1978 Wisconsin gubernatorial election explained

The 1978 Wisconsin gubernatorial election was held on November 7, 1978. Republican Lee S. Dreyfus won the election with 54% of the vote, winning his first term as Governor of Wisconsin and defeating incumbent Democrat Martin J. Schreiber.^[1] Bob Kasten unsuccessfully sought the Republican nomination.

As of 2024, this is the most occasion that Florence County has voted Democratic in a gubernatorial election.

Primary election

The primary election was held on September 12, 1978. Nominees for Governor and Lieutenant Governor were selected in separate primaries before running on a joint ticket in the general election.

Democratic party

Governor

Candidates

• David Carley, nominee for lieutenant governor in 1962
• Edmond Hou-Seye, American party nominee for United States Senate in 1970
• Martin J. Schreiber, incumbent governor

Results

Lieutenant Governor

Candidates

• Robert A. Anderson
• Douglas J. La Follette, Secretary of State of Wisconsin
• Dale T. McKenna, member of Wisconsin State Senate
• Paul Offner, member of Wisconsin State Senate
• Harout Sanasarian, former member of Wisconsin State Assembly
• Charles E. Smith
• Monroe Swan, member of Wisconsin State Senate

Results

Republican party

Governor

Candidates

• Lee S. Dreyfus, Chancellor of University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point
• Robert W. Kasten, member of United States House of Representatives from the 9th district

Results

Lieutenant Governor

Candidates

• Russell A. Olson, member of Wisconsin State Assembly
• La Verne Ausman, member of Wisconsin State Assembly

Results

Conservative party

Governor

Candidates

• Eugene R. Zimmerman, American party nominee for Secretary of State in 1974

Results

Lieutenant Governor

Candidates

• George Reed, American party nominee for Secretary of State in 1970

Results

Independent nominations

Candidates

• John C. Doherty & Marion A. Doherty
• Adrienne Kaplan & William Breihan
• Henry A. Ochsner & Robert E. Nordlander

Results

General election

Candidates

• Martin J. Schreiber & Douglas J. La Follette, Democrat
• Lee S. Dreyfus & Russell A. Olson, Republican
• Eugene R. Zimmerman & George Reed, Conservative
• John C. Doherty & Marion A. Doherty, Independent
• Adrienne Kaplan & William Breihan, Independent
• Henry A. Ochsner & Robert E. Nordlander, Independent

Results by county

Dreyfus was the first Republican since Walter J. Kohler Jr. in 1952 to win Forest County, Portage County, and Rusk County. St. Croix County backed the losing candidate for the first time since 1892, breaking a bellwether streak of 40 consecutive gubernatorial elections. Barron County, Buffalo County, Pepin County, and Washburn County would not vote for the losing candidate again until 2018.

