1978 Maine gubernatorial election

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.

1978 Maine gubernatorial election

November 7, 1978

Nominee Joseph Brennan Linwood E. Palmer Jr. Herman C. Frankland Party Democratic Republican Independent Popular vote 176,493 126,862 65,889 Percentage 47.8% 34.4% 17.8%

Brennan:      30–40%      40–50%      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%      80–90% Palmer:      30–40%      40–50%      50–60%      60–70%      70–80% Frankland:      30–40%      40–50%      50–60%      60–70% Tie:      30–40%      40–50%

Governor before election James B. Longley Independent Elected Governor Joseph Brennan Democratic

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

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Joseph E. Brennan	38,631	52.19
	Democratic	Philip L. Merrill	26,803	36.21
	Democratic	Richard Carey	8,588	11.60
Total votes			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

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Linwood E. Palmer Jr.	35,976	48.73
	Republican	Charles Cragin	28,244	38.26
	Republican	Jerrold Speers	9,603	13.01
Total votes			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

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Democratic	Joseph Brennan	176,493	47.80%	−
	Republican	Linwood E. Palmer Jr.	126,862	34.36%	−
	Independent	Herman C. Frankland	65,889	17.84%	−
Majority			49,631	13.44%
	Democratic gain from Independent		Swing

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)