80% Short:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70%

U.S. senator before election Muriel Humphrey Democratic (DFL) Elected U.S. senator David Durenberger Ind.-Republican

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Incumbent Muriel Humphrey retired. Democratic candidate Bob Short was defeated by Republican candidate David Durenberger.

In 1978, all three key statewide races in Minnesota were up for election—the Governorship, and both Senate Seats (the other Senate seat belonged to Wendell Anderson, who, as Governor of Minnesota, appointed himself to fill the seat vacated by Walter Mondale, when Mondale ascended to the Vice Presidency in 1976). But, there was a particular oddity to the three races—all three had incumbents who were never elected to the office in the first place. This became a well played issue by the Republicans: a billboard put up across the state read, "The DFL is going to face something scary — an election".

When Hubert H. Humphrey died in office in January 1978, sitting Governor Rudy Perpich appointed Humphrey's widow, Muriel to sit until a special election could be held later that year. However, Muriel Humphrey opted not to seek election to the seat in her own right, and the DFL nominated former Texas Rangers owner Bob Short to run in the subsequent special election. The Independent-Republicans, on their part, nominated the liberal Republican David Durenberger, creating an unusual race in which the DFL candidate was positioned to the right of the Independent-Republican candidate. In addition to the general sense of dissatisfaction voters felt for the DFL, the DFL also had to contend with a large number of liberal members of the DFL, who were dissatisfied with Short's positions on hot button issues such as abortion, motorboat usage in the Boundary Waters Canoe area, and government spending, crossing party lines to vote for Durenberger. As a result, Durenberger won in a 26.9-percent landslide as the governorship and both U.S. Senate seats switched into Republican hands.