County	Lee S. Dreyfus Republican		Martin J. Schreiber Democratic		All Others Various		Margin		Total votes cast
		%		%		%		%
	Adams		2,567		56.50%		1,941		42.73%		35		0.77%		626		13.78%		4,543
	Ashland		2,641		45.60%		3,108		53.66%		43		0.74%		-467		-8.06%		5,792
	Barron		4,868		49.57%		4,901		49.91%		51		0.52%		-33		-0.34%		9,820
	Bayfield		2,354		44.42%		2,889		54.52%		56		1.06%		-535		-10.10%		5,299
	Brown		31,610		57.19%		23,146		41.88%		514		0.93%		8,464		15.31%		55,270
	Buffalo		1,980		45.65%		2,329		53.70%		28		0.65%		-349		-8.05%		4,337
	Burnett		1,931		41.33%		2,664		57.02%		77		1.65%		-733		-15.69%		4,672
	Calumet		5,593		57.51%		4,091		42.07%		41		0.42%		1,502		15.44%		9,725
	Chippewa		7,624		55.97%		5,880		43.17%		118		0.87%		1,744		12.80%		13,622
	Clark		6,123		56.80%		4,583		42.52%		73		0.68%		1,540		14.29%		10,779
	Columbia		8,377		62.09%		5,063		37.53%		52		0.39%		3,314		24.56%		13,492
	Crawford		2,332		52.63%		2,071		46.74%		28		0.63%		261		5.89%		4,431
	Dane		56,631		50.24%		54,916		48.72%		1,166		1.03%		1,715		1.52%		112,713
	Dodge		14,280		61.89%		8,656		37.51%		138		0.60%		5,624		24.37%		23,074
	Door		5,226		59.50%		3,520		40.08%		37		0.42%		1,706		19.42%		8,783
	Douglas		5,504		38.94%		8,494		60.10%		135		0.96%		-2,990		-21.16%		14,133
	Dunn		4,317		46.40%		4,824		51.85%		163		1.75%		-507		-5.45%		9,304
	Eau Claire		12,063		52.16%		10,898		47.13%		164		0.71%		1,165		5.04%		23,125
	Florence		692		48.56%		722		50.67%		11		0.77%		-30		-2.11%		1,425
	Fond du Lac		16,305		57.31%		11,848		41.64%		300		1.05%		4,457		15.66%		28,453
	Forest		1,653		52.08%		1,493		47.04%		28		0.88%		160		5.04%		3,174
	Grant		8,963		59.00%		6,134		40.38%		94		0.62%		2,829		18.62%		15,191
	Green		5,211		59.63%		3,493		39.97%		35		0.40%		1,718		19.66%		8,739
	Green Lake		4,056		69.69%		1,737		29.85%		27		0.46%		2,319		39.85%		5,820
	Iowa		3,269		56.13%		2,519		43.25%		36		0.62%		750		12.88%		5,824
	Iron		1,296		47.81%		1,384		51.05%		31		1.14%		-88		-3.25%		2,711
	Jackson		3,118		58.71%		2,157		40.61%		36		0.68%		961		18.09%		5,311
	Jefferson		12,255		58.59%		8,519		40.73%		141		0.67%		3,736		17.86%		20,915
	Juneau		4,356		60.91%		2,743		38.36%		52		0.73%		1,613		22.56%		7,151
	Kenosha		13,518		41.36%		18,976		58.06%		188		0.58%		-5,458		-16.70%		32,682
	Kewaunee		3,446		55.86%		2,690		43.61%		33		0.53%		756		12.25%		6,169
	La Crosse		15,954		56.52%		12,053		42.70%		218		0.77%		3,901		13.82%		28,225
	Lafayette		3,370		56.19%		2,596		43.29%		31		0.52%		774		12.91%		5,997
	Langlade		5,213		66.01%		2,624		33.23%		60		0.76%		2,589		32.78%		7,897
	Lincoln		5,838		65.77%		2,975		33.52%		63		0.71%		2,863		32.26%		8,876
	Manitowoc		13,130		48.06%		13,898		50.87%		294		1.08%		-768		-2.81%		27,322
	Marathon		24,536		64.67%		12,973		34.19%		433		1.14%		11,563		30.48%		37,942
	Marinette		7,376		54.62%		6,030		44.65%		98		0.73%		1,346		9.97%		13,504
	Marquette		2,422		61.36%		1,495		37.88%		30		0.76%		927		23.49%		3,947
	Menominee		201		27.99%		515		71.73%		2		0.28%		-314		-43.73%		718
	Milwaukee		145,363		45.94%		168,854		53.36%		2,222		0.70%		-23,491		-7.42%		316,439
	Monroe		5,868		65.35%		3,061		34.09%		50		0.56%		2,807		31.26%		8,979
	Oconto		5,149		59.12%		3,497		40.15%		63		0.72%		1,652		18.97%		8,709
	Oneida		7,818		67.98%		3,632		31.58%		50		0.43%		4,186		36.40%		11,500
	Outagamie		23,544		58.89%		16,030		40.09%		409		1.02%		7,514		18.79%		39,983
	Ozaukee		17,145		67.50%		8,160		32.12%		96		0.38%		8,985		35.37%		25,401
	Pepin		1,016		37.81%		1,647		61.30%		24		0.89%		-631		-23.48%		2,687
	Pierce		3,460		44.25%		4,295		54.92%		65		0.83%		-835		-10.68%		7,820
	Polk		3,950		43.66%		5,027		55.57%		70		0.77%		-1,077		-11.90%		9,047
	Portage		12,722		60.18%		8,272		39.13%		146		0.69%		4,450		21.05%		21,140
	Price		3,740		64.41%		2,027		34.91%		40		0.69%		1,713		29.50%		5,807
	Racine		26,744		51.62%		24,734		47.74%		334		0.64%		2,010		3.88%		51,812
	Richland		3,712		60.97%		2,340		38.44%		36		0.59%		1,372		22.54%		6,088
	Rock		18,834		51.24%		17,647		48.01%		273		0.74%		1,187		3.23%		36,754
	Rusk		2,517		52.13%		2,269		47.00%		42		0.87%		248		5.14%		4,828
	Sauk		7,867		60.46%		5,063		38.91%		82		0.63%		2,804		21.55%		13,012
	Sawyer		2,442		62.76%		1,434		36.85%		15		0.39%		1,008		25.91%		3,891
	Shawano		7,145		63.31%		4,097		36.30%		44		0.39%		3,048		27.01%		11,286
	Sheboygan		18,936		53.30%		16,355		46.04%		235		0.66%		2,581		7.27%		35,526
	St. Croix		4,602		45.19%		5,515		54.16%		66		0.65%		-913		-8.97%		10,183
	Taylor		3,391		58.62%		2,338		40.41%		56		0.97%		1,053		18.20%		5,785
	Trempealeau		4,108		53.14%		3,595		46.51%		27		0.35%		513		6.64%		7,730
	Vernon		4,538		59.53%		3,048		39.98%		37		0.49%		1,490		19.55%		7,623
	Vilas		4,619		67.54%		2,190		32.02%		30		0.44%		2,429		35.52%		6,839
	Walworth		12,808		63.12%		7,386		36.40%		98		0.48%		5,422		26.72%		20,292
	Washburn		2,306		48.06%		2,447		51.00%		45		0.94%		-141		-2.94%		4,798
	Washington		15,645		60.82%		9,951		38.69%		127		0.49%		5,694		22.14%		25,723
	Waukesha		62,062		65.53%		32,138		33.93%		509		0.54%		29,924		31.60%		94,709
	Waupaca		9,096		67.75%		4,273		31.83%		57		0.42%		4,823		35.92%		13,426
	Waushara		3,791		68.39%		1,729		31.19%		23		0.41%		2,062		37.20%		5,543
	Winnebago		24,874		57.24%		18,137		41.74%		441		1.01%		6,737		15.50%		43,452
	Wood		14,045		60.34%		9,077		39.00%		155		0.67%		4,968		21.34%		23,277
Total	816,056	54.37%	673,813	44.89%	11,127	0.74%	142,243	9.48%	1,500,996

Counties that flipped from Democratic to Republican

• Brown
• Calumet
• Chippewa
• Clark
• Crawford
• Dane
• Eau Claire
• Forest
• Langlade
• Lincoln
• Marathon
• Marinette
• Outagamie
• Ozaukee
• Portage
• Price
• Racine
• Rock
• Rusk
• Sawyer
• Sheboygan
• Taylor
• Trempealeau
• Washington
• Waukesha
• Wood

Notes and References

1. Book: Joint Committee on Legislative Organization, Wisconsin Legislature . 2015 . Wisconsin Blue Book 2015-2016 . Madison, Wisconsin . Wisconsin Department of Administration . 699–701 . 978-0-9752820-7-6.